Yogurt – Recipe Coast

Greek Yogurt Pasta Recipe

admin — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 16:27:13 +0000

This Greek yogurt pasta recipe is quick, simple, and absolutely mouthwatering. The sauce is made entirely with yogurt, bacon, Parmesan, and hot pasta cooking water.

Adam and I almost always have a large tub of Greek yogurt in the fridge, which is exactly how this dish came to be. I was craving a creamy pasta but wanted to lean on the lighter side.

It turns out that if you toss hot pasta, Greek yogurt, bacon, and cheese with a good splash of starchy pasta water, you get a rich, high-protein pasta sauce. It is lighter than a traditional cream sauce but just as delicious, especially with a bit of fresh lemon squeezed over the top.

Key Ingredients

Pasta: We really love a short pasta shape for this (think penne, spirals, or ziti), as it tends to pick up more of the creamy yogurt sauce.
Snap Peas: We love tossing veggies into this dish, and snap peas are perfect. You can cook them with the pasta. Just wait until the pasta is almost done, and then tumble the snap peas into the boiling water. This works for broccoli florets or regular peas, too. (We love snap peas and also use them to make our sugar snap pea salad.)
Greek Yogurt: This is the base of our pasta sauce, so choose something you enjoy. We love whole-milk yogurt for this one.
Bacon: Greek yogurt on its own is a bit tangy and missing something, but when you mix it with smoky bacon, everything changes. Pancetta—like what’s used for carbonara pasta—is a good option, too.
Cheese: We love rounding out our sauce with some Parmesan or Pecorino Romano and like using our microplane grater to finely grate the cheese (it melts into the sauce better this way).
Lemon and Chives: These are the finishing touches that really bring the whole dish to life. You’ll squeeze over the juice of a lemon and finish with fresh chopped chives. Green onions are a good substitute for the chives.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Greek Yogurt Pasta

Tip 1: Cook the veggies with the pasta. The trick to the veggies is to cook them in the pasta water. Just add them a few minutes before your pasta is done, and you’re set. The snap peas in our photos take about 3 minutes, so I like setting my timer 3 minutes before the pasta cooking directions recommend, then dropping them in when it goes off.

Tip 2: Don’t miss the bacon. Greek yogurt in this sauce, without the bacon, is missing something, but when you add the bacon (and a bit of the rendered fat), it transforms into a pasta sauce. Cut your bacon into small pieces, then cook them until crisp.

As you cook bacon, do it over medium to medium-low heat. We like looking for the fat bubbling and foaming around the bacon, which is when you know the fat is rendering nicely.

Tip 3: Building the pasta sauce. When the pasta, veggies, and bacon are done, you can toss everything together. Just pile everything into the same pan you cooked the bacon in, then add a good splash of hot pasta water to loosen things up a bit. Toss until well coated, then serve with a little fresh lemon and parmesan on top.

If the sauce seems too thick, don’t be afraid to add a bit more pasta water (before draining the pasta, I always save a mug-full of the hot water for this very purpose).

More Simple Pasta Recipes

Greek Yogurt Pasta

PREP
10 mins
COOK
15 mins
TOTAL
25 mins

This easy pasta recipe transforms simple Greek yogurt into a creamy, protein-packed pasta sauce. You just toss plain yogurt with Parmesan, bacon, and a splash of hot, starchy pasta water to pull it all together. We both love the addition of bacon, as it brings a smoky, sweet flavor that perfectly counters the tangy yogurt. While we use snap peas below, feel free to swap them out for broccoli florets or English peas.

4 Servings

You Will Need

Fine sea salt

12 ounces (340 g) pasta, such as penne or spiral

1 (16-ounce / 454 g) package frozen sugar snap peas

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into ¼-inch pieces

1 cup (240 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt

2 ounces Parmesan or Pecorino Romano, finely grated on a microplane, 1 heaping packed cup (55g), plus more for serving

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving

1 lemon, halved

Fresh chives, finely chopped, for serving

Directions

1Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and set a timer for 3 minutes less than the package instructions. When the timer goes off, add the frozen sugar snap peas. Cook until the pasta is al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and snap peas.

2Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp. If the bacon renders an excessive amount of fat, carefully spoon off and discard the excess, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the skillet.

3Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the drained pasta and snap peas, Greek yogurt, Parmesan, ⅓ cup of the reserved pasta water, and black pepper. Toss well to combine. If the sauce seems too thick, gently stir in more of the reserved pasta water a splash at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.

