On a quest to find a new way to cook chicken? Try drenching your protein in a dairy-rich marinade for a luscious bite with crackly skin. You'll have to remember to start your marinade the night before you plan to cook, but the end result is worth the prep.
Chef Erin French whipped up the recipe for these yogurt-marinated chicken thighs. In her cookbook, The Lost Kitchen Volume 3, French explains that "simply marinating chicken thighs in yogurt and buttermilk keeps the meat juicy and moist while the skin crisps to a deep golden brown." Plus, French douses the poultry with a tart, savory concoction: "Capers and olives brighten a chunky spoon sauce that is mainly to credit for making this supper special. Feel free to play with different herbs that the seasons offer and make this sauce your own." Dill, oregano, or basil would be especially flavorful additions.
Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Thighs
Author: Erin French
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 48 min
Calories: 422 calories per serving
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 cup plain full-fat yogurt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 heaping teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Maldon salt
For the spoon sauce
- ⅓ cup chopped pitted green Greek olives
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon (about ¼ cup)
- 1 scallion, chopped (white and green parts)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1 tablespoon drained capers in brine
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Make the chicken: In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt and buttermilk until smooth. Add the garlic, kosher salt, and a few cracks of pepper, and stir to combine. Add the chicken thighs and toss to coat.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Before cooking, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set a wire rack inside. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place it on the wire rack to let the thighs come to room temperature while the excess marinade drips off.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Use a paper towel to blot off any remaining marinade.
- Roast the chicken until the skin is deeply browned, the juices run clear, and the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, 30 to 40 minutes.
- While the chicken roasts, make the sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the olives, lemon zest and juice, scallion, chives, mint, parsley, and capers (see Cook’s Note). Drizzle in the olive oil and whisk to combine. Season with salt and a few cracks of pepper (don’t be shy here), stir, and set aside. (This is best served fresh but can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a day or two.)
- When the chicken is done, drizzle it with honey, then season it with a pinch of Maldon salt and plenty of pepper. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving it with the sauce.
From The Lost Kitchen Volume 3: Seize the Supper by Erin French. Copyright (c) 2026 by the author and reprinted with permission of Celadon Books, a division of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC.
