Go-to Juicy Chicken Marinade Recipe
CHICKEN FOR EVERYTHING
Chicken is an essential dish to nail down; it’s versatile and can be prepared in countless ways. This recipe has been a go-to of mine for years, and it will not disappoint. I often call this my “chicken for everything” because it works for EVERYTHING! (Well, most things.) You can add this marinated chicken to salads, pasta, sandwiches, wraps, or even as a main entree to your meal. It also pairs perfectly with my homemade Caesar Salad linked here..
My chicken of choice is THIN sliced boneless skinless chicken breast or boneless skinless thighs. In these particular photos, you will see chicken breasts.
MY #1 TIP: TENDERIZE YOUR CHICKEN
You can do this step with a meat mallet, rolling pin, large spoon, etc. Whatever gets the job done. Pounding your chicken helps it get to an even amount of thickness, so it cooks the same all the way through. It prevents the ends from getting dry and the center being under-done. This step also helps your chicken stay nice and juicy, which is what we always want!
MARINATING YOUR CHICKEN
Dealers choice on this step. You can marinate anywhere from 45 mins to overnight. The longer the better, but marinating for less than an hour will do if you are in a bind. Marinate your chicken in a sealed dish or a ziplock bag, store it in the fridge.
Go to Juicy Chicken Marinade
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs Thin sliced boneless skinless chicken breast OR boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1/3 cup plain greek yogurt full fat
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp garlic salt
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp dried parsley seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper *feel free to add more. I sometimes do a few extra because I love pepper.
Instructions
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Add chicken to a large zip lock bag, tenderize your meat with a meat mallet or rolling pin to guarantee an even thickness. Remove from bag (save if you want to use this bag for marinating.) and add chicken to a shallow dish.
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Combine seasoning together in a small bowl. In a seperate bowl whisk together greek yogurt, lemon, garlic & olive oil until combined.
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Add greek yogurt mixture to each chicken breast. Use your hands to rub mixture onto chicken so it gets fully coated on both sides.
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Evenly coat each side of chicken breasts with seasoning mixture. Seal with plastic wrap. Store in the fridge for at least 45 mins or up to overnight to marinate.
Baked Chicken
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Preheat oven to 425°F. Add your chicken to a baking sheet / oven safe shallow dish. (avoid adding excess liquid leftover of greek yogurt mixture, there should be enough coated on the chicken.)
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Bake for 20 mins or until chicken is browned and internal temperature reads 165°F. If chicken looks like it needs a bit more browning, switch oven to broil for addiitonal 2-3 minutes.
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Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing or serving. Enjoy!
Pan Seared Chicken
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Over medium-high heat about 2 tablespoons of olive / avocado oil in a large pan or cast iron skillet. (avoid adding excess liquid leftover of greek yogurt mixture, there should be enough coated on the chicken.)
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When pan is hot, add chicken. Cook on each side for about 4-5 mins until golden browned. Enjoy!
