Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- There are no complicated steps or processes required for making chicken breast marinade for baking. Its a super easy recipe that even a newbie cook would find effortless!
- Baked boneless chicken breast pairs well with an array of side dish options, making your meal planning that much easier.
Everyone knows that baked chicken is a staple meal in most households but marinating the chicken breasts takes this recipe to an entirely new level of umami flavors that youll want to bookmark for your next family meal or holiday meal planning.
Freezing & Storing Baked Chicken Breast
After youve baked the perfect chicken breast, you can either use the chicken right away or store it for later:
- To store: let the chicken breast cool completely and transfer it whole, shredded or cubed to an airtight container. Place the container in the fridge and use the chicken within 4-5 days.
- To freeze: repeat the steps above but instead place your chicken in the freezer. Cooked chicken breast will stay good in the freezer for about 3 months. When youre ready to use it, simply thaw it in the refrigerator and enjoy it cold with salad recipes or heat it up in the microwave for warm recipes.
Mccormick Grill Mates Garlic Herb & Wine Marinade Mix
Heres the thing about chicken breast: it can be a little, well, boring.
But not when youve got Buffalos Own Chiavettas Barbecue Marinade on your side!
This stuff is seriously delicious, and it makes chicken breast so tender and juicy youll never want to eat anything else.
Trust usBarbecue Marinade from Chiavettas is the real deal.
Also Check: Easy Low Carb Chicken Recipes
What Should I Marinate My Chicken In
When it comes time to actually marinating your poultry, pretty much any container large enough to house your chicken works! Here are our top 3 choices.
Chicken Breast Marinade Recipe
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The best chicken breast marinade recipe! This marinade for chicken is easy and quick to make taking only 5 minutes or less to put together. The chicken marinade is packed full of flavor, tenderizes the chicken, and makes it juicy, and delicious.
Want your chicken to be moist, juicy, and flavorful? This chicken marinade is the answer to prevent the chicken from drying out while cooking. It is an easy way to season and tenderize meat before grilling, baking, or air frying.
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Ways To Cook With Marinated Chicken
When youre ready to cook, youve got a few options. Baked chicken is my default method given how easy it is to just pop it in the oven for 20 minutes or so. But if you want that deliciously charred flavor, you can easily grill it. Either way, heres how to cook it both ways!
- Baked Chicken: Preheat your oven to 425°F . Then pour the chicken breasts and the marinade into a small baking dish . Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through. Once the chicken is done, make sure to let it rest for a few minutes before slicing into it.
- Grilled Chicken: Preheat the grill to medium-heat and grill each side of the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes, or until its cooked through with the perfect set of grill marks.
Baked Chicken Breast Q& as
How long to cook chicken breast in oven?
We recommend cooking chicken breast at 375ºF for around 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF.
How do you bake chicken without drying it out?
If you want juicy, tender baked chicken breasts, we recommend cooking your chicken at 375ºF and cooking it until it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF. This is about 20-25 minutes depending on the size and thickness of your breasts. Anything hotter/longer, will dry out your chicken.
Should I bake chicken covered or uncovered?
Bake your chicken breast at 375ºF uncovered. With this baking temp, you dont have to worry about your chicken drying out.
How long does it take to bake chicken breast per pound?
Per pound, it should take anywhere from 20-30 minutes to bake your chicken breast. The reason why there is such a big range is that sometimes you can get 3 or 4 small chicken breast per pound and sometimes you can get 1 that is a full pound. For best results, we suggest using a meat thermometer to check your chicken breasts internal temperature. To consume poultry safely, it should be at least 165ºF.
Is skinless chicken breast healthy?
Boneless skinless chicken breast is extremely healthy. Its high protein, low fat, and low carb.
Recommended Reading: The Best Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Why Should You Use Marinade For Chicken Breast
One of the best reasons to use marinade for chicken breast is that it can help keep the meat moist and juicy.
This is especially important if you are going to be cooking the chicken over high heat, such as when grilling or broiling.
There are many different types of marinades available, so you can experiment until you find one that you like best.
Just remember to give the chicken breasts plenty of time to soak in the marinade before cooking them at least an hour or two is ideal.
Chicken Breast Spice Rubs
You can cook chicken breast either using a simple marinade or spice rub.
Spice rubs are also sometimes called a dry rub because no liquid is needed to bring out the flavour in the chicken besides a bit of olive oil of course.
