Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Drumsticks

Just packed with flavor: Oven baked Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Drumsticks are reminiscent of tandoori chicken, but simpler to throw together.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Here’s a super budget-friendly (and super flavorful) Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Drumsticks recipe! I wanted to try something different this week, and this baked yogurt-marinated chicken recipe is mildly reminiscent of tandoori chicken — but simpler, and oven baked with its own tangy sweet + smoky flavor.

Marinating in yogurt also helps keep the drumsticks juicy and infuses them with flavor. (Try squeezing a little fresh lemon juice on these before serving to really bring that out, too!) And you want to talk about affordable: This whole big pack of 10 chicken drumsticks was just $2.48 on sale, and handily fed all four of us with some left over.

Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Drumsticks

Ingredients

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1.5 Tbsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
Juice of 1/2 a small lemon
Generous amount of fresh ground black pepper
sea salt, to taste
3-3.5 lbs chicken drumsticks

Directions

To make your marinade: Combine yogurt, 2 Tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, and spices. Trim excess skin off the drumsticks if necessary, then place them in a large bowl, pour marinade over, and toss to coat. (This is a good time to start the oven preheating to 425 degrees while you let the chicken marinate for at least 20 minutes.)

Drizzle a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet with remaining olive oil, then arrange drumsticks in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake chicken at 425 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until cooked through, flipping over halfway through.

Garnish chicken with chopped green onions (optional) and serve with lemon wedges.

Boom! Change it up with this Yogurt-Marinated Chicken…

Give this yogurt-marinated chicken a try when you want to change up your standard chicken drumsticks recipes and add some new flair to this affordable type of meat. The mix of spices, yogurt, and lemon juice is nice and flavorful without being overly spicy.

By the way: If you don’t yet have smoked paprika in your spice cupboard, it’s worth the investment because it adds an amazing flavor to so many recipes. I’ve started buying it in larger containers on Amazon in order to save. 🙂

Yogurt-marinated chicken drumsticks are also naturally low carb and gluten free!

Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Drumsticks, printable recipe

Save Recipe! Saved Recipe!

Print Pin

5 from 2 votes

Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Drumsticks

This baked yogurt-marinated chicken recipe is somewhat reminiscent of tandoori chicken — but oven baked with its own tangy sweet+smoky flavor.

Course dinner

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings 4

Author Rachel Singer

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1.5  Tbsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Juice of 1/2 a small lemon
• Generous amount of fresh ground black pepper
• sea salt, to taste
• 3.5 lbs chicken drumsticks

Instructions

• To make your marinade: Combine yogurt, 2 Tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, and spices.
• Trim excess skin off the drumsticks if necessary, then place them in a large bowl, pour marinade over, and toss to coat. (This is a good time to start the oven preheating to 425 degrees while you let the chicken marinate for at least 20 minutes.)
• Drizzle a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet with remaining olive oil, then arrange drumsticks in a single layer on the baking sheet.
• Bake chicken at 425 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until cooked through, flipping over halfway through.
• Garnish chicken with chopped green onions (optional) and serve with lemon wedges.

Recipes in the real world

Be sure not to miss the free weekly ALDI meal plans, which show you how to use these easy family recipes to meal plan affordably and realistically for your family. Or, find more recipe ideas with the Recipe Search!