4Taste the sauce and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Squeeze the juice from the lemon over the pasta, toss once more, and serve topped with chives, a few generous grinds of pepper, and additional Parmesan.

Adam and Joanne’s Tips

The nutrition facts provided are estimates.

Nutrition Per Serving
Serving Size
¼ of the recipe
/
Calories
527
/
Total Fat
15.1g
/
Saturated Fat
6.1g
/
Cholesterol
35.4mg
/
Sodium
428.3mg
/
Carbohydrate
69.9g
/
Dietary Fiber
3.4g
/
Total Sugars
6.5g
/
Protein
26.7g

AUTHOR:

Adam Gallagher

We are Adam and Joanne Gallagher, the creators of Inspired Taste. Established in 2009, Inspired Taste grew from a childhood dream into one of the internet’s most trusted recipe sites with hundreds of reliable recipes, step-by-step videos, and expert tips.More About Us

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Yogurt Marinated Chicken with Herby Sumac Salad

admin — Sat, 23 May 2026 03:10:43 +0000

This yogurt marinated chicken is where three of my favorite cuisines collide — Middle Eastern yogurt-marinated meat, Mediterranean fresh herb salad, and a touch of Asian-inspired curry spice that ties it all together into one very happy plate.

At A Glance

Ready In: 50 minutes + 30 minutes marinating time (or overnight)
Serves: 6
Diet: High-Protein, Gluten-Free (with rice or potatoes as a side), Nut-Free
Nutrition Highlights: High in lean protein from chicken breast, fiber from chickpeas and fresh vegetables, and healthy fats from olive oil
Main Ingredients: Chicken breast, Greek yogurt, curry powder, garlic, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, sumac, fresh herbs
Flavor Profile: Creamy, gently spiced, tangy, and fresh with a herby, citrusy finish
Meal-Prep Friendly: Store chicken, salad (undressed), and sauce separately in the fridge for up to 3 days. Don’t dress the salad until serving.
Best Served With: Instant couscous, steamed rice, or roasted potatoes

I’ve always been a little obsessed with the way yogurt is used in Middle Eastern cooking — not just as a condiment, but as a marinade that genuinely transforms the meat. It tenderizes, it flavors, and when you grill chicken that’s been sitting in it, you get this gorgeous, slightly charred crust with the juiciest interior.

This grilled chicken recipe is my riff on that tradition, with Greek yogurt, a touch of mild curry powder (hello, Asian fusion detour), and lots of garlic. The curry powder is a deliberate twist — it adds warmth without heat and a subtle golden hue to the finished chicken that I absolutely love. Then there’s the sumac salad: juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp Lebanese cucumbers, red onion, and a generous handful of fresh mint and cilantro (coriander), all dressed in a lime, red wine vinegar, and sumac dressing that is genuinely addictive.

It’s the kind of weeknight meal I make when I want to feel like I’ve traveled somewhere wonderful without leaving the kitchen. The best part? You can have the chicken marinating in yogurt overnight, prep the salad in advance, and have dinner on the table in under 20 minutes of active cooking.

You might also like these recipes: coconut yogurt chicken, chicken shawarma baked rice, Mediterranean pasta salad, healthy chicken bites (baked or air fried), Persian salad with pomegranate, or Mediterranean couscous salad.

What You’ll Need

Here is what you’ll need for this Greek yogurt marinated chicken recipe. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.

For the chicken:

Chicken breasts — I use about 2 lbs / 900 grams, around 3 breasts with tenderloins on. Slicing them through the thickness before grilling means everything cooks evenly. You could also use chicken thighs for extra juiciness.
Salt — just a light seasoning on the meat itself before marinating.

For the yogurt marinade:

Low-fat Greek yogurt — the backbone of the marinade. It tenderizes the chicken thanks to its acidity and clings to every piece, keeping things juicy on the grill. Full-fat works too, and will be slightly richer.
Mild curry powder — this is where the Asian fusion sneaks in. It adds warmth, colour, and a subtle earthiness without any heat. I use mild, but if you like a little kick, go medium.
Garlic — grated or minced. Don’t skip it. It mellows into the yogurt beautifully.
Salt and pepper — to season the marinade through.

