This Balsamic Chicken Marinade is one of our favorite marinades. The combination of the balsamic vinegar, garlic and brown sugar makes it the perfect marinade.
Change up your chicken marinade this weekend and make this easy Balsamic Marinade. Add your favorite grilled sides to create a delicious, healthy meal that everyone will love.
Why We Love This Recipe
I can eat balsamic vinegar by the spoonful so this balsamic marinade is always on the menu. The ingredients are simple and the chicken is grilled with a tangy and savory flavor.
Turn your bland chicken into a juicy, full of flavor recipe that the entire family will love.
Ingredients
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts – You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken tenders
Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.
Variations Ideas
- Marinade Ingredients – Marinade ingredients can change based on your preference. Feel free to add or change the ingredients. We love Italian Seasoning with dried oregano is always a family favorite.
- Add in Fresh Herbs – Add in fresh herbs, like fresh cilantro, fresh parsley or basil to this marinade. Mixing fresh herbs with the balsamic vinegar and olive oil gives it so much flavor.
- Grill or Bake Chicken – This balsamic chicken recipe can be placed in a baking dish to cook this delicious chicken. Bake the chicken in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Check to make sure chicken is done with a meat thermometer.
How to Make Balsamic Chicken Marinade:
- Step 1 – Whisk Ingredients together – In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together all the ingredients except for the chicken.
- Step 2 – Place chicken in bag – Place the chicken in a large ziplock bag. Pour the marinade on top of the chicken in the bag.
- Step 3 – Marinate Chicken – Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Step 4 – Prepare Grill – Then preheat the grill to 350 degrees F. Gently brush the grates of the grill with the oil to prevent the chicken from sticking.
- Step 5 – Grill Chicken – Place the chicken on the grill. Cook for 5-7 minutes per size until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Step 6 – Remove Chicken – Then remove the chicken from the grill, let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Then the chicken is ready to slice and enjoy.
Marinated Chicken Recipe Tips
- Prepare Grill – Make sure before placing the chicken on the grill that it has been preheated to medium heat. We also recommend oiling the grill grates with olive oil. This helps to prevent the chicken from sticky and keeps the chicken from drying out.
- Chicken – When preparing to grill the chicken, I like the chicken to be about the same size. This ensure that the chicken cooks evenly and is done about the same time. You may need to filet your chicken or pound your chicken to thin it out.
- Allow Chicken to rest – After chicken is done cooking, make sure you allow chicken to rest. This locks in the juices and the flavoring.
How long to Soak Chicken in Marinade
Allowing your chicken to soak in the marinade really gives it so much flavor. Combining simple ingredients turns your bland chicken into something so delicious.
We recommend allowing the chicken to marinade for at least 30 minutes to overnight. Depending the ingredients of your marinade could break down your chicken, so make sure to consider that when marinating your chicken.
How to Grill Balsamic Chicken
To prepare your marinated balsamic chicken, make sure you have preheated the grill and oil the grates. This will help to prevent the chicken from sticking to the grill and give you chicken the perfect charred texture.
Place the chicken on the grill and grill for about 5 to 7 minutes per side. It will depend on the size of your chicken and grill, cooking time will vary.
Always use an instant-read meat thermometer to make sure that the chicken is cooked to a safe temperature before eating. The internal temperature should read 165 degrees when the chicken is cooked thoroughly.
What to Serve with Balsamic Chicken
We eat Grilled Chicken a lot especially during the summer months. When we grill out, I like to make easy sides to get dinner on the table with ease. Here are some of my favorite sides:
- White Rice – Slice the chicken into bite size pieces and serve over white rice, brown rice or cauliflower rice for an easy meal idea.
- Roasted Vegetables – You can roast some broccoli or asparagus in the oven or make it on the grill. Grilled vegetables are a family favorite and makes for an easy clean up.
- Bake Potatoes – Make bake potatoes for an easy side dish. You can cook them in the microwave for a delicious meal or cook them in the oven.