Julie Clark
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Simple Chicken Marinade
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This simple chicken marinade will quickly become a favorite in your dinner rotation! It takes just 30 minutes of marinade time, but you can also meal prep the chicken in the morning to cook in the evening.
What makes this Simple Chicken Marinade stand out is how much flavor it delivers with just a handful of pantry staples. It features the 3 main parts of a marinade: acid (lemon), fat (olive oil), and seasonings for flavor(herbs and soy sauce). The chicken stays juicy whether you’re grilling, baking, or searing.
Our family’s simple chicken marinade recipe:
Grilled chicken marinades have been some of our family’s favorite recipes since the early days of our marriage. Mexican chicken marinade, Greek chicken marinade, garlic mustard chicken and lemon lime chicken are just a few of favorites we’ve developed over the years.
With chicken, it’s nice to have a recipe with simple flavors that can be served over a salad, next to a baked potato or on top of a bed of rice pilaf.
It’s the kind of marinade you can throw together on a busy weeknight but trust for company, too. If you’re looking for a no-fuss, go-to chicken marinade that brings the family together, this is it.
Enjoy! – Julie
Simple Chicken Marinade Recipe
This simple chicken marinade will quickly become a favorite in your dinner rotation! It takes just 30 minutes of marinade time, but you can also prep the chicken in the morning to cook in the evening.
Servings 4
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Marinating Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2-3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
Instructions
- In a bowl or zip-top bag, whisk together all marinade ingredients until well combined. ⅓ cup olive oil, ¼ cup soy sauce, 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Add chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 12 hours for best flavor. 2-3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- Grill: Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Grill chicken for 5–7 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 165ºF. No matter the method, the exact timing will depend on how large the chicken pieces are, so watch it closely.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 400ºF. Place chicken in a baking dish and bake for 20–25 minutes.
- Pan-Sear: Heat a skillet over medium heat with a little oil. Cook chicken 8 minutes per side until cooked through.
- Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with your favorite side dishes.
Notes
- Freezer Meal Prep: Add the marinade and raw chicken to a freezer-safe zip-top bag. Seal tightly and lay flat in the freezer. When you’re ready to use it, thaw the bag in the fridge overnight. Once thawed, cook the chicken using your preferred method—no need to rinse or do anything extra.
- Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
Nutrition
Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 1378mg | Potassium: 884mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 70IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg
Ingredients
- Choose quality chicken breasts that aren’t too large. The larger they are, the longer they will take to cook. Chicken tenders or boneless skinless chicken thighs work great, too.
- Keep the simple chicken marinade gluten free by using coconut aminos in place of soy sauce.
See the recipe card for full ingredients and amounts.
How long should you marinate chicken for?
Chicken should rest in this simple chicken marinade for at least 30 minutes to impart flavor. However, you can leave it soaking for up to 12 hours. That means you can dinner prep in the morning, then have less mess after a day of work.
Ideas for Serving Marinated Chicken
This marinade isn’t just for grilling and forgetting. Once your chicken with marinade is cooked, here are four quick and easy ways to turn it into a full dinner:
- Chicken Bowls. Layer sliced chicken over rice, quinoa, or couscous. Add grilled veggies or fresh veggies, guacamole, and a spoonful of your favorite sauce.
- Wraps or Pitas. Tuck chicken into flour tortillas or pita bread with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and dressing (ranch, tzatziki, or hummus are all great options).
- Chicken Caesar Salad. Top romaine with sliced chicken, Parmesan, croutons, and Caesar dressing. Add bowtie pasta to turn it into a full meal.
- Easy Chicken Tacos. Shred or chop the chicken and serve in taco shells with shredded cheese, lettuce, blender salsa, and sour cream.
