This Lemon Pepper Balsamic Chicken Marinade is bright, spicy, tangy, and sweet. It’s a delicious and simple way to marinate your chicken so that it comes out juicy and flavorful! After using this quick marinade, you can grill or bake your chicken to perfection. The balsamic marinade for chicken is one of my favorites.
What’s in Lemon Balsamic Chicken Marinade?
With the tangy balsamic vinegar, fresh lemon juice, lemon pepper, and subtly sweet honey, you’ll be drooling over this easy chicken marinade the moment the first drop hits your lips.
- Balsamic Vinegar: With sweet notes of fig, molasses, and cherry, balsamic makes for an ultra-rich and mildly tart marinade for chicken
- Olive Oil: Olive oil adds a lot of flavor to the chicken and gives it a nice sear when cooking.
- Lemon Juice: Lemon and balsamic have always been a great pair. It adds acidity and a wonderful brightness to the marinade.
- Honey: Honey adds a sweet and earthy flavor that tastes amazing on chicken.
- Salt: Salt is here to make all the flavors of the marinade pop!
- Lemon Pepper Seasoning: A key component to this balsamic chicken marinade, lemon pepper adds a kick of zest and spice that brings everything together.
Recipe Variations
What’s great about this lemon pepper balsamic marinade is that you can easily tweak it to your liking.
Rather not use lemon juice? Try using lime juice or orange juice instead for a different kind of citrus. You could also mix up the flavor profile by swapping/adding different seasonings like Italian seasoning, Fajita seasoning, Cajun seasoning, etc.
And if you love a bit of heat, red pepper flakes, cayenne, or chili powder are all great ways to spice things up!
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Technically it’s not necessary whatsoever to marinate your chicken before you make it, but I definitely highly recommend taking a little extra time to do it every once in a while.
Marinating chicken allows you to get that extra kick of flavor as the juices and spices soak into the meat instead of just sitting on the top layer.
You are also likely to get a juicer product at the end because marinating meat creates a slight tissue break down which allows more moisture to be absorbed. So, if you like flavorful juicy chicken, then this recipe is for you!
No, this marinade is not suitable for marinating your chicken overnight because of the acidity of the lemon juice. If you marinate the chicken for more than 4 hours, the texture of your chicken will become undesirable. Any longer, and the acid will start “cooking” the chicken instead of flavoring it.
This lemon pepper balsamic chicken marinade works great for any cuts of chicken, whether that’s boneless/bone-in chicken breasts, thighs, or drumsticks.
How to Store Lemon Pepper Balsamic Chicken Marinade
It’s important to note that you should not save any leftover marinade that’s already been used. The raw chicken has contaminated the mixture, and you will need to throw it away.
However, if you want to make the balsamic chicken marinade ahead of time, store it in a plastic bag, jar, or another airtight container, in the fridge (without the chicken) for 3-4 days.
How to Freeze Balsamic Marinated Chicken
We do not recommend freezing the marinade on its own, But if you want to freeze the chicken in the marinade, simply add the chicken to the bag of marinade — making sure to squeeze out any air before closing. Then freeze it for up to 3 months.
When ready to use, let it thaw in the fridge. The chicken will marinate as it thaws.
How to Use This Balsamic Chicken Marinade
Place chicken in a resealable bag with the marinade, seal, and let it sit in the refrigerator to marinate. Use it to make baked lemon pepper chicken, lemon pepper chicken skillet, and Air Fryer lemon pepper wings. Or use it with any chicken you prefer, including chicken thighs, breasts, and drumsticks. Marinate then cook with your favorite method, including grilling or baking.
More Chicken Marinades We Love
- Tandoori Chicken Marinade
- Teriyaki Chicken Mariande
- Maple Bourbon Marinade
- Chipotle Chicken Marinade
- Simple Chicken Brine
Lemon Pepper Balsamic Chicken Marinade Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
Instructions
- Stir together all the ingredients in a medium bowl.1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
- Pour marinade into a bag and add chicken. Close bag and make sure the chicken is fully coated.
- Marinate chicken for 30-60 minutes in the fridge and then cook as desired.
What can I use in place of the balsamic vinegar?
You can use a different kind of vinegar (like apple cider or red wine), but it won’t taste quite the same!