6 SIMPLE CHICKEN MARINADES
PREP TIME: 10 minsCOOK TIME: 20 minsMARINATING TIME: 2 hrsTOTAL TIME: 2 hrs 30 mins
SERVINGS: 3 servings
Are you ready for the best chicken marinades? They’re make your weeknight dinner wow worthy. Bonus – they’re great for meal prep freezer chicken as well!
INGREDIENTS
1-pound boneless, skinless chicken breast (2 to 3 breasts)
GREEK LEMON CHICKEN MARINADE
¼ cup olive oil
1 lemon, juiced (about 3 tablespoons juice)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
CILANTRO LIME CHICKEN MARINADE
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
2 limes, zested and juiced (about ¼ cup juice)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
HONEY MUSTARD CHICKEN MARINADE
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
TERIYAKI CHICKEN MARINADE
¼ cup tamari soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
1 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 green onion, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger (about ½-inch piece)
2 garlic cloves, minced
FAJITA CHICKEN MARINADE
¼ cup olive oil
1 lime, zested and juiced (about 2 tablespoons juice)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
ITALIAN CHICKEN MARINADE
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon kosher salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Choose a chicken marinade flavor and place all the ingredients (minus the chicken breast) into a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
Place the chicken breasts into a glass container or sealable bag. Pour the marinade on top of the chicken, making sure it is covered. Let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or for up to 8 hours. (*See notes above for cooking and serving ideas!)
The nutritional information is for the Greek Lemon marinade.
Each of these chicken breast marinade recipes is enough marinade for 1 to 1.5 lbs. of boneless skinless chicken breast.
NUTRITION
CALORIES: 351kcal, CARBOHYDRATES: 5g, PROTEIN: 33g, FAT: 22g, SATURATED FAT: 3g, POLYUNSATURATED FAT: 3g, MONOUNSATURATED FAT: 14g, TRANS FAT: 1g, CHOLESTEROL: 97mg, SODIUM: 971mg, POTASSIUM: 644mg, FIBER: 2g, SUGAR: 1g, VITAMIN A: 92iu, VITAMIN C: 22mg, CALCIUM: 51mg, IRON: 2mg
WAYS TO COOK WITH MARINATED CHICKEN
When you’re ready to cook, you’ve got a few options. Baked chicken is my default method given how easy it is to just pop it in the oven for 20 minutes or so. But if you want that deliciously charred flavor, you can easily grill it. Either way, here’s how to cook it both ways!
Baked Chicken: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Then pour the chicken breasts and the marinade into a small baking dish (Note: if you have a large baking dish or rimmed sheet pan, omit the marinade as it will spread out and get charred). Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through. Once the chicken is done, make sure to let it rest for a few minutes before slicing into it.
Grilled Chicken: Preheat the grill to medium-heat and grill each side of the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes, or until it’s cooked through with the perfect set of grill marks.