Posted on Sun, May. 04, 2008

Yogurt passes acid test for all-day marinade

It tenderizes meat and fish without making them mushy and helps other flavors stick around

By Jim Romanoff

Associated Press

LARRY CROWE/AP

Non-fat yogurt is the starting point for the marinade for Moroccan-style chicken breasts. Photo by Larry Crowe | Associated Press

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

A few minutes in the morning creating a quick marinade for a healthy protein such as chicken or fish can ensure that you have a tasty entree ready to cook 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 acidic ingredients (such as vinegar and citrus juices) or enzymatic ingredients (such as pineapple and papaya juices). Both are excellent for adding flavor, but they 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. It won't toughen food or turn it mushy.

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 don't hold up well sitting in a marinade for more than an hour or two. Choose tuna, swordfish or salmon, which can marinate for as long as 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 as long as 10 hours.

Virtually fat-free boneless, skinless chicken breasts get vibrant flavor from non-fat 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 pearl couscous, chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, olives and some crumbled feta cheese, all tossed in a lemon juice-olive oil dressing.

Recipe

Moroccan-style chicken breasts

1⁄3 cup plain non-fat yogurt

1⁄3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

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

Place 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 chicken until it is cooked through and no longer pink at the center, about 5 minutes a side. Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional information per ­serving: 179 calories, 5 g. fat. 66 mg. cholesterol. 3 g. carbohydrate. 27 g. protein. less than 1 g. fiber. 232 mg. sodium.