Chicken Marinade

This is the best Chicken Marinade for perfect juicy, flavorsome chicken breasts.

Plus, this marinade is ready in 10 minutes and perfect to marinade any chicken pieces for oven-roasted, BBQ chicken, and more!

There’s no secret, marinades are the single most important recipes to turn any meat into a meal.

My two favorite lemon juice-based marinades are the Greek Chicken Marinade and Lemon Pepper Chicken Marinade.

The similarity between these chicken marinades is the lemon which adds a tangy flavor and softens the meat.

Today, I want to share something new, a honey balsamic marinade.

This is the best Chicken Marinade recipe and it contains two sweet ingredients that glaze the chicken. It gives a lovely shiny color to the meat and sweet flavors to the chicken pieces.

It will turn any chicken piece into delicious juicy, glazed meat that marries so well with roasted vegetables.

How To Make The Best Chicken Marinade

This is, in my opinion, the best marinade for chicken for two reasons. One, it turns any chicken into an irresistible juicy sweet piece of meat that even kids love.

Second, this marinade suits any chicken cooking mode. Whether you plan to roast, grill on the barbecue, or air fry your meat, this marinade is perfect for any occasion.

Plus, you can also use it on any chicken piece: chicken breast, whole chicken, chicken tenders, or chicken wings.

Ingredients

All you need to marinate the chicken are a few simple pantry basics. Like any marinade, you will need oil and an acidic ingredient that tenderizes the meat.

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Or avocado oil for a healthy boost of omega-3 fatty acids.
• Soy Sauce – Or tamari sauce if gluten-free. Feel free to use low-sodium soy sauce if you watch your sodium intake.
• Balsamic Vinegar – This is the secret ingredient that glazes your chicken, adds a sweet and sour note to the meat, and brings a lovely color.
• Worcestershire Sauce – This adds some apple notes to the meat.
• Dijon Mustard
• Garlic Cloves or garlic powder.
• Honey or brown sugar. Both options work very well. I love the mix of honey and balsamic vinegar way more than brown sugar. Plus, honey has antioxidant properties, and is better for regulating blood sugar levels than brown sugar.
• Black Pepper or Spices such as red pepper flakes
• Sea Salt
• Herbs such as cilantro, oregano, or basil
• Chicken Breast or tenderloins, or bone-in chicken drumsticks

Preparing The Chicken Marinade

To make the marinade, simply bring all the chicken marinade ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and give a quick stir to combine the olive oil and vinegar in an emulsion.

Place the marinade into a zip-lock bag or in a large 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish.

Marinating The Chicken

If your chicken breasts are thick, I highly recommend beating the meat with a meat tenderizer or a flat tool. This is crucial to tenderize the meat before marinating.

Place the chicken breast into the zip-lock bag, close it tightly, and massage the chicken with the marinade.

If you don’t have zip-lock bags, place the chicken on a single layer in the baking dish. Cover it with marinade and seal the dish with plastic wrap.

Finally, place the bag or dish in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. The perfect timing is 6 hours.

Cooking The Chicken

Remove the chicken from the zip-lock bag and discard the bag with the marinade inside. Marinades are not safe to be eaten. It’s essentially as unsafe as eating raw meat.

So you can’t reuse a marinade or use it raw. Discard what’s left.

You can cook this recipe with any many cooking method, so it’s perfect to meal prep!

Oven-Baked Chicken

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Slightly oil a large baking sheet or dish with avocado oil. It has a higher smoke point than olive oil.

Therefore, avocado oil is the best choice to cook chicken in the oven.

Place the marinated chicken breasts on the baking sheet. Make sure they don’t touch each other or overlap.

Bake at for 400°F (200°C) for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the meat reaches an internal temperature or 165°F (74°C).

The best way to ensure the meat is at the right temperature is to use a meat thermometer.

Air Frying Chicken

Cover the air fryer basket with foil or parchment paper so the chicken doesn’t stick to the basket.

Slightly oil the paper or foil, and place the marinated chicken breasts or thighs in the air fryer, leaving some space between each.

Air fry at 350°F (180°C) for 15 to 20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165°F (74°C).

BBQ Chicken

You can use this easy chicken marinade for BBQ chicken thighs. It makes the best juicy glazed chicken.

Warm the BBQ to the highest temperature and clean and oil the grates with avocado oil.

Place the meat on the grates, cover it with foil or close the lid of the BBQ, and cook for 5 minutes.

Check the internal meat temperature on the thickest part using a meat thermometer. When the grilled chicken reaches 165°F (74°C), it’s cooked through.

Place the meat on a serving dish and cover it with foil for a few minutes to give it time to release its juice and tenderize.

Storage Instructions

You can store the marinated chicken in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

Cooked chicken breast leftovers can be stored for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Serving

This chicken marinade is perfect for grilling, roasting, or air frying chicken.

Saucy Casserole

Therefore, this chicken recipe goes well with side dish that contains sauce like some of the vegetable casseroles below.

