Tender chicken needs long soak in yogurt

By JIM ROMANOFF for The Associated Press

Published Wednesday, May 7, 2008

When it’s grilling season, it’s much easier to avoid the takeout dinner trap.

Spending a few minutes in the morning creating a quick marinade for a healthy protein such as chicken or fish can ensure you have a tasty entree ready for quick cooking on the grill when you get home.

But when you leave food in a marinade all day, it’s important to select your ingredients with care.

Marinades usually are made with either acidic ingredients (such as vinegar and citrus juices) or enzymatic ingredients (such as pineapple and papaya juices). Both are excellent for adding flavor but can change the texture of the food during a long soak, and not always for the better.

Highly acidic marinades can toughen food, and those with enzymatic ingredients (which break down muscle fibers and collagen) can make the surface of the food mushy.

A better choice for an all-day marinade is yogurt, which is only mildly acidic, so it won’t toughen food the way vinegar or wine would, or turn it mushy the way enzymatic ingredients can.

Yogurt marinades have tenderizing qualities and add great flavor. Plus, yogurt helps the other flavorings in the marinade permeate the meat rather than just sit on the surface. This helps the taste linger after grilling.

Even with a yogurt marinade, you will want to choose your meat or fish carefully. Delicate-fleshed fish such as catfish or tilapia won’t hold up well sitting in a marinade for more than an hour or two. Instead, choose firmer fish such as tuna, swordfish or salmon, which can marinate for up to eight hours.

Firm-textured meats such as pork, beef, lamb and chicken can take a much longer soak, especially when using a gentle marinade made with yogurt.

These Moroccan-style chicken breasts can be prepped in about 10 minutes, then can sit in the marinade for up to 10 hours.

Virtually fat-free boneless, skinless chicken breasts get vibrant flavor from nonfat yogurt and a blend of herbs and spices.

The results are succulent, and the yogurt marinade caramelizes while grilling, creating a beautiful golden crust.

Try serving this dish on top of a salad made with the larger-size pearl couscous, chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, olives and some crumbled feta cheese all tossed in a lemon juice-olive oil dressing.

MOROCCAN-STYLE CHICKEN BREASTS

1/3 cup plain nonfat yogurt

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon cumin

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt, cilantro, oil, garlic, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper.

Place the chicken in a shallow dish and spread with half of the yogurt mixture; turn the chicken over and spread with the remaining yogurt mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 10 hours.

Preheat a gas grill to high or prepare a charcoal fire. Grill the chicken until it is cooked through and no longer pink at the center, about 5 minutes per side.

Nutrition information per serving: 179 calories; 49 calories from fat; 5 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 66 mg cholesterol; 3 g carbohydrate; 27 g protein; 1 g fiber; 232 mg sodium.

Start to finish: 20 minutes, plus 6 to 10 hours marinating

Servings: 4