Turkish Chicken Marinade

An overhead shot of Turkish chicken kebabs with bread and salad

5 from 1 vote

This is my fail-safe chicken marinade — the one I reach for when I want flavour without thinking too hard. Creamy yogurt, onion, garlic, lemon and warm spices are blended into a smooth paste that makes any cut of chicken juicy, tender and deeply delicious.

Prep Time10

Marination1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Turkish

Servings:

Calories: 409kcal

Author: Lee

Ingredients

1 cup natural yoghurt
1 onion chopped
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon juice of
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
4 cloves garlic minced
salt & pepper
1.5 kg chicken (any type - see recipe post for suggestions)

Instructions

Put everything together into a blender and blend until smooth.
Add chicken to a plastic zip-lock bag and pour over the marinade. Marinade for 4-24 hours.
Cook chicken under grill, baked in oven or on a bbq (see recipe post for suggestions).

Notes

Doneness: Chicken is cooked when the thickest part reaches 75°C / 165°F.
Boneless thighs: Grill/BBQ 6–8 mins, turning to lightly char. Baste with oil or butter.
Chicken breast: Pan-fry or grill 8–10 mins; roast 20–25 mins. Baste once or twice.
Bone-in legs/thighs: Oven 200°C / 400°F, 35–45 mins; grill 35–45 mins, turning and basting.
Wings: Grill/BBQ 30–40 mins, turning regularly. Baste for colour.
Skewers: Grill/BBQ 10–15 mins over high heat, basting for good char.
Whole chicken (spatchcocked): Oven or BBQ 45–60 mins over indirect heat, basting regularly.
Variations:
- Aleppo pepper / pul biber: 1–2 tsp for gentle heat
- Za’atar: 2 tsp for a herbaceous note
- Sumac: 1–2 tsp for lemony sharpness
- Biber salçasi or harissa: 1–2 tsp for chilli heat
- Fresh herbs: parsley, mint, dill or thyme
- Dried herbs: mint or dill (1–2 tsp)
Storage: Marinade keeps 2–3 days in the fridge.
Freezing: Chicken can be frozen in the marinade for up to 3 months; defrost overnight before cooking.

Nutrition