Yogurt-Pesto Marinated Roast Chicken
A simple marinade comes together in minutes if you've got Kirsty's Pesto or other pesto on hand and gives this roast chicken dish a mild, tangy Mediterranean flavor and delicious crispy skin.
Servings: 4
Equipment
- baking dish or big glass bowl
- rimmed sheet pan
- small bowl
- silicone pastry brush (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken cut up into 8 pieces or 4 chicken legs and 4 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on. cut breasts in half if they are large
- 1 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup Kirsty's Pesto or other Pesto of choice
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt or coarse sea salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1-2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Pat chicken pieces dry and set aside in shallow baking dish or big bowl.
- In a small bowl, mix together Greek Yogurt and Pesto, salt and pepper.
- Brush the chicken pieces on all sides with the marinade. (Or just use your hands!)
- Cover with a piece of parchment (or cling wrap) and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or up to 8 hours. During this time turn and mix the chicken a few times to make sure its staying coated.
- Remove from fridge about 30 minutes before you're ready to roast.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment, brush off some of the marinade so just a thin layer is left, and place the chicken pieces on top, making sure they are not touching. Drizzle a little lemon juice on top of each piece.
- Place sheet pan on middle rack of oven for about 30 min, until crispy and browned, and the juices run clear. Turn sheet pan once during cooking.
- Place on platter or plates and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
Notes
If you prefer to put the chicken pieces and marinade in a ziplock bag to coat and marinade, that also works well - we are just trying to use less plastic so coming up with alternatives. This recipe also works great on the grill!