I used to rely on bottled marinade or pre-marinated chicken before I realized just how ridiculously simple it is to make your own. You just need a few pantry staples to whip together a flavorful marinade for chicken (or any other meat or fish, for that matter).
This Mediterranean-inspired marinade utilizes just three basic ingredients—olive oil, lemons, and garlic—to infuse chicken with loads of tangy, savory flavor. (I’m counting salt and pepper as freebie ingredients.) Adding herbs lends extra pizazz, but even without it, you can count on your chicken being anything but boring.
How Long To Marinate Chicken
Acid is a key player in many marinades because it helps tenderize the meat. Here, lemon is the acid of choice. However, despite the good that lemon (or other citrus) juice and vinegar provide, they have to be used with caution because they’re so acidic that the chicken will get stringy and mushy if marinated for too long. Let your chicken marinade for as little as 30 minutes to reap its benefits, but no longer than 4 hours.
Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
How To Cook Marinated Chicken
This marinated chicken takes well to both grilling and baking. To grill, heat your gas or charcoal grill to direct medium-high heat and oil the grates well. Cook, flipping halfway through until grill marks appear and the chicken is cooked through.
Alternatively, place the chicken in a lightly oiled baking dish and bake at 425°F. Whether you grill or bake the chicken, it’s done when it registers 165°F with an instant-read thermometer—the exact timing will depend on the cut you’re using.
Tips and Tricks
- Any cut of chicken works well with this marinade, whether bone-in or boneless, skin-on or skinless. Feel free to use breasts, thighs, legs, drumsticks, wings, or a combination.
- This recipe makes enough marinade to coat 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of chicken, which will serve 4 people. If cooking for less or more, just halve or double the recipe as needed.
- To bump up the tangy flavor, try whisking a teaspoon or two of Dijon mustard into the marinade. Or if you want to spice it up, add up to 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
- If you’d like to mellow out the tart savory notes and bring some sweetness to the marinade, stir in a teaspoon or two of honey.
Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
Add Herbs for a Boost
While adding an herb to this marinade is optional, it really takes it to the next level. Oregano, rosemary, and thyme are Mediterranean herbs that feel right at home here. Feel free to use fresh or dried, alone or in combination, depending on what you have on hand.
You can also experiment with dried herb and spice blends like Italian seasoning, herbes de Provence, or even za’atar.
Other Marinated Chicken Recipes to Try
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4 cloves garlic
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2 medium lemons
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1/4 cup olive oil
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2 teaspoons dried or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano, rosemary, thyme, or a combination (optional)
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1 teaspoon kosher salt
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1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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1 1/2 to 2 pounds chicken pieces (bone-in or boneless, skin-on or skinless)
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Prepare the garlic and lemons:
Finely grate the garlic and zest 1 lemon into a medium bowl. Squeeze the juice from the zested lemon and the remaining lemon into the bowl (about 1/3 cup).
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Add the remaining ingredients and marinate:
Add the olive oil, herbs (if using), salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
Add the chicken to the marinade and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting any excess marinade drip off back into the bowl, before cooking. Discard the marinade.
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| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 295 | Calories |
| 13g | Fat |
| 15g | Carbs |
| 31g | Protein |
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| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 4 to 5 |
|
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 295 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| 13g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat 3g | 17% |
| 132mg | 44% |
| 188mg | 8% |
| 15g | 6% |
| Dietary Fiber 4g | 15% |
| Total Sugars 5g | |
| 31g | |
| Vitamin C 79mg | 393% |
| Calcium 56mg | 4% |
| Iron 2mg | 11% |
| Potassium 509mg | 11% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.
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