What Is A Good Side Dish For Chicken
The great thing about chicken is that it is complimented by so many different sides. We love a good Homemade Mac and Cheese or Macaroni Salad. But my favorites side dishes to grill with are things that actually go on the grill with the chicken! Current faves are Grilled Zucchini and Grilled Potatoes. So much flavor!
Want some more delicious Grilled Chicken recipes and more for the grill? Try these:
Honey Mustard Chicken Marinade
This classic flavor never fails when it comes to chicken. But instead of making a sauce , this sweet and punchy marinade is infused into the chicken, making each bite pretty darn irresistible.
How to serve: I love to eat slices of this chicken with a side of roasted veggies such as roasted Brussels sprouts or roasted broccoli. But it also makes a delicious addition to a salad tossed with a Dijon vinaigrette.
Grilled Chicken Marinade Recipe
Having a great grilled chicken marinade in your back pocket is essential for summer grilling. This delicious chicken marinade packs a flavor punch without being overpowering, and its great with any kind of chicken, especially these grilled chicken thighs!
Food just tastes better when its been cooked outside. You can throw just about anything on the grill, from steak and potatoes to veggies and even bread. How about turning this chicken marinade into a delicious Grilled Chicken Sandwich?
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What Makes This Chicken Marinade The Best
Its a bold statement, I know. Hear me out:
- Its Super Easy to Make: You just have to whisk the ingredients together and soak the chicken.
- The Chicken Only Has to Marinate for 30 Minutes: In only half an hour, this marinade makes your chicken juicy, tender, flavorful and all-around divine. Of course you can soak it for longer if youd like.
- You Can Freeze It: With this recipe, you have the option of storing your chicken and marinade together in the freezer! I call that a meal prep miracle.
- The Flavor Speaks for Itself: I know weve gone over this already, but you simply cant beat the savory, zesty, herbaceous tang of this marinade. Its definitely a key selling point for me!
Pineapple Coconut Hawaiian Chicken Skewers
One bite of these Pineapple Coconut Hawaiian Chicken Skewers, and youll be doing the hula dance! The Hawaiian coconut and pineapple marinade infuses the chicken with tropical flavour as well as tenderising. Skewering not mandatory!
Ingredients: Canned pineapple, coconut milk, sugar, ketchup, lime, soy sauce, garlic, onion powder, cumin, paprika, ginger powder, cayenne
Ideal for: Skinless boneless chicken thighs are my first preference, followed by chicken breast.
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The Best Grilled Chicken
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Say goodbye to dry, bland grilled chicken breasts. This recipe guarantees juicy, flavorful chicken every time.
Sometimes in cooking the simplest dishes are the hardest to get right, and grilled chicken is a perfect example. Because boneless chicken breasts are so lean, they often turn out dry, rubbery, and bland. Contrary to popular belief, marinating alone will not save grilled chicken from drying out in fact, its often the marinade that causes the problem!
My technique and marinade ensure tender, juicy, and flavorful grilled chicken every time. You can serve the fillets on their own as a healthy main course , topped with cheese on a toasted bun, or, as I often do, sliced over a Caesar salad. Bonus: the recipe is quick and easy. You do all of the prep ahead of time and you wont even dirty a single bowl.
Is It Ok To Bake Chicken In Its Marinade
After raw chicken has marinated in any kind of liquid, that liquid is no longer safe to consume. However, you can baste the chicken early on in the cooking process because that marinade will get cooked along with the chicken.
If you want to use marinade that has touched raw chicken, boil it vigorously for 1-2 full minutes in a separate pot. Use a clean basting brush or spoon to add it to the cooked chicken.
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Can You Freeze Chicken In The Marinade
You can freeze the uncooked grilled chicken in the marinade or after its cooked:
- Freeze chicken in marinade: add the chicken to the marinade ingredients in a freezer safe bag, squeeze out excess air and freeze for up to 3 months. When youre ready to use, the chicken will marinate as you thaw the chicken in the refrigerator cook immediately so it doesnt marinate for too long and become mushy.
- Freeze chicken: after you have cooked the chicken, let it cool completely then transfer it to an airtight container or plastic freezer bag and squeeze out any excess air. If you want access to individual pieces of chicken without having to thaw all of the chicken, then wrap each chicken breast in plastic wrap before adding to the freezer bag. Freeze for 2 to 3 months.
