Balsamic Chicken Marinade Recipe
This quick Balsamic Chicken Marinade adds deep flavor and tenderness to any chicken—great for dinners, salads, or pizzas.
Ingredients
- 2 finely grated garlic cloves
- ½ peeled finely grated shallot
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh rosemary
- ½ cup olive oil or neutral flavored oil
- 1 ½ to 2 teaspoon of coarse salt
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- Up to 3 pounds of chicken – breast, thighs, drums, or wing
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 possibly 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 possibly 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.
Notes
Keep in mind that balsamic vinegar is quite acidic, and a longer marination doesn’t always equal more flavor. A quick 30-minute soak will impart some flavor, while I personally prefer the results of a 12- to 24-hour soak. Do not marinate the chicken for more than 48 hours, or else the acid in the marinade will eat away at the meat and make the texture mushy.
Reduce the aromatics when blending: I usually cut the amount of garlic and shallots in half for the blender method because blending will make the flavors overpowering.
Bring to room temperature: You should always marinate chicken in the refrigerator to prevent bacterial growth. However, before cooking, let the chicken sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes to help ensure even cooking.
Reserve some unused marinade: It’s always a good idea to set some of the balsamic marinade aside before combining it with the raw chicken. This reserved marinade can be used to glaze the chicken during the last few minutes of cooking, keeping it flavorful without risking contamination.
Boil the used marinade: If you forgot to set the unused marinade aside, you can reuse some of the leftover marinade. You must boil the used marinade for at least 5 minutes before serving it to kill any harmful bacteria.
Make-Ahead: The balsamic marinade can be made up to 2 days in advance. Store it in a sealed container in the fridge until it’s time to combine it with the chicken.
How to Store: The unused marinade can be kept covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. To store the raw chicken in the marinade, refrigerate it for up to 48 hours or freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw the chicken in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition
Calories: 507kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 73gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 218mgSodium: 1290mgPotassium: 1328mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 173IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 43mgIron: 2mg