Balsamic Poultry Marinate

I’ve been on a balsamic kick lately. Drizzling it on salads, veggies, and even watermelon! But this Balsamic Chicken marinade is pure magic. It’s tangy, a little sweet, and makes everyday chicken taste incredible!

Balsamic Chicken Marinade Ingredients

• For sweetness: If you prefer brown sugar, it swaps in easily for the honey. Want it sweeter? Then add a tablespoon or two more of honey.
• Add fresh herbs: Not into Italian seasoning? Skip it and toss in some chopped fresh herbs instead, about a teaspoon each. Rosemary, thyme, and oregano all play really well with balsamic.
• Balsamic vinegar: No need to splurge here, affordable balsamic works perfectly since it gets mixed in. Save the fancy stuff for a drizzle on top when serving.

How to Make Balsamic Chicken Marinade

This easy balsamic chicken marinade takes 5 minutes to prepare! Just whisk the ingredients together and pour them into a large zip-top bag with your chicken!

1. Combine: Add the chicken breasts to a gallon ziplock bag, then set aside. Add the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey, garlic, mustard, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to a medium bowl, mix until fully combined.
2. Marinate: Pour the marinade over the chicken in the bag and close it. Be sure to press out all the air from the bag. Squish the chicken around to ensure all of it is covered with the marinade. Set it aside to marinate at room temperature for 1-1 ½ hours, or in the fridge for up to 8 hours. *Tip: Don’t marinate too long. If you do it over 8 hours (or 2 at room temp), the vinegar can make it mushy.
3. Cook: Once finished marinating, discard the sauce and cook the chicken using your preferred cooking method. *Cooking instructions in recipe card below.

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Balsamic Chicken Marinade

This tangy-sweet balsamic chicken marinade comes together in minutes and works like magic whether you’re grilling, baking, or pan-searing.

Course Dinner, entree, Main Course, main dish, marinade, pantry staple

Cuisine American, Italian, Italian American, Mediterranean

Keyword balsamic chicken cobb salad with pasta recipe, balsamic chicken marinade, balsamic chicken marinade recipe, balsamic chicken recipe, balsamic grilled chicken, balsamic marinade, balsamic marinade recipe, easy balsamic chicken marinade, easy balsamic marinade, Glazed Honey Balsamic Chicken with Potatoes, quick balsamic marinade

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Marinating Time 1 hour hour

Servings 6 servings

Calories 267kcal

Author Alyssa Rivers

Equipment

• large ziplock bag

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey optional
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic about 2 cloves
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

• Add 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts to a gallon ziplock bag and set aside.
• Add ½ cup balsamic vinegar, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper to a medium bowl and mix until fully combined.
• Pour the marinade over the chicken in the bag and close it carefully, pressing out all the air from the bag so the chicken is fully covered in the marinade.
• Squish the chicken around to ensure all of it is covered with the marinade before setting it aside to marinate at room temperature for 1-1 ½ hours, or in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours.
• Once finished marinating, discard the marinade and cook the chicken using your preferred cooking method.

Notes

Storage: Marinate the chicken for up to 8 hours; any longer and the vinegar can make it mushy. You can freeze the raw chicken in the marinade for up to 3 months, or store cooked chicken in the fridge for 7 days or in the freezer for 3 months.

Grill: Preheat the grill to medium heat, then grill the marinated chicken on both sides for 6-8 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. 

Oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F and bake the chicken for 20-25 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. 

Skillet: Cook the chicken in a large skillet over medium heat for 5-7 minutes on each side, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. 

Nutrition

Calories: 267kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 771mg | Potassium: 597mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 53IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg

More Marinade Recipes

A good marinade can turn a simple meal into something amazing! It adds flavor, softens the meat, and makes it juicy and delicious. Here are some other tried and true favorites!

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Salmon Marinade

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The Best Shrimp Marinade

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