Best Chicken Marinade

2 - Lunch, Main

Ingredients

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ cup balsamic vinegar or other vinegar

¼ cup soy sauce I use low sodium soy sauce

¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

cup lemon juice

¾ cup brown sugar

2 teaspoon dried rosemary

2 tablespoon Dijon mustard or Spicy Brown mustard

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 teaspoon garlic powder

6 chicken breasts or 3.5 lb chicken

Description

Marinated chicken can be cooked on the grill, in the oven or on the stovetop.

Directions

Combine all marinade ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Remove a half a cup of marinade and reserve for basting the chicken later.

Place chicken in a large resealable bag and pour marinade over the top. Gently massage chicken breasts and be sure to close bag securely. (If you have less time, consider poking holes in the chicken with a fork to allow the marinade to penetrate quickly.)

Refrigerate chicken and marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. 4 to 6 hours seems to be perfect.
(The chicken starts to get tough if I marinate it for more than 24 hours. If you have less time, consider poking holes in the chicken with a fork to allow the marinade to penetrate quickly.)

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To grill:

Preheat grill to medium high heat and lightly oil the grates.

Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Grill chicken for 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

Baste the chicken occasionally with the reserved marinade.

Once the chicken has reached 165°F, remove chicken from grill and tent with foil. Let chicken rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

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Baking:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Place marinated chicken on a shallow baking sheet or baking pan and cook for 18 to 22 minutes (or 450F for 15 to 18 minutes if you’re in a hurry) or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Let chicken rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Baste as often as you can for best flavor.

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Stovetop:

Preheat a skillet over medium high and lightly grease.

Cook chicken for 8 to 10 minutes on each side or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Let chicken rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Use a stovetop grill pan for those pretty sear marks!

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Optional.
If you bring the reserved marinade up to a boil, let simmer until slightly reduced, it makes a wonderful sauce to go on top of the chicken.

Notes

What kind of chicken can I use?
Any kind of chicken you like. Breasts, thighs, drumsticks, tenders, skin on or off, bone in or out. Now, keep in mind that different cuts will take more or less time. Always check on the internal temperature to check doneness. Chicken needs to reach an internal temperature of 165°F.

Can I freeze marinated chicken?
Yes, absolutely. After adding the marinade to the chicken breast in a freezer safe resealable bag, freeze chicken for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using.

Nutrition

Calories 115kcal
Calories: 115kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1041mg | Potassium: 77mg | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 15IU | Vitamin C: 2.8mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 0.7mg