Easy Chicken Marinades For Grilling
One of the MOST asked questions I receive on my blog and on social media is..
Do you have any marinades you use for chicken or vegetables?
And the answer is yes! Today I am sharing 5 of my favorite chicken marinades for grilling. I use them mostly on chicken, but you could definitely use them on vegetables if you want!
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How Long Should You Marinate Chicken
I recommend marinating chicken for at least an hour and no more than 8 hours. Most marinades include an acidic ingredient like the lemon juice in this Grilled Chicken Marinade. Whether it is citrus juice, vinegar, or yogurt, these acidic ingredients work wonders to break down the fibers and help tenderize marinated chicken, but youll end up with a mushy, undesirable texture if it marinates too long.
Southern Thai Tumeric Chicken
The lesser known but equally delicious Thai Tumeric Chicken! I was hunting for this recipe for years and years after I sampled it in Thailand.
Ingredients: garlic, fish sauce, oyster sauce, turmeric, fresh coriander/cilantro, sugar, pepper
Ideal for: Bone in thighs, also skinless boneless chicken thighs and chicken breast.
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Creating The Perfect Marinade:
Creating a marinade for your chicken is the key to adding so much flavor and helps keep your chicken juicy. To create a good chicken marinade it will need the following key ingredients. A fat, salt, sweetness, and an ingredient to make it come alive.
Here are some helpful tips:
- Adding a Fat Option Olive oil is our choice of fat to add to the marinade. The buttery flavoring really pulls in all the seasoning that is added to it.
- Salt Option Plain salt is an easy addition to your marinade. Soy sauce is another one that we like using. It is slightly sweet but full of flavor.
- Add Sweetness A good addition to any marinade is brown sugar. We love how it balances out the ingredients plus gives the chicken a caramelized texture. Another option to use is honey.
- Add Brightness We love using lemon juice to really make the marinade come alive. You can also use Dijon Mustard. Adding in the seasoning really pulls the ingredients together to give it the best flavor.
How Long To Marinate Chicken
- Typically, I find that marinating chicken between 5 to 6 hours is ideal for both texture and taste.
- I dont recommend keeping chicken in a marinade with citrus juice or vinegar for more than 6 hours, as its texture declines from there. After 12 hours, the meat may even start to break down.
- Chicken can rest in a buttermilk/yogurt marinade for up to 24 hours. So, this is the best choice for those who want an overnight chicken marinade.
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How To Store And Reheat Leftovers
- Storage: store cooked grilled chicken in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Microwave: chop up or slice the chicken so it reheats more evenly then transfer a small portion to a microwave safe dish. Heat for one minute then at 30 second intervals as needed.
- Oven: transfer chicken to an oven-proof dish. Cover with foil and reheat at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes or just until warmed through.
How Much Chicken Will This Recipe Make
This recipe will marinate 1 ½ pounds of chicken, however, it is easy to scale up or down to suite your needs. 4 oz. of chicken is the recommended single serving portion of chicken, but this varies depending on the individual and what sides are being served. I would say 6-8 ounces is closer to realistic.
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My Back Pocket Chicken Marinade
This is the chicken marinade I make the most often because its made with pantry standbys. It tenderises, adds savoury flavour with a touch of sweet, and its quick to make. Its my emergency marinade!
Ingredients: brown sugar, olive oil, soy sauce*, lemon, Worcestershire, garlic, oregano, pepper* The secret ingredient, acts as brine and adds flavour but does not make this taste Asiany at all!
Ideal for: Brilliant for chicken breast, also great for any cut of chicken.
How Long Do You Marinate Chicken
When marinating anything the general rule is, marinate for at least 30 minutes but overnight is always better. Here are a few tips when it comes to marinating chicken:
- For a faster marinade: You can score meat before marinating. Doing this helps the marinade penetrate deeper. Just prick the surface of the chicken a few times with a fork or a knife then add to the marinade. Marinate for 30 minutes for a fast marinade.
- Coat Everything: I always make sure that when my chicken is in the marinade I toss it around to make sure every square each of that chicken is coated with the marinade and even during the marinating process. After all, you dont want just one side of the chicken getting flavor.
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Chicken Marinade Is Not Only For Grilling:
We use marinades for multiple ways of cooking chicken. You can marinade your chicken and toss it in the crock pot or even do bake chicken
We love to marinate chicken in a fajita seasoning blend and make sheet pan fajitas. They turn out so good and only one pan for clean up.
