An easy marinade makes for quick and tasty greek inspired Grilled Chicken Drumsticks. A simple greek style marinade with yogurt and spices turns chicken into a delicious family meal!
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Greek Chicken Drumsticks on the Grill
This easy grilled chicken recipe has become a staple summertime meal at our house. The marinade is quick to make, the chicken is easy to cook, and everyone devours it.
I started making these Greek Style Grilled Chicken Drumsticks when I tested out how the marinade from my Grilled Greek Chicken Kabobs would do on something besides boneless skinless chicken breasts, the result fantastic!
The yogurt along with the vinegar, oil, and spices makes a really juicy chicken and one of my favorite parts a super brown golden crust.
If you don’t trust me on how good it is let me leave you with this quote from my 3 year old, “Mom you made me my favorite chicken, yum!”.
Ingredients
Simple ingredients with this one, I tried keeping it basic. Hopefully many part of the marinade are things you already have at home!
- Chicken Drumsticks (You may also use chicken thighs, chicken thigh quarters, wings, or any cut of chicken really, my kids and husband just happen to really prefer this with the chicken legs)
- Olive Oil
- Plain Yogurt (I use regular plain yogurt here, I have used greek yogurt in a pinch and it works just fine but it does leave everything a little more tangy)
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Minced Garlic
- Dried Oregano
- Kosher Salt
For a complete detailed list of the ingredients continue towards the bottom of the page.
Instructions for Marinade for Grilled Chicken Legs
To make the marinade in a small bowl add olive oil, plain yogurt, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, and kosher salt. Whisk together to combine.
Add the chicken to large bowl or bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss the chicken in the marinade so it is fully coated. Cover the chicken.
Transfer the chicken to the fridge to rest at least 30 minutes or as long as overnight. Preferable a few hours, I highly recommend if time permits starting the chicken in the marinade the morning that you will be eating it for dinner.
Once it is time to cook preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the hot grill. Cook for 5 minutes.
Rotate the chicken and cook 5 more minutes.
Rotate one more time and cook an additional 5 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked. Juices should run clear and the chicken should reach an internal temperature of 170º-180º F. Exact timing will depend on the size of the pieces of chicken you are using.
Once the chicken is done remove from the heat. Cover and rest for 5 minutes before serving.
I love serving this chicken with Tzatziki Sauce!
Tips, Tricks, and Questions
Can I use this marinade for chicken breasts?
Absolutely! You can use this marinade for any pieces of chicken including boneless skinless chicken breasts! I’m guessing it would be pretty good for shrimp or steak as well!
Can I use greek yogurt instead of plain yogurt?
Yes, but I will note that it does leave the marinade a little more ‘tangy’. If you like or don’t mind a little zip to the chicken you can absolutely use greek yogurt instead of plain yogurt.
Can I bake these instead of grilling?
Of course! In a baking dish cook at 350ºF for 35-45 minutes or until and internal temperature of 180ºF has been reached (You want dark meat to go to a higher temperature for the best results).
If you are making Greek Marinated Grilled Chicken you might want to complete you meal with:
- Easy Homemade Tzatziki Sauce
- Rice Pilaf with Cranberries
- Tabbouleh Salad Recipe
- Greek Quinoa Chickpea Salad
- Easy Hummus
Greek Marinated Grilled Chicken
A simple greek style marinade with yogurt, red wine vinegar, and spices turns chicken drumsticks into a delicious family meal to make on the grill!
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken drumsticks
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- To make marinade in a small bowl add olive oil, plain yogurt, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, and kosher salt. Mix together to combine.
- Add chicken to large bowl/bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss the chicken in the marinade so it is fully coated. Transfer the chicken to the fridge to rest at least 30 minutes or as long as overnight.
- When ready to cook preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the hot grill. Cook for 5 minutes. Rotate the chicken and cook 5 minutes. Rotate one more time and cook another 5 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked, juices should run clear and the chicken should reach an internal temperature of 170º-180º F. Exact timing will depend on the size of the pieces of chicken you are using.
- Once done remove from the heat and cover, rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
You don't have to use just chicken legs for this marinade, you can use any piece of chicken here, just cook accordingly.
Dark meat is best when in reaches a higher temperture than traditional white meat, so I usually aim for the chicken to be 180ºF.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1-2 pieces of chickenAmount Per Serving: Calories: 484Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 288mgSodium: 579mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 55g
Nutritional data is automated, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.
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