Balsamic Chicken Marinade

If you’re looking for an easy way to boost flavor without a lot of effort, this balsamic chicken marinade is one of my go-to kitchen tricks! I combine tangy balsamic vinegar, sweet honey, lemon juice, and zesty lemon-pepper seasoning for a balanced, bold flavor that works beautifully on both grilled chicken and baked chicken. This simple balsamic marinade creates juicy, tender results every time. No dry chicken here!

Top Reader Reviews

This is so good. Perfect balance of flavors!

–

Terry

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Easy to make and a huge hit with the family!!

–

Jennifer

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Lemon Pepper Balsamic Vinegar Marinade

I’ve tested dozens of quick chicken marinades over the years (like my teriyaki marinade), and this one stands out for its simplicity and versatility. It has the perfect balance of marinade ingredients to hit the acidic, sweet, and tangy trifecta! Lemon pepper seasoning just adds some zest to an otherwise standard balsamic marinade, and it really makes every piece of chicken taste amazing.

It only takes an hour to tenderize and flavorize the meat. Then I can throw this balsamic marinated chicken on the grill or bake it in the oven. It’s the old reliable of marinades, and I come back to it for tasty dinners again and again!

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Marinating Time

Longer isn’t always better! A quick 30 to 60 minutes is ideal with this balsamic marinade. Balsamic vinegar is acidic, which helps tenderize the chicken, but marinating for too long (especially over 4 hours) can start to break down the proteins too much, resulting in a mushy texture. After testing several batches, I found that 45 minutes strikes the perfect balance. That’s plenty of time for flavor to soak in without compromising the chicken’s juiciness or structure.

4.59 from 41 votes

Balsamic Chicken Marinade Recipe

This simple balsamic vinegar chicken marinade is bright, zesty, tangy, and sweet. It makes any piece of chicken so juicy!

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Marinate: 1 hour hr

Total Time: 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

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Serves 4

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Ingredients

• ▢ ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ▢ 1 tablespoon honey
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning

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Instructions

• Stir together all the ingredients in a medium bowl.
  ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon honey, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ 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.

Notes

Yield: This makes enough marinade for 1 pound of chicken.

• This marinade works great with any cut of chicken, including boneless/bone-in chicken breasts, thighs, or drumsticks.
• 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.
• 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.

Cooking Instructions:

• Grill: Heat your grill to medium-high (375-450°F) and grill 8-10 minutes per side, or until 165°F.
• Bake: Preheat your oven to 450°F and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until 165°F. This marinade works great on my Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken!
• Air Fry: Preheat your air fryer to 380°F and cook for 16-18 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Storage: Store balsamic chicken marinade in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

 

Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.

Nutrition Facts

Balsamic Chicken Marinade Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 92 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Sodium 294mg13%

Potassium 17mg0%

Carbohydrates 7g2%

Sugar 6g7%

Vitamin C 0.5mg1%

Calcium 4mg0%

Iron 0.1mg1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Author: Becky Hardin

Course: Sauce/Marinade

Cuisine: American

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How to Make Balsamic Marinade for Chicken Step by Step

Mix the Marinade: Stir together ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of honey, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon of lemon-pepper seasoning in a medium bowl.

Marinate the Chicken: Pour the marinade into a resealable bag and add any piece of chicken. Seal the bag and massage to make sure the chicken is fully coated. Marinate chicken in balsamic for 30-60 minutes; or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator. Then cook any way you like!

How to Store

The balsamic marinade can be made ahead of time, and stored in a plastic bag, lidded jar, or another airtight container. Keep it in the refrigerator, and use within 4 days. Do not store leftover liquid after marinating the chicken.

Balsamic marinated chicken can be cooked and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.