For the sumac salad:

Cherry tomatoes — halved. Sweet and juicy, they basically become part of the dressing once everything sits together.
Lebanese cucumbers — thinner skin, fewer seeds, and they stay crisp. English cucumber works too.
Red onion — sliced thin. Mixing it through the dressing first takes the sharp edge off while keeping the flavor.
Fresh mint and cilantro (coriander leaves) — the herbs are non-negotiable here. They’re what make the salad feel genuinely fresh and Middle Eastern.
Sumac — the star spice of the salad. It’s tangy, slightly citrusy, and a little earthy. If you can’t find it, a little extra lime juice is a reasonable sub, but do try to track it down.
Sugar — just a small amount to balance the vinegar and lime.
Olive oil, red wine vinegar, and lime juice — the dressing trio. Together they’re bright, slightly tart, and really good poured over grilled chicken.

For the couscous side:

Instant couscous — cooks in minutes. Season it well.
Chickpeas — adds fiber, protein, and a little heartiness. Canned is perfectly fine.

How To Make Yogurt Marinated Chicken with Herby Sumac Salad

Find the full recipe and nutritional information below. Here are some handy step-by-step photos for how to make this dish.

Prep and slice the chicken. Cut the tenderloins off each breast, then slice each breast horizontally through the thickest part so you have two pieces of similar thickness. Place on a board and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Make the marinade. In a large bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, curry powder, minced garlic, and salt. Scoop half into a separate bowl — this becomes your serving sauce later.
Marinate the chicken. Add all the chicken pieces to the remaining yogurt mixture and toss to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight if you’re getting ahead.

Make the sumac salad dressing. In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar, sumac, sugar, and salt. Add the sliced red onion and toss first — this softens the sharpness. Then layer the cucumbers, tomatoes, mint, and cilantro on top. Don’t stir until just before serving.
Prep your sides. Cook the couscous and warm the chickpeas. These can both be reheated easily.

Grill the chicken. Take the chicken out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Preheat your grill or BBQ to high. Cook for 10 minutes per side on a BBQ, or 6–7 minutes per side on a stovetop grill pan, until the internal temperature reaches 75°C / 165°F. The smaller, thinner pieces will cook faster — keep an eye on them and pull them off the heat a little earlier. Rest for a couple of minutes before slicing.
Assemble and serve. Smear a couple of tablespoons of yogurt sauce on each plate, top with couscous, sliced chicken, and a generous scoop of salad. Drizzle the salad juices over everything — they are genuinely the best part.

Watch The Video

Recipe Tips

Marinating time matters. 30 minutes is fine, but overnight marinating gives you noticeably juicier, more flavorful chicken. Great for prepping ahead.
Check the temp on the thicker pieces. The smaller tenderloin pieces will cook faster than the larger breast halves. I use a meat thermometer on the thicker pieces and pull the smaller ones off a minute or two earlier.
Don’t skip resting the chicken. Even a couple of minutes of resting before slicing makes a real difference to juiciness.
Hold off on dressing the salad. Toss the salad together just before serving so the herbs stay bright and the cucumbers stay crisp. The onion can sit in the dressing for a bit — it actually benefits from it.
Swap the side freely. Couscous is my go-to here, but this is equally good with steamed rice or crispy roasted potatoes. To keep the whole meal gluten-free, go with rice or potatoes instead of couscous.
Storage. Store the grilled chicken, yogurt sauce, and undressed salad separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the chicken gently in a pan or microwave. Dress the salad fresh each time.
Make it your own. Try this with bone-in chicken pieces for a slower cook, or use it as a marinade for lamb chops — it works beautifully with both.

Serving Suggestions

This is a complete meal on its own — especially if you’re generous with the couscous and chickpeas. The way I love to serve it for a dinner party or a relaxed weekend dinner is family-style: a big platter of sliced grilled chicken, a bowl of couscous, the salad, and the yogurt sauce set out in the middle of the table for everyone to help themselves. The salad juices pooling at the bottom of the bowl are liquid gold — spoon them over the top of everything before digging in. If you’re keeping things lighter, skip the couscous and serve with just the salad and sauce. Leftovers make an excellent next-day lunch bowl or wrap filling.

You can also serve this dish with my Persian salad, my cucumber tomato feta salad, this Mediterranean-style green bean and potato salad, or roasted cauliflower with lemon tahini sauce.

If you’ve tried this yogurt marinated chicken with herby sumac salad or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and or sign up to my Newsletter to see more of my delicious food.

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Juicy grilled chicken marinated in Greek yogurt and curry, served with a bright and herby sumac salad — a high-protein, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean-inspired meal that’s made for sharing. Find step-by-step photos and more recipe tips above.

