Greek Yogurt Chicken Thighs

In lieu of a recipe photograph, please enjoy this picture of our cat cleaning herself in the sun.

I used to think marinades were only an acid and some oil, give or take. Lemon and garlic, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, olive and sesame oil -- all standards. Then, Christopher Kimball and Sara Moulton discussed marinades on a podcast.

The enzymes in a plain Greek yogurt marinade tenderize chicken thighs for this sheet pan-roasted protein. 40 - 50 minutes in the oven means there's plenty of time to make rice and salad.

Also a good recipe for using extra vegetables, chicken bakes at 425*F, the perfect temperature for roasting carrots, potatoes, leeks, squash, and even kale! Try cutting up some root vegetables to roast at the same time or toss fresh asparagus with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast in a separate pan alongside the chicken.

Chicken thighs used to be less expensive than leaner cuts. Thighs are more desirable for some recipes so they might not be the most economical choice. Plan appropriately.

Ingredients

• 2 lb chicken thighs (boneless/skinless, if possible)

• 5.3 oz plain Greek yogurt (about 1 retail container)

• 2 TB lemon juice, plus wedges for serving

• 1 TB parsley, chopped

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tsp each salt and pepper

• 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk green yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, and spices. When mixed, drizzle in olive oil while whisking and continue until emulsified.

2. Add chicken thighs, mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate, allowing it to marinate at least fifteen minutes, or up to overnight.

3. Preheat oven to 425*F. Spread thighs on a greased baking sheet, skin(-less) side up. Bake 25-30 minutes for boneless, skinless thighs (40-50 minutes for bone in), until and instant read thermometer shows a temperature of 160*F at the thickest part of the thigh. Remove from oven and rest until chicken reaches 165*F throughout.

4. Garnish with additional lemon wedges and chopped parsley. Serve.

Notes:

• leftovers are already in a creamy, yogurty sauce. Refrigerate promptly. When cold, shred the leftover chicken with 2 forks and use it for another meal with a different texture. I reheat foods to 165*F if I'm going to use them in another dish, so shredded leftover chicken makes good fajitas or BBQ sandwiches. This temperature is the food safety requirement to prevent bacterial growth.

• I did not take photos of my meals when I first made this recipe. It is not visually stunning by itself. White chicken, white sauce, and wheat/starch sides can all be the same color if you're not careful.

• Parsley and lemon pull their weight in this meal when used properly, so color and placement is important.