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Balsamic Chicken Marinade

Transform your weeknight dinners with this flavorful balsamic chicken marinade that turns boring chicken into a juicy, rich dish that tastes like it's from a fancy restaurant.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Grilling, Main Dish, Marinade
Cuisine: American, Italian
Calories: 250
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Marinade Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar The star of the show, don’t skimp
  • 1/4 cup olive oil Whatever you’ve got, no need for fancy stuff
  • 2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar Switch depending on what’s open
  • 3 cloves garlic Smashed or minced, pre-minced is fine
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs or plain oregano
  • to taste Salt and pepper
  • optional fresh rosemary or thyme If you’re feeling fancy

Method
 

Preparation
  1. In a big bowl, whisk together all the marinade ingredients.
  2. Place your chicken in a big freezer bag and pour the marinade over.
  3. Squish the bag around to ensure the chicken is well-coated.
  4. Let the chicken marinate for at least an hour, preferably overnight for best flavor.
Grilling
  1. Remove some marinade before adding raw chicken to save for drizzling later.
  2. Grill the marinated chicken over medium heat, flipping occasionally.
  3. Avoid storing used marinade that has touched raw chicken for safety.
  4. Watch closely as the marinade can caramelize quickly.

Notes

Poke chicken with a fork before marinating to help flavors absorb. Ensure not to overload on salt as balsamic has punch. Use skinless thighs or drumsticks and pat them dry before marinating for better sauce adherence.