Prep the chicken. Cut the tenderloins off the chicken breasts. Slice each breast in half horizontally through the thickest part — you’ll end up with two pieces of similar thickness (one longer, one shorter). Place all pieces on a board or plate and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Make the marinade and sauce. In a large bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, curry powder, grated garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir well. Scoop half of the yogurt mixture into a separate bowl and set aside — this is your serving sauce.
Marinate the chicken. Add all the chicken pieces to the yogurt in the large bowl and mix through until every piece is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for best results.
Make the sumac salad. In a large salad bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar, sumac, sugar, and salt. Add the sliced red onion and stir through the dressing. Layer the cucumbers, tomatoes, mint, and cilantro on top. Set aside and don’t stir until just before serving.
Prep the sides. Cook the couscous according to the packet instructions. Season with salt and pepper, add a little olive oil and lemon juice (about 2 tsp each) and any spices you like (paprika, cumin, garlic powder). Warm the chickpeas and stir through. Set aside — both can be reheated easily. Some instant couscous packets come pre-flavored so you won’t need to add much to it.
Cook the chicken. Remove the marinated chicken from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature for 10–15 minutes. Preheat your grill or BBQ to high heat. Cook the chicken for about 10 minutes per side on an outdoor BBQ, or 6–7 minutes per side on a stovetop grill pan, until the internal temperature of the thicker pieces reaches 75°C / 165°F. The smaller tenderloin pieces will cook faster — remove them from the heat a minute or two earlier. Rest the chicken on a board for 2–3 minutes before slicing.
Assemble and serve. To serve family-style, place the couscous, sliced chicken, and yogurt sauce in separate bowls on the table and let everyone plate themselves. To plate individually: smear 2 tablespoons of yogurt sauce on the plate, top with couscous, then sliced chicken, then a generous scoop of salad. Drizzle the salad juices over everything right before serving.

Important Ingredient Tips: Sumac is a tangy, slightly citrusy Middle Eastern spice available in most supermarkets and specialty stores. If you can’t find it, a little extra lime juice and a pinch of dried thyme will approximate the flavor. For a gluten-free meal, substitute the couscous with steamed rice or roasted potatoes.
Key Recipe Tips: Marinate chicken overnight for the juiciest result. Check the internal temperature of the thicker pieces with a meat thermometer — the smaller tenderloin pieces will cook faster and should be removed from the heat first. Rest the chicken before slicing. Don’t dress the salad until just before serving.
Storage Tips: Store the grilled chicken, yogurt sauce, and undressed salad separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Dress the salad fresh each time you serve. Reheat the chicken gently in a pan with a splash of water, or in the microwave.
Make-Ahead Tips: Marinate the chicken the night before. Make the salad dressing and prep all the vegetables ahead — just keep the herbs and dressing separate until serving. Cook the couscous ahead and reheat before serving.
FAQs:
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts? Yes! Boneless, skinless thighs work beautifully with this marinade and tend to be even juicier. They’ll take a similar amount of time on the grill.
Can I bake the chicken instead of grilling? Absolutely. Bake at 200°C / 400°F (180°C fan) for 20–25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 75°C / 165°F. You won’t get the char marks, but it’ll still be delicious.
How long should I marinate the chicken? A minimum of 30 minutes works, but overnight is ideal. The yogurt tenderizes the meat beautifully over time.
Can I use regular yogurt instead of Greek yogurt? Greek yogurt is thicker and clings to the chicken better, which gives a better coating and char. If using regular yogurt, drain it through a fine sieve first to thicken it a little.
Is this meal gluten-free? The chicken and salad are gluten-free. To make the full meal gluten-free, swap the couscous for rice or potatoes.

Keywords: grilled chicken, yogurt marinated chicken, chicken marinade with Greek yogurt, yogurt chicken marinade, Greek yogurt chicken, sumac salad

More Mediterranean Inspired Recipes

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Easy Yogurt Marinated Chicken Recipe

admin — Sat, 02 May 2026 12:11:07 +0000

This endlessly useful yogurt chicken marinade recipe works wonders for all cuts of chicken, and is especially good for chicken breasts.

The flavors here are simple and bright, so this yogurt marinated chicken goes with just about anything. Yogurt does the heavy lifting, making the chicken tender, while lemon, mustard, and garlic bring a little zing.

