This is seriously the best chicken marinade recipe! I have made this marinade a hundred times and it always makes a flavorful, cut-it-with-a-fork tender chicken breast. It’s SO easy and healthy too!
The Best Chicken Marinade Recipe
My third-born son is by far my pickiest eater. I used to make separate meals for my younger two boys because I knew that they wouldn’t eat what I was making for the rest of my family. I know, tsk tsk! Several months ago, I decided that I was sick and tired of making two different meals every might! So I decided to start making my younger two eat what we were all eating.
It was tough at first (lots of tears!) but after a few weeks, they sort of got in the groove of eating what we were all eating. I started to get to know what they liked and didn’t like and adjusted my recipes that way.
My boys’ favorite protein was any chicken recipe. Admittedly, I’m really really picky about chicken. I don’t buy those cheaper value packs of chicken because I don’t like the way they taste and I always have to marinate my chicken breasts or I won’t like it. High maintenance, right?! 😉
I’ve tried many marinade recipes over the years but this chicken marinade recipe is one of my favorites. I love it because it uses simple ingredients I usually have on hand. It takes very little time to throw together, too. It’s clean eating, adds so much flavor, makes the chicken super tender and juicy and it’s healthy!
I put all the ingredients into a Ziplock bag and shake then add the chicken and marinate, usually overnight. The next day I throw it on the grill and the chicken comes out perfect every time!
I’ve also used this chicken marinade recipe to make meal plan dinners. What I do is cut the chicken into cubes before throwing into the marinade and then the next day, (or day of depending on how much time I have) I pour it all into a sheet pan and bake and then separate into containers with quinoa and veggies. This chicken marinade recipe is such a great way to eat chicken! I hope you’ll give it a try!
The Best Chicken Marinade Recipe!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup lower-sodium soy sauce OR liquid aminos coconut aminos work, too
- Juice from 1 lemon about 1/4 cup
- 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 2-3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 2-3 lbs. chicken breasts
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients into a large storage bag. Shake to combine all ingredients. Add chicken and marinate in refrigerator for several hours, or overnight.
- Grill or bake your chicken until cooked through, 165ºF when inserted with meat thermometer. Enjoy!
Here are a couple side dishes that would pair perfectly with this chicken:
Smashed Potatoes aka Potatoes Fondantes
Would this still taste good without the mustard?
Yeah this would taste okay without the mustard but so much better with it! 🙂
How long do you cook in the oven and on what temperature?
I usually grill it but if you bake it, I would cook it with the marinade in a sheet pan or baking dish covered in foil at 425 degrees F for about 25 minutes and then take the foil off for about 15 more minutes, until the internal temperature is 165 degrees. I hope this helps! Enjoy!
How much chicken can you marinade with this recipe?
About 2-3 pounds. I hope you try it and like it!
Can you make this in the crock pot?
I’m sure you could but I haven’t tried it! If you do, let me know how it turns out!
Very salty. I used 1/4 braggs on 2lbs chicken tenders. Next time will substitute for low sodium soy sauce
Hi Brielle! I always use low sodium soy sauce (health reasons for me!), liquid aminos or coconut aminos in this recipe (it mentions it in the recipe card). I usually pat it dry after marinating it overnight to get the extra off so it’s less salty. I hope you’ll try it again using any of the lower sodium types and try patting some of the marinade off before cooking! Oh, and try it with chicken breasts instead of tenders, for sure! Tenders will soak up all that sodium faster than a breast will. I hope this helps! Thanks for the comment!