Italian Chicken Marinade

5 from 3 votes

Italian Chicken Marinade is quick, fresh, and full of flavor. Even a short soak makes the chicken amazing—and it packs over 50 grams of protein per serving!

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Marinating Time30

Total Time50

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Healthy

Keyword: Italian Chicken Marinade

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $12.84

Equipment

Grill

Ingredients

1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 large lemon
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme optional
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

US - Metric

Instructions

Trim the chicken breasts of fat and slice them evenly in half widthwise. Pound pieces to an even thickness (with a meat mallet or the bottom of a frying pan) to ensure even grilling. Place prepared chicken in a large resealable bag and set aside. For thighs, trim excess fat and place in a large resealable bag.
Add everything else to a wide-mouth mason jar. Add 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Seal and shake until well combined.
Pour 6 tablespoons marinade over prepared chicken. Seal the bag and knead with your hands to ensure all the chicken is well coated. Pop in fridge and marinate for at least 30 minutes up to 4 hours. Don’t marinate too much longer (acid from vinegar starts to dry out chicken).
Preheat a grill to medium-high (about 450°F.) Generously oil the grill (I drench a rolled-up paper towel in vegetable oil and, holding it with tongs, rub it over the grill grates).
Using tongs, pick up chicken from the bag, allowing excess marinade to drip off. Place chicken flat on the grill. Grill chicken, turning only once halfway through grilling, about 3–5 minutes per side (until the thickest part of the chicken registers 165°F. and the meat is nicely charred). When the chicken is ready to flip, it should come off the grill grates easily. (I use a metal spatula to scrape up and flip the chicken to the other side.)
Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover with foil. Allow the chicken to rest 5–10 minutes so the juices can re-distribute. Taste and add more salt if needed. Thinly slice or chop. Drizzle or use a pastry brush to brush extra marinade on top of chicken (see note 2). Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Note 1: Breasts or thighs will work. If using breasts, be sure to follow preparation in step 1 (cutting them in half and pounding to even thickness). If you don’t have long to marinate, pierce the chicken a few times with a fork to get the marinade to penetrate quicker. If using less than 2 pounds of chicken, reduce the salt.

Note 2: You may have extra marinade left; I’d rather you have more than not enough! Use on greens or veggies throughout the week.

Storage: Keep grilled chicken in the fridge for 3–4 days. Freeze grilled chicken in a airtight container or a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.

Nutrition