Description

This BEST Chicken Marinade Recipe combines a perfect balance of tangy, sweet, and savory flavors with ingredients like balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, and fragrant herbs to tenderize and infuse chicken breasts with rich taste. Ideal for grilling, the marinade ensures juicy, flavorful chicken with an optional reduced sauce made from reserved marinade for added depth.

Ingredients

Scale

Marinade Ingredients

½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup balsamic vinegar or other vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce (low sodium)
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
⅛ 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 or 3.5 lb chicken

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Instructions

Prepare 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, mustard, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Whisk everything together thoroughly to blend all flavors well. Reserve half a cup of this mixture to use later for basting and sauce.
Marinate Chicken: Place the chicken breasts into a resealable plastic bag or container. Pour the marinade over the chicken, ensuring all pieces are well coated. Seal the bag and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes, up to 24 hours, allowing the chicken to fully absorb the flavors.
Preheat Grill: When ready to cook, preheat your grill to a medium-high heat to ensure optimal cooking temperature for juicy chicken.
Grill Chicken: Remove chicken from marinade, placing it on the preheated grill. Grill each side for 5-6 minutes, or until fully cooked, flipping once. While grilling, baste occasionally with the reserved marinade for extra flavor and moisture.
Rest Chicken: Once grilled, transfer chicken to a plate and let it rest for a few minutes to allow juices to redistribute, ensuring tender and juicy results.
Make Optional Sauce: Pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil and simmer until it has slightly reduced and thickened, removing any risks from raw chicken juices. Use this as a delicious sauce to drizzle over the grilled chicken before serving.

Notes

Marinate chicken for at least 30 minutes but no longer than 24 hours to prevent the acid from breaking down the meat too much.
Use low sodium soy sauce to control saltiness.
The reserved marinade must be boiled before consuming as a sauce to ensure safety.
Can substitute chicken breasts with thighs or other preferred cuts.
If grilling is not an option, this marinade works well with baking or pan-searing chicken.
Adjust brown sugar quantity to taste for a more or less sweet marinade.