• Smoked Mac And Cheese
• Cauliflower Casserole
• Spaghetti Squash Casserole
• Green Bean Casserole

Salad

Or, you can use this chicken on top of salads.

• Cobb Salad
• Spinach Bacon Salad
• Cottage Cheese Salad for a high-protein meal
• Deviled Egg Salad

Vegetables

• Smoked Cauliflower
• Mashed Cauliflower
• Oven-Roasted Brussel Sprouts
• Air Fryer Green Beans
• Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

Sauce

Serve this chicken with sauce or on top of creamy pasta sauce dishes like:

• Mushroom Sauce
• Spinach Pesto 
• Avocado Ranch Dressing
• Cauliflower Sauce
• Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are your most common questions answered.

How Can I Tenderize Chicken Before Marinating?

To make your chicken breast ultra-tender, sprinkle 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda around the breast.

Place the chicken breast on a plate, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes before marinating it.

After that, rinse the meat under cold water, pat dry with absorbent paper, and marinade the chicken.

How Long Can You Marinade Chicken In The Fridge?

Chicken can stay for up to 24 hours in the marinade.

After that, the marinade breaks the meat texture, making the chicken pulpy and squishy. So don’t marinade the chicken for too long, or the meat won’t taste good.

The ideal timing is 6 hours.

Can I Freeze Chicken In The Marinade?

Yes, you can freeze the chicken in its marinade. To do so, squeeze out all the air from the bag before freezing. Thaw it in the fridge the day before.

The chicken will stay in the freezer for up to one month, making it perfect for meal-prepping healthy dinners on busy weeks.

What Can I Use This Chicken Marinade For?

This is an all-purpose chicken marinade, meaning you can use it as a grilled, oven-baked, fried, air-fried, or pan-fried chicken marinade.

More Chicken Recipes

Below are some more easy chicken recipes for you to try:

Cranberry Chicken Salad

Creamy Spinach Chicken

Cast Iron Chicken Breast

Tuscan Chicken

Lemon Pepper Chicken Tenders

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Almond Flour Chicken Tenders

Keto Orange Chicken

More Marinade Recipes

If you love marinating meat, vegetables, or plant-based proteins, try some of these other marinade recipes.

Greek Chicken Marinade

Pork Chop Marinade

Lemon Pepper Chicken Marinade

3-Ingredient Steak Marinade

Have you tried this chicken marinade recipe? Share a comment or review below.

Chicken Marinade

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This is the best Chicken Marinade for perfect, juicy, flavorsome chicken breasts. Plus, this marinade is ready in just 10 minutes and perfect for marinating any chicken pieces for BBQ, oven-roasted chicken, and more!

Author: Carine Claudepierre

Prep: 10 mins

Total: 10 mins

Yield: 4 Medium Chicken Breasts

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition

Net Carbs 2.1g

Fat 10.6g

Protein 0.3g

Calories 101.8kcal

5 from 24 votes

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Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• ▢ ⅓ cup Olive Oil
• ▢ 3 tablespoons Soy Sauce
• ▢ 3 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• ▢ 3 tablespoons Brown Sugar or sugar-free brown erythritol
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
• ▢ 4 Fresh Garlic Cloves minced
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
• ▢ 2 pounds Chicken Breast equivalent 6 large chicken breast fillet

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Instructions

• Whisk all the marinade ingredients together in a mixing bowl until well combined.
• Place the chicken breast fillets on a chopping board and use a meat tenderizer to pound the meat. Set it aside.
• Place the chicken breast fillet in a large zip-lock bag and pour the marinade into the bag. Seal the bag tightly, and massage the meat to cover it with the marinade.
• Refrigerate for 6 hours. You must marinade for at least 30 minutes and no more than 24 hours.
• Remove the chicken breast from the marinade and remove excess marinade on the breast. I like to pat mine with a piece of absorbent paper. Discard the marinade.
• Warm avocado oil in a large frying pan and cook the chicken breast on both sides until the internal meat temperature reaches 160°F-165°F (72°C – 74°C).
• Remove the meat from the skillet, place it on a plate, and cover it with foil. Wait for 2 minutes to let the meat soften. This makes the breast ultra-tender and juicy.
• Use the chicken on top of a salad or as a side to grilled vegetables.

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Nutrition Facts

Chicken Marinade

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 101.8 Calories from Fat 95

% Daily Value*

Fat 10.6g16%

Saturated Fat 1.5g9%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1.1g

Monounsaturated Fat 7.7g

Sodium 146.5mg6%

Potassium 34.1mg1%

Carbohydrates 2.4g1%

Fiber 0.3g1%

Sugar 0.5g1%

Protein 0.3g1%

Net Carbs 2.1g

Vitamin A 4.8IU0%

Vitamin C 8.6mg10%

Calcium 9.9mg1%

Iron 0.2mg1%

Magnesium 2.7mg1%

Zinc 0.1mg1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.