Chicken breasts are on high rotation in our family because they're very low in sodium. So this recipe (inspired by The Kitchn's 3-Ingredient Yogurt Marinated Chicken and Milkstreet's Grilled Chicken Salmoriglio) is perfect. Yogurt keeps the chicken tender, while lemons, garlic, and lots of herbs round out the flavor. Serve this with grilled low sodium pita bread, grilled or fresh vegetables, and a side of low sodium tzatziki for a healthy, very low sodium meal.
Servings: 8 servings
Sodium: 56 mg sodium per serving Time: 45 minutes plus time to marinate (30 minutes to overnight)
Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs
2-3 lemons for grilling, cut in half (optional)
Yogurt marinade (see below)
Fresh parsley or mint to garnish
Yogurt marinade ingredients:
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice (from about 2 medium lemons)
zest of two medium lemons
1/2 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt (non-Greek yogurt works also, the marinade will be just a little bit thinner)
1) Prepare chicken - pound chicken breasts to about 1/2 inch thick. I cover my chicken with a piece of wax paper and pound with the flat end of my mallet on a cutting board. The breasts will get bigger once they're pounded, so cut them into smaller serving sizes. If you're using chicken thighs you can skip this step.
2) Prepare the yogurt marinade - combine all the yogurt marinade ingredients EXCEPT for the yogurt and blend into a thick sauce using a blender or food processor. I use an immersion blender in a 2-cup measuring cup. Once blended, stir in the yogurt. In a large gallon sized ziplock bag, combine the chicken and marinade and massage so that the chicken is evenly coated. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and as long as overnight.
3) Grill/cook the chicken - prepare your grill. Shake any excess marinade off the chicken and grill over medium-high heat until there are grill marks and the chicken doesn't stick to the grill, about 5-6 minutes. Then flip and grill on the second side for another 4-5 minutes. When grilling, leave the chicken alone and don't move it around so it has a chance to develop those grill marks. Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. This also works on an indoor grill pan.
If you're also grilling lemons, place the lemons cut side down over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until grill marks appear. Grilling the lemons is supposed to mellow out the flavor a little bit, and give it a little bit of sweetness so it's worth taking the time to do this. Whenever I make this chicken, I also quickly grill a few bell peppers and onions to go with it, just enough to bring out a little flavor but still keep the vegetables crisp. Brush the vegetables with a little olive oil and grill over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes. I also like to grill my pita bread while I'm at it.
Serve with low sodium pita bread (grill it, too!), vegetables, and low sodium tzatziki! I like to add a splash of hot sauce, like this sodium free Trader Joe's Chili Pepper Sauce.