This tender Grilled Paprika Chicken is marinated in a vibrant, flavor-packed Greek yogurt marinade spiked with smoked paprika and a little Sriracha. Gorgeous color and incredible smoky flavor!
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This Grilled Paprika Chicken is just one in a big collection of grilling recipes I made on the regular when my boys were young. A creamy Greek yogurt marinade creates perfectly tender grilled chicken with a gorgeous, warm color and smoky flavor. It’s a super easy and versatile summer main dish that always goes over in a big way.
Boneless, skinless chicken pieces are one of my favorite sources of lean protein and there’s just so much you can do with it! Other grilled chicken recipes we love include my Margarita Chicken, Grilled Greek Chicken, and Pineapple Chicken Kabobs.
Ingredient Notes
- Assorted skinless chicken pieces – Boneless or bone-in. I used boneless, skinless chicken breast and skinless chicken thighs.
- Plain Greek yogurt – I always use nonfat Greek yogurt but you can use 2% or full fat if you’d like. Yogurt is acidic and helps tenderize the chicken.
- Smoked paprika
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Sriracha – The spice level of the Sriracha calms down when combined with creamy Greek yogurt and the flavor is spectacular.
- Minced garlic
- Lemon – Lemon juice is great way to tenderize chicken while adding fresh, bright flavor.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Cayenne pepper – Optional for a little kick!
How to Make Grilled Paprika Chicken
Paprika Chicken Marinade
- Add all marinade ingredients to a small bowl.
- Whisk the creamy mixture until well combined.
- Place the chicken pieces in a zippered plastic storage bag and spoon the marinade over the top.
- Seal the bag and move the chicken around inside the bag until the marinade is evenly distributed and all the pieces are coated. Place the bag in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.
It’s best not to marinate paprika chicken longer than 3 hours or the acid in the yogurt and lemon juice may affect the texture in a negative way.
Grill the Paprika Chicken
- Coat your charcoal or gas grill grate with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray.
- Grill the chicken over medium heat for approximately 6 to 7 minutes per side or until the internal temperature of the thickest portion of chicken reads 165 degrees F when measured with a meat thermometer. The cooking time will vary based on the size and thickness of your chicken pieces.
Serving Suggestions
Keep it simple and healthy and serve Grilled Paprika Chicken with cooked white or brown rice and steamed broccoli. For a little variety, try any of the recipes below.
- Almond Rice Pilaf
- Greek Potatoes
- Orzo with Peas and Parmesan
- Baked Macaroni and Cheese
- Skillet Corn with Jalapeno
- Mango Avocado Corn Salsa
- California Coleslaw
Storage Tips
Promptly refrigerate leftover Grilled Paprika Chicken in shallow, airtight containers or resealable plastic storage bags. Use leftovers within 3 to 4 days.
How to Use Leftover Grilled Paprika Chicken
- Lunch on the go – This flavorful grilled chicken is delicious cold, straight from the fridge, for a picnic lunch.
- Salads – Make a delicious big green salad with sliced paprika chicken and lots of fresh veggies for a second easy meal.
- Tasty wraps – Roll leftover sliced paprika chicken in spinach or flour tortillas with a little shredded cheese, shredded cabbage and a drizzle of your favorite creamy salad dressing.
Smoky Grilled Paprika Chicken
Ingredients
- ½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Sriracha
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ large lemon, juiced
- ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
- 3 pounds assorted skinless chicken pieces, boneless or bone-in (I used boneless, skinless breasts and thighs)
Instructions
Paprika Chicken Marinade
- Combine all the ingredients through the cayenne pepper (if using) in a small bowl and set aside.
- Remove the skin from the chicken pieces, if necessary, and place them in a gallon sized zippered plastic storage bag. Spoon the marinade over the chicken. Seal the bag and move the chicken around inside the bag until the marinade is evenly distributed and all the pieces are coated. Place the bag in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.
Grill the Paprika Chicken
- Coat your charcoal or gas grill grate with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray.
- Grill the chicken over medium heat for approximately 6 to 7 minutes per side or until the internal temperature of the thickest portion of chicken reads 165 degrees F when measured with a meat thermometer. The cooking time will vary based on the size and thickness of your chicken pieces
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
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This post was originally published on June 10, 2013. It has been updated with new text and images.
Inspired by and heavily adapted from Allrecipes
I am not the best cook…I always have to follow a recipe. I find Valerie’s recipes to be easy to follow, with clear instructions. I made this recipe today for our family BBQ. I only used skinless chicken breast from Costco (as opposed to also using thighs). I found the chicken to be very tasty, while remaining juicy even though it was put on the grill. I didn’t use the cayenne pepper, so it wasn’t super hot but had a nice, Smokey flavor. I paired it with an orzo salad with baby spinach, green onions and roasted pepper and sprinkled with feta cheese. This is also from Valerie’s kitchen I have been very pleased with the results from every recipe I have used from Valerie’s kitchen. Thank you for making cooking a little easier!!
Thank you so much, Mary! I’m so pleased to hear that the recipes are working so well for you. Your menu sounds perfect – the orzo salad pairs perfectly with the paprika chicken. I appreciate you taking the time to write such a thoughtful comment. 🙂
Delicious Chicken! It was moist and flavorful. I marinaded for 24 hours.
So happy you loved it! Thanks, Rhonda. 🙂
THis sounds incredible and I cannot wait to try. What a great mix of flavors.
Hope you love it Cat. Be sure to let me know how it turns out.
Hey Love this recipe! been wanting to try greek yoghurt in this kind of dish but keep reading the yoghurt will spoil when cooked, how have you stopped that from happening, thank you 🙂
I’ve never heard of there being an issue of the yogurt spoiling when cooked. I use Greek yogurt frequently in both baking and as a marinade and I’ve never once experienced an issue. It’s a fabulous, versatile ingredient!
Participating in grillmaster cook-off on Saturday and was looking for a great, healthy recipe for chicken. This sounds great – can’t wait to try!
Good luck at the cook-off, Jeanette!
This recipe looks really good, but I can’t do yogurt. Is there anything you would recommend substituting that would work as well? Thanks!
If you can’t do yogurt because of a sensitivity to dairy I’m not sure what I can recommend. If it’s some other reason, sour cream would make a great substitution.
Love your grilled recipe! So easy and looks so yummy! I’m sending this to my husband so he can grill this for us. 😀
Great looking chicken. I’m firing the grill up now getting ready to try this! Thanks for posting!!
Fantastic! I hope you enjoy it 🙂
Val, I am OBSESSED with your summer griling recipes. You are just the master of stuff like this. What a scrumptious, mouthwatering plate of chicken, and I love the flavor. Is my invite for your next BBQ lost in the mail or what? 😉
Thanks Georgia 🙂 And, yes, you are SO invited to our next BBQ!
Eat more than a fair amount of chicken too even tho’ I lack the four young men alongside 🙂 ! Love the recipe as the marinade does provide interest and ‘oomph’! Have just printed it out as some lovely boned chicken thighs sitting defrosting in the fridge! Thank you for the idea!!
This sounds so fabulous! I can’t wait to try it!
Thanks for sharing this great recipe! It’s simple and very tasty. If I hadn’t burned the sweet potatoes I made as a side dish, I would have posted a picture on my Facebook album. Oh well, I will make it again for sure though so I will have another chance :o) Again, thanks!!
Thanks Nelly! I’m so glad to hear it worked out for you.