This yogurt marinated Turkish chicken served with turmeric cauliflower and harissa potatoes is the perfect easy & delicious weeknight dinner. I’m a big believer that taking the time to actually marinate meat makes a huge difference in flavor – this chicken marinated in yogurt, a blend of turkish spices like sumac, cumin, paprika, etc is no exception. This recipe is packed with flavor and the whole family will love it.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • This turkish chicken is packed with flavor!
  • It is super easy to make.
  • The yogurt marinated chicken, turmeric cauli, and harissa potatoes pair together perfectly.
  • It’s the perfect weeknight meal.
  • This is a crowd favorite.
  • It is gluten free and is easily made dairy free.
  • The perfect balanced meal of protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs.
ingredient shot

Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Olive oil. Olive oil is the base of the the marinade. You will also use it to roast the cauliflower and sweet potato.
  • Yogurt. You want to use full fat plain greek yogurt for this turkish chicken to get all of the amazing nutrients. You can sub for coconut yogurt for dairy free but this will alter the flavor slightly.
  • Tomato paste. Tomato paste gives a slightly tangy flavor to the marinade. You can also use a paleo ketchup – I like Primal Kitchen Foods ketchup.
  • Minced garlic. 3-4 cloves garlic, about 1-1.5 tbsp minced garlic.
  • Lemon juice. Juice from 1/2 a lemon, about 1 tbsp.
  • Chicken thighs. You need 1.5 lb of chicken thighs. You can sub with chicken breasts but I would tenderize them to flatten them a little bit.
  • Spices. You will be using a large range of spices for the chicken, the cauliflower, and the sweet potatoes. Sumac, cumin, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, ginger powder, and salt are used for the chicken. Turmeric and cayenne are used for the cauliflower. Harissa is used for the sweet potatoes. Salt is used on everything to taste.
  • Cauliflower. 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets.
  • Sweet potato. You will need 1 large Japanese sweet potato, cut into 1 inch pieces. You can sub for regular sweet potato or even regular potatoes.
  • Fresh herbs. Fresh cilantro for garnish. You can also add in some fresh mint.

How to Make

Step 1

Make the chicken

Marinate the chicken. First you will add olive oil, yogurt, tomato paste, lemon juice, garlic, and spices to a small bowl and mix until fully combined. Set aside about 1/2 a cup of marinade. Using the rest of the marinade, coat the chicken and place in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-8 hours.

Grill the turkish chicken. Heat the grill to 600 degrees F. Once the grill is hot, add the chicken to the grill and cook for 6-7 minutes. Flip the chicken, and then cook another 5-6 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from grill.

Step 2

Make the potatoes

Preheat oven and season potatoes. Preheat oven to 425. While the oven is preheating, season potatoes with olive oil, harissa seasoning, garlic powder, and paprika. Spread on a greased baking sheet.

Bake. Bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes. Tossing halfway through.

Step 3

Make the cauliflower

Preheat oven and season cauliflower. Preheat oven to 425. While the oven is preheating, season cauliflower with olive oil, salt, turmeric, and a dash of cayenne for a little heat. Spread on a greased baking sheet.

Bake. Bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes. Tossing halfway through.

Step 4

Assemble bowls. Place turkish chicken on plate and drizzle with the marinade you set aside. Serve with cauliflower and sweet potatoes. Garnish with fresh herbs.

Expert Tips

  • For the best turkish chicken serve it hot with fresh herbs. Serve with turmeric cauliflower and harissa potatoes for a perfectly balanced dinner.
  • Chicken thighs are best in this recipe because they are a little bit more flavorful. If you decide to use chicken breasts, you will need to tenderize them to make them cook at an even speed.
  • Use a full fat yogurt, this adds to the flavor and you also get more nutrients!
  • Make sure to leave a little bit of the marinade off to the side so that you can drizzle it over top of the chicken when its finished.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best way to serve this turkish chicken?

Serve hot with turmeric cauliflower, harissa roasted potatoes and fresh herbs!

Can this be made dairy free?

Yes! Swap the full fat yogurt for a full fat coconut yogurt. This may alter the flavor a little bit but would still be delicious.

How do I serve this?

Store the chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Store the veggies and potatoes in a separate airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

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Turkish chicken
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Yield: 4 people

Turkish Chicken

Prep Time: 6 hours
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours 25 minutes
Author: Kelsey Romano
This yogurt marinated Turkish chicken served with turmeric cauliflower and harissa potatoes is the perfect easy & delicious weeknight dinner. 
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Ingredients
 

Chicken thighs

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup full fat greek yogurt
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp sumac
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
  • ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1½ lb chicken thighs, boneless and skinless

Turmeric cauliflower

  • 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 1 tbsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp cayenne
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Harissa sweet potatoes

  • 1 large sweet potato, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp harissa seasoning
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika

Instructions
 

To make the chicken thighs

  • Marinate the chicken. First you will add olive oil, yogurt, tomato paste, lemon juice, garlic, and spices to a small bowl and mix until fully combined. Set aside about 1/2 a cup of marinade. Using the rest of the marinade, coat the chicken and place in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-8 hours.
  • Grill the chicken. Heat the grill to 600 degrees F. Once the grill is hot, add the chicken to the grill and cook for 6-7 minutes. Flip the chicken, and then cook another 5-6 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from grill.

To make the potatoes

  • Preheat oven and season potatoes. Preheat oven to 425. While the oven is preheating, season potatoes with olive oil, harissa seasoning, garlic powder, and paprika. Spread on a greased baking sheet.
  • Bake. Bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes. Tossing halfway through.

To make the cauliflower

  • Preheat oven and season cauliflower. Preheat oven to 425. While the oven is preheating, season cauliflower with olive oil, salt, turmeric, and a dash of cayenne for a little heat. Spread on a greased baking sheet.
  • Bake. Bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes. Tossing halfway through.

To assemble the bowls

  • Assemble bowls. Place turkish chicken on plate and drizzle with the marinade you set aside. Serve with cauliflower and sweet potatoes. Garnish with fresh herbs.

Notes

  • This turkish chicken is best served hot with fresh herbs. Serve with turmeric cauliflower and harissa potatoes for a perfectly balanced dinner.
  • Chicken thighs are best in this recipe because they are a little bit more flavorful. If you decide to use chicken breasts, you will need to tenderize them to make them cook at an even speed.
  • Use a full fat yogurt, this adds to the flavor and you also get more nutrients!
  • Make sure to leave a little bit of the marinade off to the side so that you can drizzle it over top of the chicken when its finished.
  • Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
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