Best 20 Marinated Chicken Recipes

LEMON AND HERB MARINATED GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• In a small bowl combine the lemon juice and zest, chopped herbs, garlic, crushed red pepper, and 1/2 cup of olive oil. Whisk to combine.
• Place the chicken thighs in a wide flat dish so they are in a single layer. Add the herb mixture. Massage the thighs to coat with the herb mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Note: If doing a quick marinade, leave the chicken out of the fridge for up to 1 hour.
• Preheat grill. Brush and oil the grill to clean.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade and brush off any excess herbs and oil. Season the chicken generously with salt and drizzle with a little bit of fresh olive oil.
• Cut the 2 whole lemons in half and cut the tips off the ends; this will allow the lemons to stand up without rolling around. Place the chicken, skin side down, on the preheated grill. Place the lemons, flesh side down, on the preheated grill. Grill the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes and then rotate the chicken 90 degrees to create the lovely crosshatch pattern. Grill the chicken for another 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the chicken over and grill for another 4 to 5 minutes. Check for doneness (the chicken should be well cooked). Check the lemon halves to see if they are beautifully caramelized. Turn over to grill on the bottom for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Serve the chicken with grilled lemon.
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• March - Why We Love: Lemons

MARINATED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Put the vinegar, herbs, mustard, powders if using and oil in a large re-sealable plastic bag. Close the bag and shake to combine all the ingredients. Open the bag, drop in the chicken breast in the bag. Close and shake the bag to coat evenly. Freeze for up to 2 weeks.
• Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, under cold, running water, or in the microwave at 30 percent power for 1 minute at a time.
• Heat a grill or grill pan. When the grill is hot, place the chicken on the grill and cook for about 4 minutes per side, or until cooked through. You can also bake the thawed chicken in a 375 degree F oven for 15 minutes, or until cooked through.

CITRUS-MARINATED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine the first eight ingredients in a large resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours., Drain and discard marinade. Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 170°.

GRILLED PESTO-MARINATED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Mix together pesto, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, pepper, and salt in a 1-gallon resealable freezer bag. Add chicken, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator 8 hours to overnight.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Remove chicken from the marinade and shake off excess. Discard the remaining marinade.
• Cook chicken on the preheated grill over indirect heat until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 6 to 8 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

MARINATED GREEK CHICKEN KABOBS

Steps:

• In a large shallow baking dish, mix the yogurt, feta cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Place the chicken in the dish, and turn to coat. Cover, and marinate 3 hours in the refrigerator.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.
• Thread the chicken, onion wedges, and green bell pepper pieces alternately onto skewers. Discard remaining yogurt mixture.
• Grill skewers on the prepared grill until the chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

PINEAPPLE-MARINATED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together the brown sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, garlic powder, ground cayenne and black pepper. Transfer 1 tablespoon of this marinade mixture to a separate medium bowl and add the diced pineapple, red onion and cilantro. This is your salsa; toss until well mixed and set aside.
• Add the grated pineapple and its juices to the marinade mixture in the large bowl, then add the chicken and toss to coat. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes (and no longer).
• Once the chicken is done marinating, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high and add enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken pieces, leaving any marinade behind, in a single layer so that they don't touch and let cook until the bottoms are browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides and no longer pink on the inside, 4 to 5 minutes more.
• Serve the chicken over rice and top with the reserved pineapple salsa.

MARINATED BAKED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a measuring cup, combine salad dressing and soy sauce. Pour 3/4 cup into a large resealable plastic bag; add chicken. Seal the bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight, turning several times. Refrigerate remaining marinade for basting., Drain chicken discarding marinade. Place chicken, skin side up, on a rack in a roasting pan. Sprinkle with onion salt and garlic salt. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45-60 minutes or until a thermometer reads 170°, brushing occasionally with reserved marinade. Garnish platter with kale and apple rings if desired.

MARINATED CHICKEN KABOBS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, blend vegetable oil, soy sauce, light corn syrup, lemon juice, sesame seeds, garlic powder, and garlic salt. Place chicken in the mixture. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil grate. Thread chicken onto skewers alternately with mushrooms, onions, and green bell pepper. Pour marinade into a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Place skewers on the prepared grill. Cook 15 to 20 minutes, turning frequently, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear. Baste with the boiled marinade frequently during the last 10 minutes.

