Spice-Marinated Roasted Chicken | Cook for Your Life

Spice-Marinated Roasted Chicken

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Person Icon for Serving Size 8 servings
Carrot Icon for Number of Ingredients Size 12 ingredients

A good marinade is key for a flavorful, juicy chicken. And the beauty of marination is that you can prepare the chicken in advance, then throw it on the grill or in the oven...


Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds)
  • ½ cup plain low-fat yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ tablespoon mustard
  • 1 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
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Nutrition Facts

Calories

367 cals

Fat

26 g

Saturated Fat

7 g

Polyunsaturated Fat

5 g

Monounsaturated Fat

12 g

Carbohydrates

2 g

Sugar

1 g

Fiber

0 g

Protein

29 g

Sodium

345 mg

Directions

  1. Place the chicken on a cutting board, breast side down. Use kitchen shears to start cutting at the tail end, about 1⁄2 inch to the right of the backbone. Cut all the way up to the neck. Repeat on the other side of the backbone and remove it. Flip the chicken over and push on top of the breast to flatten out the chicken. Transfer to a large bowl. 
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, ginger, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Pour the yogurt mixture over the chicken, turning as needed to coat the meat. Cover, refrigerate and marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes, up to 12 hours (see Chef Tips). 
  3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and transfer to a baking sheet, breast side up. Roast for 50 to 60 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Carve into smaller pieces and serve.

Chef Tips

Marinating the chicken for longer will increase its flavor. However, when marinating for longer than 24 hours, the meat may begin to break down and become mushy. We recommend 12 hours as a sweet spot — it yields plenty of flavor without compromising the texture.

For serving, try roasted or grilled vegetables, corn tortillas, and a bit of yogurt (instead of sour cream).

Registered Dietitian Approved

Our recipes, articles, and videos are reviewed by our oncology-trained dietitians to ensure that each is backed with scientific evidence and follows the guidelines set by the Oncology Nutrition for Clinical Practice, 2nd Ed., published by the Oncology Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group, a professional interest group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the American Institute for Cancer Research and the American Cancer Society