Alright – listen up BBQers – we all know you want to impress everyone with your BBQ skills without turning it into a 3 hour drama. This zesty herb marinade is your new best friend! This chicken marinade just can’t get any simpler.
It’s got fresh lemon juice that slaps your taste buds awake, garlic that punches you in the face (in a good way), brown sugar to keep things sweet, and a garden’s worth of herbs hanging out with Worcestershire sauce and olive oil.
Slather that shit on chicken, pork, shrimp, or veggies. This marinade is fresh. It is bright. It is seriously good.
Why This SIMPLE Chicken Marinade Kicks Ass
- Bright and Tangy: Lemon juice cuts through and wakes up every damn bite.
- Herb Bomb: Oregano, parsley, and basil bring the fresh, garden vibes.
- Umami Power: Worcestershire sauce sneaks in to make everything richer without being a diva.
- Sweet & Smoky: Brown sugar and paprika balance the sharpness with a little smooth sweetness and smokiness.
- Easy AF: Mix it up in minutes, dump it on whatever you’re grilling.
What You’ll Need:
🌿 Herbs:
- Fresh oregano (or dried)
- Fresh parsley (or dried)
- Fresh basil (or dried)
🧄 Flavor Boosters:
- Garlic
- Brown sugar
- Paprika
- Salt
- Black pepper
💧 Liquids & Sauces:
- Fresh lemon juice
- Worcestershire sauce
- Olive oil
How to make a SIMPLE Chicken Marinade
1. Mix up the marinade in a small bowl vigorously using a whisk.
2. Toss your chicken in, and let it soak up all that flavor for 2–4 hours in the fridge.
3. Don’t go over 12 hours or the lemon can start messing with the texture.
4. Then grill, bake, or pan-fry until juicy and cooked through
That’s a Wrap (or… a Marinade)
This zesty herb marinade is your secret weapon for summer chicken that actually tastes like summer. It’s fresh, it’s easy, and it’ll have everyone at the BBQ asking what the hell you put on that chicken. (Don’t worry—we won’t tell them it took five minutes.)
So go ahead—marinate, grill, devour, repeat.
SIMPLE Grilled Chicken Marinade
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SIMPLE Grilled Chicken Marinade
Description
This marinade slaps. It’s lemony, garlicky, herby as hell, and takes your chicken from meh to “holy shit, who made this?” in 30 minutes flat. No boring bites. Ever.
Ingredients
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, minced or 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, minced and lightly packed or 4 teaspoons dried parsley
- ¼ cup fresh basil, minced and lightly packed or 4 teaspoons dried basil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Chicken
- 4 (8 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Instructions
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In a bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, herbs, garlic, brown sugar, paprika, salt, and pepper until fully combined.
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Place your chicken pieces (breasts, thighs, or drumsticks) in a large zip-top bag or shallow dish.
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Pour the marinade over the chicken, making sure every piece gets a good coating. Seal the bag or cover the dish.
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Let the chicken marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, but ideally 2 to 4 hours for maximum flavor. You can go up to 8 hours without problems.
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Avoid marinating longer than 12 hours, as the acid (lemon juice) can start to “cook” the chicken and make the texture a bit mushy or gummy.
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When ready, remove the chicken from the marinade (discard excess marinade) and grill, bake, or pan-fry until fully cooked (internal temp 165°F/74°C).
2 Comments
Diane
February 26, 2022 at 10:19 amI’m always looking for a new chicken recipe and this one delivers big on flavor! It was easy to make with ingredients I already had on hand. I’ll be adding this into the regular rotation! Thanks!!
simplepartyfood
February 27, 2022 at 8:19 amyou are most welcome Diane!