The spice rubs I’ve included in the recipe card below are very simple combinations of spices you’re already likely to have on hand at home in your spice drawer!
I’ve included an Italian-inspired seasoning, Indian-inspired seasoning and a classic paprika-based seasoning if you’re looking to use your chicken breasts in a more versatile way.
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Lemon Herb Chicken Marinade
Loads Of Substitution Options
Here are the ingredients for the chicken marinade. Ive listed some of the obvious alternatives here, but theres actually substitutions for every single ingredient even soy sauce .
Dont you wish there were more recipes as flexible as this where I could still guarantee a great outcome??
What chicken to use?
This marinade will work for any cut of chicken though its especially good for chicken breast because its a fast acting flavour injector that adds juiciness into this lean cut of chicken.
How long to marinade chicken?
3 hours to overnight is best. But for chicken breast or boneless thigh, even 30 minutes is effective youll be surprised how much extra flavour you get from such a quick marinade!
Cooking options?
Youll see that I cook it on the stove in the recipe video below, and its ideal for stove, BBQ or broiler/grill because youll get lovely browning on the chicken.
If you want to bake this, its best to finish it off with a blast under the broiler/grill to get some colour on it. Because colour = flavour, especially for a marinade like this!
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Healthiest Way To Cook Marinated Chicken Breast
In order to cook the chicken, allow the chicken a minimum of 30 minutes to marinate .
Oven: Preheat oven to 425 + prepare a lined baking sheet. Lay chicken on the sheet side by side. Bake for 20 minutes.
Grill Heat grill over medium high heat . Cook chicken for about 7-8 minutes on each side.
Air Fryer: Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Cook at 400 degrees for 5-7 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes.
Slow cooker: We dont recommend cooking these chicken breasts in the slow cooker but you can cook them for 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low. Cook time may vary depending on how hot your crock pot is.
Instant Pot: We dont recommend cooking these chicken breasts in the pressure. You can grease your instant pot base and cook at Sealing, High Pressure for 14 minutes,
When ready to store: Allow the chicken to cool and store in containers with veggies/side for meal prep.
The best way to tell if chicken is thoroughly cooked is to use an internal temperature thermometer. Chicken should be cooked to 165 degrees F. Heres a link to our favorite meat thermometer.
How To Marinate Chicken Breast
To marinate chicken breast, first, defrost the chicken and pat them dry with a paper towel.
Add the marinade and chicken breasts in a bowl then rub the marinade all over the chicken breasts ensuring they are well covered in the marinade.
Cover the bowl with clingfilm, or put the marinated chicken in a Ziploc then put in the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes up to 6 hours.
Do not marinate it for more than 24 hours.
Recommended Reading: Temperature For Grilled Chicken Breasts
How Long Does It Take To Bake Chicken Breast At 375
Directions
Tips For Baking Juicy Chicken Breast
- Use a thermometer to test your chicken and make sure it is not underdone or overdone. Your chicken should register 165 F degrees for food safety but shouldnt be more than 175 F degrees for the juiciest result.
- Buy chicken breasts that are similar sizes so they will be done baking at the same time!
- Let your chicken rest after cooking for 5 minutes out of the oven before slicing so the chicken retains its juices.
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How Do You Store Chicken Breasts
If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
You can also store cooked chicken breasts in the freezer. Simply wrap the breasts in foil and then place them in an airtight container or a freezer storage bag. Cooked chicken will last in the freezer for up to four months.
Once you master this technique, add some flair with some of our popular chicken breast ideas!
Let Chicken Breast Rest
Once your chicken has reached 160ºF, remove it from the oven. Then, immediately transfer it to a plate to let rest for 5 minutes.
As the chicken sits, the internal temperature will raise 5ºF and reach 165ºF, which is a safe eating temperature for poultry.
Do I have to let my chicken rest?
It is important to let your chicken rest to not only come to a safe eating temperature but to become ultra juicy,
As the chicken rests, all of those yummy juices will settle and make your chicken so juicy and tender.
Read Also: What Seasoning To Put On Chicken
Honey Mustard Chicken Marinade
The Makings Of A Marinade
A chicken marinade should have four key components: fat, acid, seasoning, and time. You can play around with these in endless combinations.
- Fat. Fat plays two roles in a marinade. It transfers flavors that are fat-soluble to the meat . Fat also helps to keep the meat moist. 99% of the time, I use olive oil. Vegetable oil is another excellent, neutral option.
