Description
This is the best chicken marinade recipe designed to infuse juicy, flavorful goodness into your chicken breasts. Combining a blend of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and aromatic spices, this marinade tenderizes the chicken while enhancing it with a perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and savory notes. Ideal for grilling, this recipe ensures deliciously moist and well-seasoned chicken every time.
Ingredients
Scale
Marinade Ingredients
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar or other vinegar
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- â…› cup lemon juice
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard or Spicy Brown mustard
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
Chicken
- 6 chicken breasts (approximately 3.5 pounds)
Instructions
- Main Marinade: In a large mixing bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, brown sugar, dried rosemary, Dijon or spicy brown mustard, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Whisk everything together thoroughly until the brown sugar is mostly dissolved and the marinade is well incorporated.
- Marinating: Place the 6 chicken breasts into a resealable plastic bag or a container with a lid. Pour the marinade over the chicken ensuring all pieces are coated well. Seal the bag or container and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes or up to 24 hours to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat deeply.
- Grilling: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade, reserving about half a cup of the marinade for basting and optional sauce. Grill the chicken breasts for about 5 to 6 minutes on each side, basting occasionally with the reserved marinade to keep the chicken moist and flavorful. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (75°C).
- Resting: After grilling, remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes. This resting period allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in tender and succulent chicken.
- Optional Sauce: Pour the reserved marinade into a saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the marinade is slightly reduced and thickened, forming a flavorful sauce to serve alongside the grilled chicken.
Notes
- For best results, marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours; overnight marinating enhances flavor and tenderness.
- Use low sodium soy sauce to control the saltiness of the marinade.
- If you prefer, substitute balsamic vinegar with apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar for a different flavor profile.
- Always discard any leftover raw marinade that has been in contact with raw chicken if not boiled, to avoid cross-contamination.
- Internal chicken temperature should reach 165°F (75°C) to ensure it is safely cooked.