We also love to make a stir fry with the marinated chicken. It taste so much better than take out and I know exactly the ingredients that have been added.
The Best Grilled Chicken Marinade
Get ready to bite into the best-grilled chicken youve ever tasted. This tangy, herby, garlicky Balsamic Marinade packs your chicken with a mouthwatering flavor and makes it explode with juicy goodness!
Some of our favorite things to serve with this chicken recipe are my Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad, Refreshing Watermelon Feta Salad with Cucumber or my Grilled Sweet Potato Salad.
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How Long Should You Marinate
There is no written rule on how long you marinate a chicken. We usually do about 30 minutes prior to the chicken going on the grill.
If you marinade has acidic ingredients in them such as lemon juice or vinegars marinate your chicken for about 30 minutes. The only marinades that I would marinate overnight is if they have a BBQ or a honey-mustard base.
How Do I Grill Chicken On The Grill
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How To Make Grilled Chicken Marinade:
- Mix together Marinade Ingredients Stir together all the ingredients except for the chicken breasts in a bowl.
- Pour marinade over chicken Place the chicken breasts in a large ziplock bag or a bowl. Pour the marinade over the chicken.
- Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Prepare Grill Then preheat the grill to medium heat about 350 degrees. Gently brush the grates of the grill with the oil to prevent the chicken from sticking.
- Grill Chicken on Grill Place the chicken on the grill. Cook for 5-7 minutes per side until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Serve and Enjoy Then remove the chicken from the grill, let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Slice your chicken and enjoy.
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.
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What Is A Marinade
A marinade is used to soak any type of meat before cooking. Marinades usually includes spices and oils. The main reason you marinade your meats is to give it more flavor and to make is extra juicy.
To get the most out of your marinade it is good to marinade your meat for at least 15 minutes. The majority of the time we like to marinade the meat overnight.
Chicken Marinade The Answer To An Easy Flavorful Dinner
While Im all for dry rubs for a savory top coat , chicken marinades have their own benefits. Theyre great for locking in your favorite flavors, tenderizing the meat, and keeping it ultrajuicy as it cooks. Thats especially important for when youre cooking up chicken breasts because we all know how easily they can dry out!
In addition to chicken breasts, these marinades can be used for chicken thighs , or even chicken drumsticks, depending on what type of meal youre prepping for the week. So if you need some fresh dinner ideas, keep reading for examples on how to pair each chicken flavor with side dishes and other ingredients.
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Why Should I Marinate My Chicken Before Grilling
So much flavor: when we say so much flavor, we mean it! This grilled chicken marinade recipe is basically a flavor bath for your chicken.
Saves time: in this recipe, were recommending that you marinate your chicken overnight, which will ultimately save you time when youre ready to cook.
Juicy + tender chicken: speaking from experience, your grilled chicken is going to come out so juicy and tender.
Check it out!
The Best Grilled Chicken Marinade Recipe:
The Best Grilled Chicken Marinade Recipe is very easy to make. The marinade starts with easy pantry spices, olive oil and fresh squeezed lemon. Marinating your chicken is so important to create the most juiciest and flavorful chicken.
Grilling chicken is one of my favorite meats to grill. It is budget friendly and everyone loves it. We use many types if marinades which includes seasonings, Italian Dressing and BBQ sauces.
This marinade is one of my familys favorite. I love it because the seasonings are staple ingredients in our pantry. So I can easily use this marinade and grill chicken any night of the week.
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Freeze The Chicken In The Marinade
- For longer storage, add the chicken to the marinade in a freezer-safe plastic storage bag and transfer it to the freezer. The marinating process is halted once frozen and the chicken can be thawed and grilled whenever youre ready for it! Freeze it for up to 3 months and thaw the frozen chicken safely in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before grilling.
How Long Do You Marinate Chicken For
Once the marinade is combined, place the chicken in the marinade for at least 1 hour. If you plan to marinate for longer than 2 hours, wait to add the acids until the last hour or so.
PRO TIP: Don not reuse leftover marinade. If youd like to baste the chicken in the marinade as it cooks , be sure to reserve some of the marinating liquid BEFORE adding the meat. Any marinade that is leftover from the meat should be discarded.
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