These Yogurt Curry Marinated Chicken Thighs are super simple to make. They are a fantastic recipe to make when you’re entertaining because they are effortless. You can prep them completely ahead and pop them into the oven. They bake right in their marinade and come out tender, moist and super flavorful!

Yogurt Curry Chicken Thighs on a plate alongside limes

This post was originally shared on June 13, 2010. I have updated the recipe, photos and text today.

Why You’ll Love This Yogurt Curry Chicken Thighs

One of my favorite make-ahead staples is chicken thighs because they are so forgiving. These zesty curry and yogurt marinated thighs are a make ahead miracle. They can be partly or wholly prepared in advance so you can focus on corralling the family and enjoying our guests.

Pair them with one of these side dish ideas for serving with chicken. We love them with brown basmati rice and sauteed swiss chard.

Ingredient Notes

  • Greek yogurt: I use plain non-fat yogurt but low-fat or full-fat is fine too.
  • Honey: You can use agave if you don’t have honey
  • Curry powder: Look for a high-quality curry powder in the spice aise
  • Seasonings: Salt, lime juice and chopped cilantro
  • Aromatics: Grated ginger and garlic cloves
  • Bone-in chicken thighs: Remove the skin and trim away any visible fat
Yogurt Curry Chicken Thighs on a serving plate

How to Make This Curry Marinated Chicken Thighs Recipe

Step 1: Make yogurt marinade

Fit a food processor with the steel blade attachment. With the motor running, drop garlic cloves one at a time through the feed tube and process until finely chopped. Remove the lid and add yogurt, honey, lime juice, curry powder, ginger and salt. Process until smooth. Alternatively, mince garlic and whisk it together with the marinade ingredients.

Step 2: Marinate chicken

Place chicken thighs in a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish (or similar size). Add marinade, and turn to coat the chicken in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or up to 1 day for maximum flavor.

Step 3: Roast chicken & serve

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the cover from the baking dish and transfer to the oven. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat (without touching the bone) registers 168 degrees F, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Serve hot garnished with cilantro.

FAQs and Expert Tips

Can this chicken dish be made ahead?

Yes. Since the chicken should marinate for at least 4 hours to 1 day you can easily leave it to marinate overnight too.

Can the marinade be made ahead?

The marinade can be made two days ahead, and the chicken marinates a day ahead. Then when it comes time to cook the chicken, just take the cover off the dish that the chicken is marinating in, and pop it straight into the oven! Boom, 1 hour later, chicken is served.

How do I store these yogurt curry chicken thighs?

Store any leftovers or cooked chicken thighs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.

What brand of curry powder is the best for this recipe?

I love the curry powder from Teeny Tiny Spice Company (their British Curry is my fave) at the grocery store look for Simply Organic or Morton and Bassett. You can also get really amazing curry powder at any Indian market.

Yogurt Curry Chicken Thighs on a plate

More Delicious Chicken Thigh Recipes to Try

Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!

Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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Yogurt Curry Chicken Thighs | Healthy Seasonal Recipes @healthyseasonal

Yogurt Curry Chicken Thighs


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.5 from 8 reviews

  • Author: Katie Webster
  • Total Time: 5 hours 20 minutes
  • Yield: 12 1x

Description

These yogurt curry marinated chicken thighs are super simple to make. They are a fantastic recipe to make when you’re entertaining, because they are effortless. You can prep them completely ahead, and then just pop them into the oven. They bake right in their marinade, and they come out tender, moist and super flavorful!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1/2 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons curry powder
  • 1 tablespoons grated ginger
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 pounds bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed and any visible fat trimmed
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro for garnish, optional

Instructions

  1. Fit food-processor with steel blade attachment. With motor running, drop garlic cloves one at a time through feed tube and process until finely chopped. Remove lid and add yogurt, honey, lime juice, curry powder, ginger and salt. Process until smooth. Alternatively mince garlic and whisk together with the marinade ingredients.
  2. Place chicken thighs in a large baking dish. Add marinade, turn to coat chicken in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or up to 1 day for maximum flavor.
  3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove cover from baking dish and transfer to the oven. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat (without touching the bone) registers 168 degrees F, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Serve hot garnished with cilantro.

Notes

Make ahead: Prepare marinade up to two days before adding the chicken.

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Category: entree
  • Method: oven
  • Cuisine: Indian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 piece chicken, about 4 ounces meat
  • Calories: 228 cal
  • Sugar: 3.46 g
  • Fat: 15 g
  • Carbohydrates: 5 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 20 g
  • Cholesterol: 87 mg