Balsamic Chicken Marinade Recipe - Savory Nothings (2024)

This is the best Balsamic Chicken Marinade you’ll ever make! Flavorful with balsamic vinegar, garlic and Italian season, it’s perfect for BBQs and healthy dinners!

This ismy favoriteBalsamic Chicken Marinadewith the best flavor depth from olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning and, of course, balsamic vinegar.

It’s an essential recipe not only for summer, but all year long for us (it makes for a great Baked Caprese Chicken)! Whenever I buy chicken breast in bulk, I freeze some of it right in the marinade for extra quick dinner prep.

Having marinated chicken on the ready makes dinner time easier on busy weeknights – and you only need a few simple ingredients to pull it together, too!

Ingredients you’ll need

Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!

Ingredient notes

• Chicken: Use any chicken cut – chicken breast is my favourite, but boneless thighs or even wings work great here, too.
• Brown sugar: Feel free to replace the brown sugar with honey or maple syrup for a natural sweetener. You can also leave out the sugar if you prefer, the marinade will be a little more tart.
• Garlic: If you don’t have any fresh garlic on hand, feel free to use ¼ teaspoon dried garlic powder instead.
• Dijon mustard: I love Dijon mustard in this recipe; but a simple yellow mustard or a whole grain mustard are great, too.

How to make Balsamic Chicken Marinade

1. Start by combining all marinade ingredients in a large measuring jug.

2. Place the chicken in a large ziplock bag and pour the marinade over it. Remove as much air from the bag as possible, then zip it closed.

As a little tip, I like to massage the marinade lightly into the chicken to make sure it’s completely covered.

3. Refrigerate the sealed bag or container for at least 15 minutes, and up to overnight.

4. Once ready to cook, remove the chicken from the bag. Discard the bag and any excess marinade. Cook the chicken your preferred way until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Rest the chicken 5 minutes before serving.

Short recipe video

Recipe tips

• you can cut the chicken in strips or in pieces, or pound it, before marinating
• freeze the freshly marinated chicken for up to 3 months – defrost in the fridge overnight before using
• leftover chicken keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days, add it to salads for easy lunches!
• use about2 pounds of chickenwith this amount of marinade for best texture and flavor
• If you want to avoid single-use plastic, you can also marinate the chicken in a glass or stainless steel container with a lid.Just make sure the chicken is covered in marinade!You may need to double the marinade depending on the size of your container.
• You should always discard used marinade for food safety reasons, do not reuse it.
• If you’re using defrosted chicken, it is recommended you do not re-freeze it.

How to freeze marinated chicken

Simply place the chicken in the marinade in a freezer-friendly bag or container that seals well, making sure the chicken is evenly coated.

Label your container with the name and use-by date (freeze for up to 3 months) and place in the freezer.

To defrost, place the bag on a plate to catch any drips and thaw in the fridge overnight.

Serving ideas

We love this balsamic chicken so many ways! We mostly eat it during the summer from the grill, so my side dish ideas might reflect this a little ?

Starchy Sides

• Cooked pasta tossed in a little olive oil
• Garlic Smashed Potatoes
• Caprese Pesto Pasta Salad
• No Knead Homemade French Bread

Vegetable Sides

• Sautéed Green Beans
• Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries
• Roasted Asparagus
• Grilled Vegetables

Salad Sides

• Tomato Cucumber Avocado Salad
• Caprese Cherry Tomato Salad
• Diced Tomatoes withBalsamic Vinaigrette

If you have another favorite side dish, let me know in the comments so I can try it out!

PSIf you try this recipe, please leavea review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along onPinterest,FacebookorInstagram.

Printable recipe

Recipe first posted in July 2019. Post first updated with new text on 01/05/2021. Updated with new photos on 05/24/2022. The recipe has always remained the same.

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