050 / 100 · Chicken and Turkey, Gently Done

Yogurt-Baked Chicken with Cucumber Herb Sauce

4 portions with cucumber sauce Active 20 min Total 1 hr 20 min

Plain yogurt makes an uncomplicated coating for baked chicken, giving the surface a gentle tang while protecting the meat during its time in the oven. A separate bowl of yogurt becomes a cool cucumber-and-herb sauce. Keep those two portions separate from the beginning; the sauce should never share a spoon or container with raw chicken. Boneless thighs are easy to portion and cook fairly quickly. The finished dish is good served warm with its cool sauce alongside, rather than buried under it.

Jump to the ingredients

Golden yogurt-baked chicken beside a small bowl of green-flecked cucumber herb sauce.

A short marinade is enough

Thirty minutes in the refrigerator gives the coating time to settle onto the chicken without turning this into an overnight project. A little cooked garlic flavor comes from the small amount in the marinade; the cucumber sauce has no raw garlic. Shake off heavy drips before arranging the thighs on the tray. A thick pool of yogurt underneath them would stay wet rather than browning.

Drain the cucumber

Grated cucumber releases water almost immediately. Squeezing it in a clean towel keeps the sauce thick enough to sit on a spoon. There is no need to salt it separately because the measured seasoning goes into the finished sauce. Chop the herbs finely so their flavor is distributed throughout. You can make the sauce while the chicken marinates, then keep it chilled until the cooked chicken has rested.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups (340 g) plain Greek yogurt, divided
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
  • 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1 1/2 lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1/2 English cucumber (about 6 oz / 170 g), coarsely grated
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
  • 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

Set out

2 mixing bowls, Rimmed baking sheet, Grater and clean kitchen towel, Instant-read thermometer

Allergens

Milk. Check ingredient labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. In one bowl, mix 3/4 cup yogurt, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Keep the remaining yogurt separate and uncontaminated.
  2. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Brush the baking sheet with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil. Squeeze the grated cucumber in a clean towel to remove excess liquid.
  3. In the second bowl, combine the cucumber, remaining 3/4 cup yogurt, remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, dill, and parsley. Cover and refrigerate the sauce.
  4. Lift the chicken from the marinade, letting heavy drips fall back into the bowl. Place in a single layer on the baking sheet. Discard the raw-chicken marinade.
  5. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until lightly browned in places and every thigh reaches 165°F (74°C). Rest on a clean plate for 5 minutes.
  6. Serve the chicken with the chilled cucumber herb sauce on the side, using a clean spoon.

A useful detail

Use plain Greek yogurt, not sweetened yogurt. Regular yogurt is thinner and can leave too much liquid on the baking sheet.

Make it your own

  • Replace dill with finely chopped chives.
  • Use boneless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch-thick pieces; begin checking sooner and cook every piece to 165°F (74°C).

Keep it well

Refrigerate cooked chicken and untouched sauce separately within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Store at 40°F (4°C) or colder for up to 3 days. Reheat chicken to 165°F (74°C); keep the sauce cold.