Having marinated chicken in your fridge or freezer ready to go is the best way to meal prep! I’ve got six of my favorite chicken marinades below so you’ll never have to wonder what’s for dinner ever again!
I have been making Lazy BBQ Chicken for YEARS! To be honest, it’s the best when I make it just for myself during lunch when everyone else is at school (shh don’t tell!). It’s a chicken breast simply marinated in my favorite BBQ sauce, then baked while I continue working. It is mostly hands off, easy to clean up, and I get a favorite meal in no time.
I was making myself this favorite go-to lunch the other day and got to thinking about all the other easy marinades I could do in addition to BBQ sauce. I got to mixing and testing, and I came up with five more simple marinades that are my new favorites.
1. Fresh Herbs Chicken Marinade
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- juice of ½ lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2. Jerk Chicken Marinade
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
3. BBQ Chicken Marinade
- 1/2 cup favorite BBQ sauce or make your own. Here’s a homemade BBQ sauce recipe!
4. Curry Chicken Marinade
- 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
5. Salsa Verde Chicken Marinade
- 1/4 cup salsa verde (store bought or make your own!)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
6. Soy Ginger Chicken Marinade
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
How to Cook Marinated Chicken Breast
Oven: Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F. I love baking chicken because it basically cooks itself while you’re busy doing other things you need to get done.
Air Fryer: Air frying is one of my favorite ways to go about cooking chicken breasts. Simply air fry at 375 degrees F for 8-12 minutes depending on the size of your chicken breasts flipping halfway through. Chicken is cooked through when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Grill: Set grill to medium/high temperature and cook chicken breasts for 5 to 6 minutes per side until 165 degrees F internal temperature is reached.
No matter how you cook it, you can serve it with a simple side salad, crispy smashed potatoes and a fruity mocktail to make this a well-rounded and special dinner any day of the week.
Which marinade will you try first?! Tag me on Instagram so I can see your creations!
Marinated Chicken 6 Ways
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (per marinade)
Fresh Herb Chicken Marinade:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Jerk Chicken Marinade:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
BBQ Chicken Marinade:
- 1/4-1/2 cup favorite BBQ sauce
Curry Yogurt Chicken Marinade:
- 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Salsa Verde:
- 1/4 cup salsa verde
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
Soy Ginger: 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
To Marinade:
- In a bowl or ziplock bag, combine the marinade ingredients and mix well.
- Add the chicken and coat with the marinade. Allow to marinate for 15 minutes on the countertop, or overnight in the fridge.Â
- Chicken can be frozen for future use at this point.
To Cook:
- Bake chicken at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
- If air frying, air fry at 375 for 8-15 minutes depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts, until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- If grilling, grill on medium high heat for 5-6 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reached 165 degrees F.
thank you will try for my babies! One of them is a picky eater. So this idea will help me out! I love it