These Southwestern yogurt marinated chicken breasts are a quicky and healthy recipe for weeknight meals. Simply marinate and throw them in the oven! The secret ingredient is the Greek yogurt, which will turn your chicken into the most flavorful, juicy meat. Even the pickiest eater will love this moist chicken.
Do you remember the Southwestern Yogurt Black Bean Dip I shared recently? If not, head on over there right now. I’ll be right here waiting for ya!
That dip..seriously, we could eat it by the spoonful. It’s great as a dip for veggies, pasta sauce, toast/pizza spread, AND as a marinade!
Now I know what you might be thinking. Raw meat and dairy….that does not sound like an appealing duo! You might even be cringing right now as you look at the picture above.
BUT here’s what yogurt will do to your ordinary, easy to overcook chicken breasts:
- Keeps the chicken moist and tender! The lactic acid and calcium in yogurt gently break down the protein in the meat, resulting in meat that can basically be pulled apart by hand. This is especially great for babies and toddlers. Unlike with the other tenderizing agents, the addition of yogurt won’t make the chicken mushy either.
- Makes the chicken super flavorful! Combined with the black beans, corn, and the spices, you know these chicken breasts are going to sooo good!
So if you’ve been battling with dry and chewy chicken, and/or it’s a struggle to get your baby or child to eat this iron-rich source, give this yogurt marinade a try! It will seriously shake your world. Or at least I hope it does ;).
Here’s what to do
- Add the chicken breasts and the marinade to a Ziploc bag. Seal the bag and massage to coat the chicken. Place the bag on a baking sheet so that the chicken sits flat in a single layer in the bag.
- Refrigerate for 1-6 hours.
- Transfer to a sheet pan or baking dish. As you can see in the picture, there’s a lot of extra marinade. That’s because I knew I wanted to use it to flavor my veggies as well! Why not, right? But if you want to cook just the chicken, then what I suggest is using only 1/2 of the dip recipe and saving the remaining to enjoy in other ways throughout the week.
- Cook at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 35-45 minutes or until cooked through.
And I highly recommend squeezing some lemon over the chicken for a more vibrant and delicious bite! Enjoy!
Southwestern Yogurt Marinated Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast
- Yogurt Black bean dip (using as a marinade for this recipe)
Instructions
- Add the chicken breasts and the marinade to a ziploc bag. Seal the bag and massage to coat the chicken. Place the bag on a baking sheet so that the chicken sits flat in a single layer in the bag. Refrigerate for 1-6 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Farenheit. Grease a baking dish/pan with oil.
- Place the chicken in the prepared pan. Add whatever vegetable(s) you'd like alongside the chicken and toss to make sure they're covered in the marinade as well.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 165F.
Can you use non dairy yogurt?
Unfortunately no. You need the lactic acid found in dairy products. Alternatively, you can try using an acidic marinade, like one with vinegar or lemon juice. Fruits like pineapple, kiwi, mango, pear, etc. have enzymes that will tenderize the meat as well. However, they have the tendency to make the meat mushy so you don’t want to marinate for too long!