Green Goodness Chicken Marinade

A Herb-Packed, Yogurt-Based Sauce Made Better with Honey Heat

Creamy, zippy, herby, and just the right amount of spicy-sweet — this Green Goodness Marinade is your go-to for grilled chicken and so much more!

We blended garden-fresh herbs with tangy yogurt, lemon, garlic, and a generous pour of Gladstone Honey Heat to create the ultimate marinade-meets-dressing. The hot sauce brings just the right balance of sweet heat, playing perfectly off the freshness of basil, parsley, and cilantro.

Marinate your chicken, grill it up with a killer char, and drizzle that leftover sauce. Spoon it, dip it, slather it — just don’t skip it.

• Active Time: 15 minutes

• Inactive Time: 2–4 hours (marinating)

• Makes: About 1 ½ cups (enough to marinate 2 lbs of chicken and have extra for drizzling)

Ingredients

• 1 cup plain yogurt (Greek or regular)

• Juice of 1 lemon

• Generous pinch of sea salt

• ~2 cups fresh herbs (we used a mix of basil, Italian parsley & cilantro)

• 3–4 spring onions (white and green parts)

• 1–2 cloves garlic

• Heaping 1/4 cup Gladstone Honey Heat

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 1ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
  
  

Instructions

1. Blend the sauce:
   Roughly chop your herbs and onions for easier blending. Add yogurt, lemon juice, salt, herbs, spring onions, garlic, hot sauce, olive oil, and avocado to a blender or food processor. Blend until mostly smooth — the avocado will make the sauce extra creamy and luscious. Leave a bit of texture if you like.
   
   

2. Marinate the chicken:
   Pour half the sauce over 2 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a bowl. Toss to coat, cover, and marinate in the fridge for 2–4 hours.
   Refrigerate the remaining sauce for later — that’s your dipping/drizzling magic.
   
   

3. Grill:
   Yogurt marinades can stick, so make sure your grill grates are well-oiled and preheated. Using tongs, gently lift each chicken thigh out of the marinade and let the excess drip back into the bowl before placing it on the grill. This helps prevent flare-ups and promotes even charring.

4. Grill over medium-high heat for 5–7 minutes per side, until beautifully charred and cooked through (internal temp of 165°F). Let rest a few minutes before serving.

Bone-in, skin-on thighs: Grill over medium heat for 8–10 minutes per side, until the skin is nicely charred and the internal temp hits 175°F (they stay juicy at this higher temp).

Boneless, skinless thighs: Grill for 5–7 minutes per side, until cooked through to 165°F.

5. Serve it up:
   Use the reserved sauce straight from the fridge or thin with a splash of water or lemon juice to drizzle. It’s bold, bright, and made to be mopped up.
   
   

Ways to Use Green Goodness (a.k.a. excuses to make it again):

• Slathered on grilled chicken, obviously.
  Brushed onto salmon or fish just before serving.
  Drizzled over shrimp skewers, grilled veggies, or steak (more of a topper than a marinade for these).

• As a sauce for grain bowls, wraps, tacos, or summer salads.
  As a zesty dip for pita, fries, or charcuterie boards.
  You can keep any leftover marinade (that hasn’t touched raw chicken) refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 3–4 days.