Pollo marinato allo yogurt – Chicken Casserole in a Yogurt Dressing

I like yogurt, I make my own one at home to have it fresh in the morning, with any fruits, jam or honey. I use it in some cakes but I also like to add it to savoury dishes, such as pulse soups, pesto sauces or to replace mayonnaise in salad dressing. Here, I use it to marinate the chicken, getting closer to middle Eastern cooking rather than Italian. 

To flavour my yogurt marinade, I add shallots, garlic, saffron, paprika, lemon zest and juice and thyme. 

I ground my saffron in the pestle to enhance its full aroma.

Leaving the skin on prevents the chicken from drying in the cooking process.

Pollo marinato allo yogurt – Chicken Casserole in a Yogurt Dressing

8 chicken thighs, skin on
300 g natural yogurt
4 large banana shallots, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
The zest of 1 lemon
The fresh juice of 1 lemon
15 g ground saffron
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon dried/fresh thyme, plus a sprinkle for the baking
3 bay leaves
Sea salt

Serves 4, as a main course
Preparation time, including the marination: 3 hours
Cooking time: 50 minutes

1. In a large bowl, with a fork, mix the yogurt with shallots, garlic, lemon zest and juice, saffron, paprika, thyme and 2 generous pinches of sea salt.

2. Arrange the chicken in the bowl and dress it with the yogurt mixture until well coated. 

3. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 2 and half hours.

4. Heat the oven to 180°C.

5. Place the chicken into a large and deep roasting tin. Sprinkle with thyme and add the bay leaves.

6. Bake for 30 minutes, turning the chicken time to time. Cover the tin with foil and cook for another 20 minutes. That helps to keep your chicken moist.

7. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

8. Serve with either lentils or rice.