YOGURT-MARINATED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, oil, ginger, sugar and seasonings; add chicken. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight., Drain and discard marinade. Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack., Prepare the grill for indirect heat, using a drip pan. Place chicken over drip pan and grill chicken, covered, bone side down over indirect medium heat for 2 minutes. Turn; grill 25-35 minutes longer or until a thermometer reads 170°.

BUTTERMILK AND HERB MARINATED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine buttermilk, rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt, and teaspoon pepper. Add chicken to marinade, turning to coat. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes (or refrigerate, up to overnight).
• Heat grill to medium; lightly oil grates. Lift chicken from marinade, shaking off excess; discard marinade. Grill until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of chicken registers 165 degrees, 5 to 8 minutes per side. Remove from grill. Tent loosely with aluminum foil; let rest 5 minutes before serving.

ITALIAN MARINATED CHICKEN

Steps:

• To Marinate: Place chicken in a nonporous glass dish or bowl. Poke several holes in breasts with a fork; season with salt and pepper to taste and cover with salad dressing. Toss to coat, cover dish and refrigerate to marinate for 2 hours.
• Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Remove chicken from marinade (discarding of any remaining marinade) and saute in skillet for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked through and juices run clear.

SIMPLE MARINATED CHICKEN WINGS

Steps:

• Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, sherry, mustard, and garlic powder in a bowl. Arrange the chicken wings in a 9x13-inch baking dish, and pour marinade over the chicken. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Remove the plastic wrap from the baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken wings are no longer pink in the center, about 1 hour, basting occasionally.

CILANTRO-LIME MARINATED GRILLED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine chiles, canola oil, cilantro, lime zest and juice, garlic, jalapeno, honey, salt, and pepper in a 1-gallon freezer bag and seal completely. Gently massage the bag to combine ingredients well. Add chicken and turn to completely coat with marinade. Place in the refrigerator and allow to marinate for at least 4 hours for best flavor, turning bag occasionally.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Remove chicken from the marinade and shake off excess. Discard the remaining marinade.
• Grill chicken, covered, on the preheated grill until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear, 4 to 6 minutes per side.
• Remove chicken from the grill and let rest under aluminum foil to redistribute juices back into the meat, 4 to 5 minutes.

YOGURT-MARINATED CHICKEN KEBABS WITH ALEPPO PEPPER

Steps:

• If using Aleppo pepper, place in large bowl and mix in 1 tablespoon warm water. Let stand until thick paste forms, about 5 minutes. If using dried crushed red pepper and paprika combination, place in large bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons warm water and let stand until paste forms, about 5 minutes. Add yogurt, olive oil, red wine vinegar, tomato paste, 2 teaspoons coarse salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper to spice mixture in bowl; whisk to blend. Stir in garlic and lemon slices, then chicken. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Thread chicken pieces on metal skewers, dividing equally. Discard marinade in bowl. Sprinkle each skewer with salt, pepper, and additional Aleppo pepper or paprika. Brush grill rack with oil. Grill chicken until golden brown and cooked through, turning skewers occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes total. Transfer skewers to platter. Surround with lemon wedges and serve.
• *A slightly sweet Syrian pepper with a moderate heat level; available at some specialty foods stores and from wholespice.com.
• **A thick yogurt; sold at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores (such as Trader Joe's and Whole Foods markets) and Greek markets. If unavailable, place regular yogurt in cheesecloth-lined strainer set over large bowl. Cover and chill overnight to drain.
• Ingredient tip:
• Aleppo pepper is sold finely ground or crushed into small flakes; either one will work well in this recipe.

YOGURT-MARINATED GRILLED CHICKEN SHAWARMA

Steps:

