The Best Chicken Marinade Recipe makes chicken extra juicy and flavorful. This savory marinade makes grilled chicken mouthwatering!

The Best Chicken Marinade Recipe

When we were newly married, we lived near Dean's brother, his wife, and two kids. We were living in an apartment, going to college full-time, and working crazy hours to pay the bills. We were poor little college students and would love when Deron and Sarah would invite us over for dinner. Their go-to meal was grilled chicken in a delish marinade. They knew how much we loved it so we ate it almost every time we had dinner at their home.

So I had to ask her what was in this amazing chicken marinade recipe. It is beyond simple! I decided to tweak it and add a few more flavors to make it extra tangy and zesty.

This Grilled Chicken Marinade Recipe is made with extra virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar,  Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper. You have such a variety of seasonings in this marinade.

The extra virgin olive oil keeps the chicken extra moist and juicy. The fresh lemon juice and balsamic vinegar break down the fibers in the chicken to make it tender. The soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce give it a salty depth of flavor. The brown sugar adds some rich sweetness and gives the chicken a nice crust when grilled. All of the ingredients work together in such harmony to make the perfect chicken marinade!

The key is to let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes. Pierce the chicken breasts with a fork all over to ensure the marinade can seep into the chicken to make it juicy.  An idea marinating time is 4 - 5 hours.

To grill the chicken, set your grill at medium heat.  Allow it to preheat before adding the chicken.  To keep the chicken from sticking, brush a bit of oil on the grill. Cook for about 5 - 6 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the chicken breast. The chicken needs to reach 165 degrees to ensure that it is completely cooked through.

Use whatever types of chicken you prefer -- chicken breasts, thinly sliced chicken breasts, chicken tenders, or chicken thighs.  Chicken tenders and thinly sliced chicken breast will cook much quicker than thick chicken breasts so watch carefully.

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The Best Chicken Marinade Recipe

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

40 mins

 

The best chicken marinade for juicy flavorful grilled chicken.

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Grilled Chicken

Servings: 6

Calories: 224 kcal

Author: Melissa Stadler, Modern Honey

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. Chicken Breasts Tenders, or Thighs
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil depending on preference
• 3 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
• 3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 3 Garlic Cloves minced or 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Pepper
• 
  
• Garnish:
• Fresh Parsley

Instructions

1. In a bowl, stir together oil, lemon juice, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper.
2. Pierce chicken breasts with a fork all over. Place in a large Ziploc bag. Pour marinade over chicken.
3. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes. 4 - 5 hours is ideal.
4. Preheat grill to medium heat. Brush grill with oil to prevent sticking.
5. Place chicken on the grill. Cook for approximately 5 - 6 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of chicken. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165 degrees.
6. Remove chicken from grill and let rest for 5 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

The Best Chicken Marinade Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 224 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Cholesterol 96mg32%

Sodium 1291mg56%

Potassium 633mg18%

Carbohydrates 12g4%

Sugar 10g11%

Protein 33g66%

Vitamin A 45IU1%

Vitamin C 5.5mg7%

Calcium 23mg2%

Iron 1.1mg6%

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

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Happy Cooking, my friends!