This grilled chicken marinade will make dry, bland chicken a thing of the past. It’s savory, tangy, slightly sweet, and full of bold, pantry-friendly ingredients like soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and herbs. Use it on grilled, oven-baked, or pan-seared chicken for easy weeknight dinners, meal prep, or hearty salads and sandwiches.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 21 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, pounded to even thickness
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1½ teaspoons each: onion powder, garlic powder, salt
- 1 teaspoon each: dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme, paprika
- ½ teaspoon each: black pepper, red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Whisk all marinade ingredients in a large bowl or freezer bag.
- Add chicken and toss to coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temp or up to 12 hours in the fridge.
- Remove from refrigerator 15–30 minutes before cooking.
To Grill:
- Preheat grill to 400°F. Clean and grease grates.
- Grill chicken 5–7 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
To Cook on Stove:
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sear chicken 3–4 minutes on one side, flip, cover, and reduce heat. Cook 5–7 more minutes until 165°F internally.
To Bake:
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a baking dish.
- Bake chicken 16–18 minutes, or until it reaches 165°F internally.
Notes
- You can use any cut of chicken—adjust cooking times accordingly.
- Marinate up to 12 hours, but no longer, to avoid tough chicken.
- Use leftover uncontaminated marinade for vegetables or basting.
- Store cooked chicken in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat in the microwave or oven (covered) until just warmed through.
- To freeze: Freeze marinated raw chicken for up to 3 months, or freeze cooked chicken after cooling.
- Make-ahead: Prepare the marinade up to 5 days in advance and store separately.
- Pro tip: Pound chicken to even thickness to ensure even cooking and prevent drying out.
Grilled Chicken Marinade
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 21 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
This grilled chicken marinade will make dry, bland chicken a thing of the past. It’s savory, tangy, slightly sweet, and full of bold, pantry-friendly ingredients like soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and herbs. Use it on grilled, oven-baked, or pan-seared chicken for easy weeknight dinners, meal prep, or hearty salads and sandwiches.
Ingredients
-
1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, pounded to even thickness
-
⅓ cup olive oil
-
3 tablespoons lemon juice
-
2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
-
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
-
2 tablespoons brown sugar
-
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
-
1½ teaspoons each: onion powder, garlic powder, salt
-
1 teaspoon each: dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme, paprika
-
½ teaspoon each: black pepper, red pepper flakes
Instructions
-
Whisk all marinade ingredients in a large bowl or freezer bag.
-
Add chicken and toss to coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temp or up to 12 hours in the fridge.
-
Remove from refrigerator 15–30 minutes before cooking.
To Grill:
-
Preheat grill to 400°F. Clean and grease grates.
-
Grill chicken 5–7 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
To Cook on Stove:
-
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
-
Sear chicken 3–4 minutes on one side, flip, cover, and reduce heat. Cook 5–7 more minutes until 165°F internally.
To Bake:
-
Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a baking dish.
-
Bake chicken 16–18 minutes, or until it reaches 165°F internally.
Notes
-
You can use any cut of chicken—adjust cooking times accordingly.
-
Marinate up to 12 hours, but no longer, to avoid tough chicken.
-
Use leftover uncontaminated marinade for vegetables or basting.
-
Store cooked chicken in the fridge for up to 4 days.
-
Reheat in the microwave or oven (covered) until just warmed through.
-
To freeze: Freeze marinated raw chicken for up to 3 months, or freeze cooked chicken after cooling.
-
Make-ahead: Prepare the marinade up to 5 days in advance and store separately.
-
Pro tip: Pound chicken to even thickness to ensure even cooking and prevent drying out.