Chicken Marinade

5 from 4 ratings

from kristineskitchenblog.com

This is my go-to marinade for chicken! You'll love the vibrant, savory flavor, as well as how tender and juicy it makes chicken breasts and thighs. Perfect for grilling, baking or air frying! Find cooking directions for all methods below.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Marinate1

Total Time1 25

Servings: servings

Calories: 203kcal

Author: Kristine Rosenblatt

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 pounds chicken breasts or thighs boneless or bone-in

Instructions

Make marinade: Combine olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, Italian seasoning and pepper in a bowl or large zip-top plastic bag. Whisk or squeeze bag to mix. (Optional: reserve a few tablespoons of marinade in a separate container to brush on chicken during the last few minutes of cooking.)
If using boneless, skinless chicken breasts: Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before adding them to the marinade. This helps them to cook evenly and also tenderizes the meat. Place chicken breasts in a zip-top bag or between two layers of parchment paper or plastic wrap and use a rolling pin or meat mallet to pound the chicken until it is an even thickness, ½-¾ inch thick is ideal.
Marinate: Add the chicken to the bag or bowl and coat chicken with marinade. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours. I usually aim to marinate chicken for 1-4 hours.
Discard used marinade and cook chicken on the grill, in the oven, on the stove, or in the air fryer, directions follow. Chicken is done when the internal temperature registers 165° F on an instant read thermometer.
To Cook on the Grill: Clean the grates of a gas or charcoal grill. Oil the grill grates and heat the grill to medium-high (375-450 degrees F). Grill chicken breasts for 5-8 minutes per side, until cooked through. (Boneless chicken thighs will take 7-10 minutes per side; reduce heat to medium when cooking.) The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165° F. For the best grill marks and juicy chicken, begin cooking the chicken on a hotter part of the grill for a few minutes and then move it to lower heat to finish cooking through. Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
To Cook in the Oven: Preheat oven to 425° F. Place chicken in a baking dish.
Bake chicken breasts according to their size: bake 5-6 ounce breasts for 13-16 minutes, bake 8 ounce breasts for 16-19 minutes, bake 11-12 ounce breasts for 22-26 minutes. Chicken is done when it reaches 165° F in the thickest part of the meat.
Bake boneless chicken thighs for 20-30 minutes, until chicken reaches 165° F.Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
To Cook on the Stove: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large heavy skillet (such as a cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan (work in batches if needed) and cook chicken breasts for about 5-8 minutes per side (cook boneless chicken thighs for 8-10 minutes per side), or until chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165° F. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
To Cook in the Air Fryer: Place chicken in a single layer in the air fryer. Cook at 400° for 8 minutes, then flip chicken over and continue cooking for 5-12 more minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165° F at the thickest part of the breast. (Boneless chicken thighs will take 11-15 minutes total. No need to flip them.) Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Video

Notes

If using bone-in chicken thighs you will need to add a few minutes to the cook time for boneless thighs.
To freeze, place the chicken and marinade in zip-top plastic bag and squeeze the bag to make sure all of the meat is coated. Freeze for up to 3 months. When you are ready to cook the chicken, place the bag in the refrigerator to thaw for 24 hours. Then cook as desired.
Nutrition estimate based on using chicken breasts and assumes all marinade will be consumed, which it likely will not be.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is only an estimate.