June 14, 2022
updated
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Gone will be the days when you eat bland and dry chicken. In today’s post, I share the best marinades for chicken breasts!
Some bring the fresh lemon-herb combination, others add spice and heat, and others satisfy that take-out craving with a healthy homemade marinade.
What Does Marinade Do To Chicken Breasts?
Placing chicken breasts in a marinade will infuse the chicken meat with the flavors and seasonings you used to create the marinade. Marinades are also great for tenderizing meat; meaning, they help break down the fibrous texture and make them more tender and juicier.
How Long to Marinate Chicken Breasts
Marinades with a citrus component to them only need about 20 minutes to add flavor and tenderize the meat; while others, without citrus ingredients, can be marinated overnight.
Generally speaking, marinating for about 2 hours in the refrigerator is all the chicken breasts need to soak up the flavors in the marinade.
If you’re working with chicken straight from the freezer, check out my guide about how to marinate frozen chicken breasts here.
Do You Need to Tenderize Chicken Breasts Before Marinating?
Tenderizing chicken breasts is something done to even out the thickness of the chicken breasts to ensure even cooking. While it’s not necessary, if you want to pound your chicken breasts, I suggest doing this before marinating to eliminate the mess.
Tenderizing does not impact how much marinade is absorbed into the chicken meat itself.
Another way to even out your chicken breasts for even cooking is by butterflying chicken breasts.
Chicken Breast Marinade Recipes
Below are tried-and-true chicken breast marinades that will provide many flavorful meals.
The ingredients you need to marinate 1.5lbs to 2lbs of chicken breasts are listed below. You can also click through to the post to print out the recipes.
Cilantro-Lime Chicken Breast Marinade
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- ¼ teaspoon salt
This cilantro lime chicken marinade is easy to whip up and adds a ton of flavor to your grilled, baked, or pan-seared chicken in just 20 minutes
Orange Chicken Breast Marinade
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 orange, zested
- 1 orange, juiced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Milder than the classic lemon marinade, this orange chicken marinade just needs 20-minutes to add just enough sweet-citrus taste to make chicken taste delish.
Korean Chicken Breast Marinade
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar or honey
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
This Korean Chicken Marinade tastes like your favorite restaurant meal and now it can be made at home! It‘s the perfect blend of salty, sweet, and savory flavors; the best part is that it’s easy to make and only requires a few simple ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 cloves grated garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Hands down, the best lemon chicken marinade in town! This recipe will become your go-to for nights you want a delicious meal quick!
- ¼ cup red chili paste, or Sriracha
- 2 tablespoons of honey
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
Add spice to your life with this epic sweet and spicy chicken marinade. An easy-to-make ahead recipe you can keep in the fridge overnight!
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced & zested
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano*
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme*
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary*
Bring Mediterranean flavors straight to your dining room with this epic Greek chicken marinade blend!
Are marinades the same as seasoning?
The difference between a marinade and seasoning is that a marinade is a liquid solution in which you let the chicken “sit” to absorb the flavors; while seasonings are dry and are typically added on top of the meat right before cooking.
Are Chicken Marinades Healthy?
Sauces can add calories to chicken recipes after cooking so using a chicken marinade is a healthy way to add flavor to your meal since marinades are nearly always thrown out before cooking.
The best part is that you get to keep the flavor not the added calories and fat.
Freezing Marinated Chicken
You can freeze marinated chicken for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container or zip bag. This means that all the marinades above are a great way to meal prep chicken you can purchase in bulk.
Check out this post for a full step-by-step on freezing marinated chicken.
How to Cook Marinated Chicken
Now that you’ve got a marinade in mind, it’s time to cook that chicken breast to perfection! Here are a few methods to try so your chicken breasts turn out the juiciest ever!
- Pan Sear Chicken Breasts
- Prepare the chicken breasts in a cast-iron skillet
- Slice into strips and serve over rice or pasta
- Baked Chicken Breasts
Best Marinades for Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ to 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
Instructions
- Add chicken and marinade ingredients to a large zip bag. Let chicken marinate for 15-20 minutes.
- Cook chicken using your favorite method.
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