A CHEF JOHN'S ON THE ROAD RERUN: Grilled Lemon Yogurt Chicken - Featuring the Marinade that's Been Making Chicken Delicious for Over 4,000 Years
I'm still in New York and unable to post any new material, so here's a rerun of one of my favorite summer chicken recipes. It's perfect for the grill, or can be baked in the oven. What follows is the original post which aired on August 4, 2008...
Yogurt has been used as a marinade since it was first invented, over 4,000 years ago, in Turkey, Central Europe, or the Balkans, depending on who you ask. The important thing is that any cooking technique or recipe that survives that long is probably pretty damn good. This video recipe for a simple, but super succulent, grilled lemon and yogurt chicken is just that.
There is something special about what yogurt does to chicken waiting for its smoky, sizzling time over the charcoal. It imparts a tangy flavor that lifts all the other flavorings. It tenderizes slightly, without turning the meat into mush. It grills to a caramelized dark brown without tasting burnt. And, there are not many fat-free ingredients that will have people begging for your "secret" recipe.
In the video I use a large cut-up chicken, which I encourage you to do yourself. In case you missed it, here is the link to the "how to cut up a chicken with scissors" video clip. The only thing I did different for this recipe was use a large sharp knife to cut the breasts in half - and also separated the thigh and the drumstick.
This is one of those grilled chicken recipes that is just as delicious served cold, in a salad, or gnawed right off the bone at a picnic. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 1 big chicken
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp Herbs from Provence (or any dried Italian, or Greek herb blend - rosemary, thyme, oregano, etc.)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- For the Sauce:
- 1/2 cup yogurt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp harissa or other hot sauce
- salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste (optional)