Chicken Marinade
Allow us to introduce your new, dependable chicken marinade. Comprised of just a handful of essential pantry ingredients, this straightforward marinade brings robust flavor to your grilled, seared, or baked chicken preparations. The lemon juice and Dijon mustard provide acidity that tenderizes the chicken, the soy sauce imparts a savoury, salty dimension, and the honey adds sweetness while promoting attractive browning.When marinating chicken, it's crucial to refrigerate it for several hours but be cautious to stay within the optimal marinating time, as prolonged exposure can lead to meat breakdown and an undesirable rubbery texture. For this recipe, a marinating time of anywhere from 2 to 8 hours is the optimal range.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
- Zest and juice from one large lemon
- 1 tablespoon of honey or light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
- 1 large garlic clove minced or grated
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano rosemary, or thyme, or 2 teaspoons of chopped fresh herbs
- 1 teaspoon of kosher salt such as Diamond Crystal
- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
- 2 pounds of chicken pieces which can be bone-in or boneless, and either skin-on or skinless
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper, whisking until you achieve a smooth mixture. Place the chicken in the bowl, ensuring it's thoroughly coated, then cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, but do not exceed 8 hours. Before cooking, allow the chicken to reach room temperature for 30 minutes while it remains in the marinade. Just before cooking, be sure to remove the chicken and brush off any excess marinade.