This Italian Chicken Marinade is the key to infusing your favorite cut of chicken with layers of bright, herby, and zesty flavors. Easy to make with fresh herbs and pantry staples, it naturally tenderizes the meat to give you an unforgettable chicken dinner every time.
When I’m craving my delicious Italian marinated chicken for dinner, I always turn to this Italian chicken marinade recipe first. It’s quick and easy to make, has vibrant and herbaceous flavors, and always leaves you with mouthwatering meat.
Easy Italian Chicken Marinade
An Italian chicken marinade is made from a mix of Italian-inspired ingredients, such as fresh herbs, lemon juice and zest, red wine vinegar, and oil. These simple ingredients work together to infuse raw chicken with moisture and flavor. It’s possibly the easiest way to make your pan-seared or grilled chicken taste like it came straight from a cozy Italian kitchen.
I’ve included two methods for making this herb chicken marinade: by hand in a bowl or quickly in a blender. Both only take minutes and give you a smooth and emulsified mixture. Once the marinade is ready, combine it with your favorite cut of chicken (breasts, thighs, drumsticks, and wings all work well here) and set it aside while the meat absorbs those well-balanced citrusy, herby, and tangy notes.
Like most great chicken marinades, this Italian version needs time to let the flavors sink in and tenderize the meat. I recommend marinating the chicken for a full 24 hours. Trust me, the perfectly juicy, flavor-filled results are well worth the wait.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Herbs – I combined fresh basil, thyme, and rosemary with dried oregano for the backbone of the marinade. If you don’t have fresh herbs, substitute dried herbs using a 3:1 ratio (e.g., 1 tbsp fresh = 1 tsp dried).
- Aromatics – I almost always use grated garlic cloves and shallots in my chicken marinade recipes.
- Lemon – I use both lemon juice and lemon zest for acidic, citrusy notes.
- Vinegar – Red wine vinegar was my acid of choice here because it adds tanginess and depth while tenderizing the chicken. White wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar both work as substitutes, although the flavor will be a little different.
- Oil – Olive oil acts as the rich base of the marinade and keeps the chicken moist while it’s cooking. If you’re blending the marinade, I recommend using a neutral oil like avocado, canola, or grapeseed instead.
- Seasonings – Just salt and pepper.
- Chicken – This versatile Italian marinade works well with up to 3 pounds of the chicken of your choice, from boneless chicken breasts to bone-in drumsticks.
How to Make This Italian Chicken Marinade
Bowl Method: I whisk the marinade ingredients (except the oil) in a medium bowl, then slowly drizzle in the oil while continuously whisking until the mixture emulsifies. I add the chicken to the bowl, toss it in the marinade, and then cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Finally, I transfer the bowl to the fridge and let the chicken marinate.
Blender Method: I blend all of the marinade ingredients in a blender until smooth. I add the chicken to a bowl, pour the marinade over top, and toss to coat the pieces. To finish, I cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to let the chicken marinate.
How to Pan-Sear Marinated Italian Chicken
Preheat: I heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
Sear: Once the oil is shimmering, I add the marinated Italian chicken and sear each side for 6 to 7 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. I transfer the seared chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
How to Grill Italian Marinated Chicken
Preheat: I preheat the grill to medium-high heat (325°F to 350°F).
Grill: Next, I place the marinated chicken on the grill and cook it for 6 to 7 minutes per side with the lid closed, rotating 90 degrees halfway through to get those appetizing grill marks. To finish, I place the grilled chicken on a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Chef Tips + Notes
I recommend marinating the chicken for a maximum of 24 to 48 hours. This is enough time to let the marinade work its magic and give you tender, moist, and flavorful chicken. Do not leave it for any longer than 48 hours, the lemon juice and vinegar will make the chicken mushy. If you’re in a rush, a quick 30-minute soak will still impart some flavor.
- Use on more than chicken: This Italian marinade complements even more proteins besides chicken, including pork, beef, lamb, salmon, and swordfish. It’s also great for veggies like zucchini, bell peppers, mushrooms, and eggplant.
