Chicken Marinade

5 from 4 ratings

from kristineskitchenblog.com

The BEST Chicken Marinade! Take the flavor of your chicken to the next level with this easy chicken marinade recipe. Use it for grilling or baking, with chicken breasts or chicken thighs. Perfect for quick meals!

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 in the oven, on the stove, or on the grill, 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 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 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.

Video

Notes

If using bone-in chicken thighs you will need to add a few minutes to the cook time for boneless thighs.
Nutrition estimate based on using chicken breasts.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is only an estimate.