Turkish Chicken Thighs

From EatingWell: April/May 2005 — Subscribe Now!

The acidity of the yogurt helps tenderize the chicken and keep it moist. If you can't find hot paprika, substitute 2 teaspoons sweet paprika and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne.

4 servings

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes (including 1 hour of marinating)

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

8 bone-in chicken thighs, (about 3 1/2 pounds total), skin removed, trimmed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup low-fat plain yogurt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons hot paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons dried mint
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Place chicken in a large bowl. Add lemon juice and toss to coat. Whisk yogurt, garlic, ginger, paprika, mint and salt in a separate bowl. Pour the yogurt mixture over the chicken and stir to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler. Remove the chicken from the marinade (discard marinade). Place the chicken on a broiler rack and broil until browned on top, about 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400°F and bake until the chicken is juicy and just cooked through, about 15 minutes longer. (Thigh meat will appear dark pink, even when cooked through.) Serve immediately.

Tips & Notes

Chicken thighs are higher in fat than other cuts, but have the benefit of full-flavored, juicy meat. To minimize the fat, be sure to remove the skin and trim thighs thoroughly. For quick cooking, choose boneless, skinless thighs. When slow-cooking, such as braising, bone-in thighs work best because they will retain their moisture better. Two 2- to 3-ounce boneless thighs yield a 3-ounce cooked portion.

Nutrition

Per serving: 138 calories; 4 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 82 mg cholesterol; 3 g carbohydrates; 21 g protein; 0 g fiber; 251 mg sodium; 312 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (20% daily value).

Exchanges: 3 lean meat