- Non-reactive containers: Always marinate food in glass, ceramic, or food-grade plastic containers. Avoid metal containers, as the acidic ingredients can react with the metal and give the meat and marinade a metallic taste.
- How to safely reuse chicken marinade: If you want to reuse the marinade that has come in contact with raw chicken, boil it for at least 5 minutes first to kill any harmful bacteria. Once it’s ready, you can use it as a finishing sauce or glaze.
- Bake the chicken instead: Arrange the marinated chicken in a single layer on a lined baking sheet and bake in a 400°F oven for 20 to 30 minutes. For a golden, caramelized finish, broil the chicken during the last 2 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
I try to stick to the classics when I’m making Italian-marinated chicken for dinner. Traditional sides, like Pasta al Limone or creamy polenta, are two of my favorites. If I’m craving vegetables, I’ll include a Caprese salad as well.
One of my favorite ways to use up the leftovers is to slice the chicken and stuff it into vegetable wraps with lettuce, tomatoes, feta cheese, and a drizzle of Italian dressing for a quick lunch. The leftover slices also come in handy when I need extra protein on an Italian salad.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: The Italian marinade can be prepared up to 2 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
How to Store: Any extra unused marinade can be refrigerated for up to 1 week. You can also refrigerate the chicken in the marinade in an airtight container for up to 1 week. You can freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw the chicken in the fridge overnight.
More Italian Recipes
- Easy Pasta with Italian Sausage
- Italian Breaded Steak
- The Best Italian Meatball
- Classic Italian Chicken Piccata
- Italian Chicken Marsala
Italian Chicken Marinade
Ingredients
- 3 finely minced fresh basil leaves, about 1 tablespoon minced
- 6 to 8 finely minced fresh thyme leaves with tender stems, about 1 tablespoon minced
- finely minced leaves of 1 rosemary sprig, about 1 tablespoon minced
- 2 teaspoons dry oregano
- 4 finely grated garlic cloves
- ½ peeled finely grated shallot
- zest of 1 lemon
- juice of 1 lemon, about 3 tablespoons
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ cup olive oil or neutral-flavored oil
- 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons of coarse salt
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- up to 3 pounds of chicken – breast, thighs, drums, or wings
Instructions
Bowl Procedures:
- Add all the ingredients but the oil and chicken to a medium-sized bowl.
- Next, slowly drizzle in the oil while continually whisking until it becomes emulsified.
- Add the chicken directly to the bowl and thoroughly mix, or transfer the marinade and the chicken to a resealable plastic bag and mix to combine.
- Marinate it in the fridge for 2 to 24 hours. You can push it to 48 hours if you have to.
Blender Procedures:
- For these procedures, use half the amount of garlic and shallots. Note: When blending, it’s good to use a neutral flavored oil, as olive oil can turn bitter when blending.
- Add all the ingredients but the chicken to a blender and blend on high speed until emulsified.
- Transfer the marinade to a bowl along with the chicken, and thoroughly mix, or transfer the marinade and the chicken to a resealable plastic bag and mix to combine.
- Marinate it in the fridge for 2 to 24 hours. You can push it to 48 hours if you have to.
Cooking Procedures:
- To Pan Sear: I usually use a non-stick skillet and add in 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil. Turn the heat up to medium to medium-high and then place the chicken in and cook it for about 6 to 7 minutes per side. Be sure to keep an eye on the heat; you don’t want things to burn, you want the chicken and marinade ingredients to brown up just like this. If you notice things are browning too quickly, then turn the heat down. White chicken meat should be at 165° F before removing, and dark meat should be at 175° F before removing. Take the chicken out of the pan and rest for 3 to 4 minutes before serving.
- To Grill: Preheat the grill to medium to medium-high, which is about 325 to 350 degrees F. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes per side, with the grill door shut. On the first seared side, I like to give it a 90-degree rotation halfway through just to give it those coveted grill marks. Finish it up on the grill until they’re cooked through. White chicken meat should be at 165° F before removing, and dark meat should be at 175° F before removing. Take the chicken off the grill and rest for 3 to 4 minutes before serving.
Italian Chicken Marinade Recipe