Ever since we started making this, it’s been on repeat in our kitchen. It’s one of those low-effort, high-reward recipes that I love having in my back pocket! I usually use chicken breasts (as you’ll see in the photos), but thighs, drumsticks, or whatever you have will be delicious. If you’re loving the yogurt here, we use it in our Greek chicken marinade, too.

Key Ingredients

Yogurt: Plain Greek yogurt is our go-to for this marinade. It helps the flavors cling to the chicken, tenderizes the meat, and keeps it juicy. Whole-milk yogurt works best, but low-fat works in a pinch.
Lemon, Mustard, and Garlic: Fresh lemon juice and zest, Dijon mustard, and a little garlic keep our marinade punchy and bright. I use a microplane to finely grate the garlic, but mincing it is perfectly fine.
Honey: A little bit of honey balances the lemon and helps the chicken get that gorgeous golden color as it cooks.
Olive Oil, Salt, and Pepper: The olive oil helps the chicken to brown and a good amount of salt and pepper keeps everything well seasoned.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Yogurt Marinated Chicken

Tip 1: One hour is good, longer is better. You can marinate the chicken for up to 8 hours, but even just one hour will make a noticeable difference in juiciness and tenderness. If you are in a rush, we won’t judge if you marinate for less, just know you are missing out a little bit on the tenderizing.

Tip 2: Don’t discard the marinade. When you’re ready to cook, don’t discard that marinade! If you’re grilling, baste the chicken with more marinade as you flip it. If baking, spoon the marinade over the chicken before popping it in the oven. The chicken cooks long enough after this to cook the marinade, too.

We like to sear in a grill pan over medium-high heat for color, then finish in the oven at 375°F for perfectly cooked, juicy chicken. Before baking, pour the leftover marinade over the top.

Tip 3: Expect the honey to brown. The honey in the marinade helps the chicken brown nicely, but watch your heat. Look for the grill makes to turn a dark brown, but not black.

Serving Suggestions

This chicken is perfect for salads, wraps, or sandwiches. It’s also great on the side of roasted broccolini, roasted green beans, and quickly sautéed zucchini.

To lean more toward a Mediterranean vibe, try it with homemade pita, red pepper hummus, cucumbers, and a drizzle of tahini sauce. Or make a rice bowl, like this chickpea rice bowl, which would be amazing with some of this chicken diced and added to the top.

More Chicken Marinades

Easy Yogurt Marinated Chicken

PREP
1 hr 10 mins
COOK
20 mins
TOTAL
1 hr 30 mins

Yogurt is our secret weapon for chicken that turns out juicy every single time. It does all the heavy lifting—tenderizing every bite, adding richness, and helping the outside get beautifully caramelized. We use honey, but if you don’t have any on hand, maple syrup works too.

Makes enough for up 2 pounds chicken

You Will Need

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove, finely grated

3 tablespoons whole-milk plain Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 ½ to 2 pounds chicken breasts or thighs (680 g)

Lemon wedges for serving

Fresh cilantro leaves for serving

Directions

1Marinate: Mix the olive oil, honey, mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, yogurt, salt, and pepper in a bowl large enough to hold the chicken. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 8 hours.

2Cook the chicken: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

3Heat a grill pan over medium heat and brush the grates with oil. Add the chicken and sear until dark brown grill marks appear, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Watch the heat, as the honey in the marinade can burn.

4Transfer the chicken to the prepared baking sheet and spoon the remaining marinade over the top.

5Bake for 15 to 25 minutes, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 165°F. Leave the chicken for 5 minutes until the juices settle. Slice into thick slices, scatter cilantro over the top, and serve with lemon wedges.

Adam and Joanne’s Tips

Alternatives for cooking the chicken: You can grill, bake, or cook the chicken in a skillet or grill pan. My favorite option is to sear the outside for color and finish in the oven. Since honey is in the marinade, it will darken quite a bit so watch for burning when you sear your chicken. You can skip the grill pan and go directly to the oven. You will still get a little color. If you use an outdoor grill, use our grilled chicken recipe for tips.
The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We assumed 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts.

Nutrition Per Serving
Serving Size
1/4 of the recipe (about 6 ounces chicken)
/
Calories
256
/
Total Fat
8.6g
/
Saturated Fat
1.8g
/
Cholesterol
125.8mg
/
Sodium
695.4mg
/
Carbohydrate
2.8g
/
Dietary Fiber
0.2g
/
Total Sugars
2.1g
/
Protein
39.6g

AUTHOR:

Joanne Gallagher

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