• For the chicken shawarma: Combine the yogurt, olive oil, garlic and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add the cumin, coriander, paprika, onion powder, allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric and 2 teaspoons salt and mix to combine.
• Add the chicken and toss to make sure every piece is fully coated and smothered in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 8 hours. Soak 3 wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes.
• For the toum: Meanwhile, slice the garlic cloves in half and remove any green sprouts. Place the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor and blend until it becomes a paste, scraping down the bowl as needed.
• With the food processor running, pour in 1/2 cup of the oil in a very thin stream; this should take about 2 minutes. Stop to scrape down the bowl. Turn on the processor again and stream in the lemon juice, then stream in another 1/2 cup of the oil very slowly. Add 1 tablespoon of the ice water and pulse to combine. Add another 1/2 cup of the oil, then the remaining 1 tablespoon ice water. Then add the remaining 1/4 to 1/2 cup oil until creamy and fully emulsified. The whole process should take about 20 minutes. The toum will keep, in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 2 months. Makes about 2 cups.
• Preheat an outdoor grill to medium high and set it up for both direct and indirect heat. (For a gas grill, leave one or two burners on low or off; for a charcoal grill, bank the coals on one side of the grill.)
• For serving: Cut the onion in half and place one half cut-side down on a cutting board. Insert the wooden skewers in the onion, blunt side in. The skewers should be spaced apart equally from each other to form a triangle.
• Thread the pieces of marinated chicken onto all 3 skewers on top of each other with no space between them. When all the chicken pieces are threaded, top the skewers with the other half of the onion.
• Place the shawarma on the direct-heat side of the grill and cook, rotating every 3 to 4 minutes using a pair of sturdy tongs, until you achieve nice grill marks, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Move the shawarma to the indirect heat side of the grill, cover and cook, turning occasionally so it cooks evenly on all sides, until the meat feels firm to the touch and the internal temperature reaches 160°F, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Transfer the shawarma to a cutting board. Cover the with a piece of aluminum foil and let it rest for 5 minutes. Uncover and hold the shawarma upright on a sturdy cutting board. Cut the chicken into strips from the top to the bottom of the stack using a sharp knife.
• Spread a lavash all over with toum. Place some lettuce, onions with sumac, tomatoes and pickles on the lavash and add the sliced shawarma and some French fries. Wrap tightly and serve.

YOGURT-MARINATED GRILLED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Mix Greek yogurt, cilantro, lemon juice, garlic, salt, cumin, cayenne, and pepper together in a large bowl. Place chicken thighs in a large resealable plastic bag; cover with yogurt mixture.
• Let chicken marinate in the refrigerator, 3 to 8 hours.
• Bring chicken to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Pour off marinade.
• Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate. Grill chicken, turning occasionally, until grill marks form, about 5 minutes per side.

BALSAMIC MARINATED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, water, onion, red pepper flakes, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, rosemary, parsley, chili powder, and oregano in a bowl, and pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken breasts, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator 30 minutes to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, or lightly grease a broiler pan. Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade, and shake off excess. Discard the remaining marinade, and place the chicken breasts onto the baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken breasts are golden brown and no longer pink in the center, 30 to 40 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should reach 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

MARINATED BALSAMIC CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine vinegar, oil, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add chicken; mix to coat. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
• Heat a cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook until golden on the outside, no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear, 7 to 10 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

SOY AND GARLIC MARINATED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large, nonporous bowl, combine the garlic and the soy sauce. Add the chicken and turn to coat well. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Grill chicken over medium high heat for 10 to 15 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C). Discard any remaining marinade.

MARINATED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH GRILLED PINEAPPLE RELISH

Steps:

• To make the marinade: Slice the pineapple crosswise into 1-inch-thick rounds. Using a paring knife, remove the core from each round (this can be done roughly, since the core is edible). Chop half the pineapple coarsely; set aside the remaining half for the relish. Add the chopped pineapple to a blender, together with the jalapeño, onion, vinegar, garlic, and salt and blend until smooth. Transfer the marinade to a bowl, add the chicken breasts, and refrigerate, covered, for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
• Wipe the grill grates with oil to prevent sticking. Build a two-zone fire. Your high-heat zone should have embers 1 to 2 inches from the cooking surface, with occasional flames licking it. To create your medium-heat zone, nudge the embers 2 to 3 inches lower than that.
• To make the relish: Toss the remaining pineapple in oil, honey, and salt to coat. Grill over medium heat until it is nicely caramelized, about 3 minutes per side. Meanwhile, grill the jalapeño and onion over medium heat until lightly charred, turning often, about 3 minutes for the jalapeño and 8 minutes for the onion. As they finish cooking, transfer the pineapple, jalapeño, and onion to a cutting board.
• When they are cool enough to handle, coarsely chop the pineapple, jalapeño, and onion and add to a bowl with the vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, and cilantro. Season with more salt, and add more vinegar or honey, if needed. Set aside until ready to serve.
• Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade, shaking off any excess, and bring to room temperature. Place skin side down over high heat. After about 90 seconds, using tongs, rotate 45 degrees and cook for another 2 minutes. Flip the breasts and do the same on the other side. Once you have nice grill marks on both sides, move to medium heat and cook, turning often, until an instant-read meat thermometer, placed in the thickest part of a breast, reads 160ºF on a meat thermometer. Transfer to a cutting board and let the breasts rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving with the relish.