Chicken Tzatziki

When you need a foolproof dinner recipe that can be cooked in about 30 minutes, you need something like this chicken tzatziki. It’s quick to prepare but still packed with flavor, one of those easy chicken dinners that comes together with simple, fresh ingredients. Chicken tzatziki can be served with any other favorite Greek food recipes for a full spread.

For this dish, you’ll pound the chicken, then dredge it in flour and egg before pan-frying. It’s served with a creamy tzatziki sauce, a delicious combination of tangy yogurt and cucumbers, which is delicious not just with this chicken but with so many other classic Greek recipes as well.

Ingredients for Chicken Tzatziki

• Chicken: You’ll need boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, as well as a meat mallet to pound the chicken. If you don’t already know how to bread chicken, it’s a great kitchen skill to have. You really can’t go wrong with breaded chicken recipes!
• Greek yogurt: Yogurt is the basis for tzatziki, along with some herbs and cucumbers. It’s a refreshing condiment, so make extra to have on hand throughout the week. Strained (Greek-style) yogurt is great for dips and sauces like this because it’s so thick, but plain yogurt will work if that’s what you’ve got. Just know the sauce will be slightly thinner with regular yogurt.
• English cucumber: An English cucumber is best in this recipe because it’s seedless and doesn’t thin out the sauce. But regular cucumber can be used—just seed it before chopping.
• Flour: The chicken is dipped in flour twice in this recipe. This seals in all the good flavors and makes for a moister chicken in the end. It also gives it that crispy exterior we all love.

Directions

Step 1: Make the tzatziki

In a small bowl, mix the cucumber, yogurt, garlic, dill, oil and salt together. Refrigerate the sauce until serving so all the flavors have time to meld.

Editor’s Tip: Two cloves of garlic can pack a punch. Make the sauce first to allow that garlic some time to mellow out in the fridge.

Step 2: Dredge the chicken

In a shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, pepper and baking powder. In another bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. Set aside while you pound the chicken.

Using a meat mallet, pound the chicken breasts to 1/2-inch thickness. Working with one chicken piece at a time, dip the chicken in the flour mixture to coat both sides, shaking off any excess flour. Dip in the egg mixture, then back in the flour mixture.

Editor’s Tip: Lay the breaded chicken on a baking sheet—even better, on a rack fitted on the baking sheet—while you repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.

Step 3: Cook the chicken

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In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Cook the breaded chicken until golden brown on both sides and any juices run clear, five to seven minutes per side. Sprinkle the tops with feta cheese. Serve with tzatziki sauce and, if desired, additional fresh dill and lemon wedges.

Editor’s Tip: You can let the chicken rest for a few minutes before you top it and serve it. This will let the juices redistribute in the meat so that it’s nice and moist when you cut into it.

Chicken Tzatziki Variations

• Bake it: You can brown the chicken in just 1 tablespoon oil then finish baking it in the oven. If desired, you could also switch to fat-free plain yogurt in the sauce.
• Make it in the air fryer: If you’d prefer to make the chicken in air fryer, follow the instructions for our air-fryer chicken cutlet.
• Skip the breading: To make chicken without breading, make a Greek-inspired, herb-scented marinade, then grill or pan-cook your chicken, like in this chicken souvlaki.

How to Store Chicken Tzatziki

Store your leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three or four days. Store the tzatziki separately, also for up to three or four days. We don’t recommend freezing it, but there are a lot of leftover chicken recipes for any extras!

Can you make chicken tzatziki ahead of time?

The sauce can be made up to several days in advance. In fact, it will taste better with some time, allowing the garlic to mellow and the flavors to meld. The chicken can be pounded ahead of time, but it tastes best when breaded and cooked when you want to serve it.

Chicken Tzatziki Tips

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What should I serve with chicken tzatziki?

Alongside chicken tzatziki, try a chopped Greek salad and creamy lemon rice. If you have leftover chicken, use it to make these chicken cucumber pitas.

Do I have to use chicken breasts for chicken tzatziki?

You don’t need to use chicken breasts if you prefer not to. You can use boneless skinless thighs, which are a great option for breading and frying.