- Acid. Acid tenderizes the meat by breaking down its fibers. Citrus juices, vinegar, yogurt, and buttermilk are four excellent options. For todays recipe, I am using lemon juice. Lemon pairs beautifully with chicken and is easy to have on hand.
- Seasoning. Here the possibilities are truly endless! Citrus zest, herbs, aromatics , and spices can all come into play. The one non-negotiable is SALT. I use either kosher salt or, for even more complexity, soy sauce and a dash of Worcestershire.
- Time. MARINATING LONGER IS NOT BETTER! The ideal amount of time to marinate chicken is 5 to 6 hours, but even 15 minutes makes a difference. See below for more.
Read Also: Lemon Pepper Marinade For Chicken
Get Creative With Marinades & Seasonings
This tutorial for baking chicken breasts gives you perfectly cooked chicken thats juicy but neutral in flavor so that you can easily add it to different recipes. I have tons of seasonings and marinades to try, too! Get them in these tutorials & recipes:
And remember to get ALL of my best easy & healthy chicken marinades here.
How To Bake Marinated Chicken
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There are a million different ways to prepare chicken. Baking a marinated chicken is generally one of the tastier and healthier options. While there are basically endless options for a marinade, a balsamic chicken breast and Worcestershire chicken thighs are fantastic options. Just choose your flavor, marinate the chicken overnight, and bake away!
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How To Label Stasher Bags For Freezer Friendly Meal Prep
If you plan to double or triple any of these recipes and then store them in your freezer, its best to label the Stasher Bags with the marinade and date so you dont forget whats inside!
To label the bags, its as easy as using a chalk marker and then writing on the matte side of the bag. Let the marker dry completely before storing away. To remove the label, simply use soapy water and a sponge.
Can I Make This Ahead Of Time
This baked lemon pepper chicken recipe is easy to make ahead of time, whether you want to meal prep or just get dinner sorted before things get busy.
As I mentioned above, you can simply keep the marinated and baked chicken in the fridge or freezer, then reheat when ready to eat.
For simple prep, make the marinade and put the chicken in the fridge up to 8 hours before cooking. You could do this quickly in the morning, and itll be ready to bake as soon as you get home from work.
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Storing/serving Healthy Grilled Chicken:
Storing: Marinated chicken will last in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. We dont recommend marinating for more than that. Cooked chicken will last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Freezing: You can freeze raw chicken in the marinades but we wouldnt recommend freezing cooked chicken that has been grilled as it can give it a poor texture.
Reheating: You can reheat this chicken in a pan or in the microwave/toaster oven.
How To Marinate Chicken
- You can marinate chicken in a zip-top plastic bag, bowl or baking dish. Combine all of the marinade ingredients in the bag, bowl or dish.
- If desired, before adding the chicken, reserve a few tablespoons of the marinade to brush on the chicken as it cooks.
- If you are using boneless, skinless chicken breasts, its best to pound them to an even thickness before adding them to the marinade. This helps them to cook evenly and also tenderizes the meat.
- Make sure that all of the chicken is coated with the marinade. I like to flip the bag over about halfway through the marinating time to make sure both sides soak up the flavor.
- Always marinate chicken in the refrigerator.
- For food safety, always discard extra marinade that has come in contact with raw chicken.
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How To Cook Frozen Marinated Chicken
We get this question all. the. time. Unfortunately, we dont ever recommend cooking chicken from a frozen state unless you use an Instant Pot. Follow that recipe HERE.
For the best results and to avoid any kind of food-borne illness, let your marinated chicken completely thaw before following of the above cook methods.
And now, please enjoy 6 of our go-to chicken breast marinade recipes! Because I know youre curious, my personal favorite is the teriyaki
What Is A Marinade
- A marinade is a mixture of ingredients that generally contains an oil, acid, and a variety of spices and is used for soaking cuts of meat prior to cooking.
- You can marinade meat for as little as 15 minutes or up to 24 hours, depending upon the marinade ingredients.
Below, youll find the key components of a stellar chicken marinade that you can tweak to suit the recipes youd like to use it in or what you have on hand.
- I like to cook a big batch of marinated chicken, then dice it up for salads, wraps, and grain bowls for lunches throughout the week.
- Chicken cooked with this marinade is also tender and tasty enough to enjoy on its own, a rarity for many chicken recipes.
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