How many times have you grilled chicken (or baked) and it was as if you never even seasoned them? With this Italian marinade recipe, your grilled chicken will come out great!
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This past weekend I used our grill to make some Italian chicken breasts and they came out delicious! The breasts were marinated overnight in a really simple marinade that actually kept its flavor after grilling!
In this post, you will learn how to make an awesome homemade Italian dressing and how to prepare the chicken breasts to bring out the most flavor.
I was pretty excited because you know I don’t really grill much since the “men” in the family usually handle that. This is much easier than I expected and if you’re like me, don’t worry you have nothing to fear!
Keep in mind, this was an electric grill, not gas. The grill was given to us from my in-laws last year when they moved into a condo. So if you’re not sure how to grill on a gas grill, make sure to look it up as it may be different than an electric one like mine.
Marinade for Italian Chicken Breasts
You can finally scrap the MSG loaded Italian dressing version from the store, this is better! All you need are:
- olive oil
- lemon juice
- garlic cloves
- salt and/or pepper
- parsley.
Okay, here’s my standard line, “the quantities are flexible” hahah – I know I say it all the time, but it’s true.
So for the recipe, I used 1/3 cup of both olive oil and lemon juice each, 6 cloves of crushed garlic, and a nice handful of chopped parsley (dried or fresh), plus a dash of salt and pepper.
If you’re not a fan of garlic and prefer a more tangy option, try my oregano and lemon vinaigrette dressing.
If you have that – you’ve got yourself a dressing!
The grilled chicken didn’t lose the flavor of the dressing, it ends up with a nice slight hint of lemon flavor that blends real well with the garlic and herbs.
How Long to Marinate the Chicken Breasts?
I’d suggest marinating the breasts in the fridge for at least an hour and even overnight.
I recommend putting everything in a plastic Ziploc bag with a good seal. Then place in a bowl or container just in case it leaks by accident. Just like the image shown below. What a mess if it were to leak everywhere in the fridge!
Recipe Video
How to Grill Chicken Breasts?
Well, if you have your own method, go for it! I’m not a griller-wannabe, but I am very proud of myself using the electric grill.
Step 1. Create the marinade by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl
Step 2. Slice the chicken breasts so they are 1/4″ thick, then place the sliced chicken breasts in a plastic Ziploc bag
Step 3. Add in the marinade and toss well so the chicken pieces are covered well
Step 4. Marinate in the fridge for at minimum an hour and up to a day or overnight.
Step 5. When ready, heat the grill tp 350F (mine is electric) and place the chicken breasts on the grill for 10-12 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for 4-5 minutes on the other
Step 6. Make sure the internal temp is 165F.
Enjoy the recipe!
Here’s printable recipe! Enjoy!
Grilled Italian Chicken Breasts Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 6 crushed garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp parsley flakes
- dash salt and pepper
- 4 1/4″ thick chicken breasts
Instructions
- Create the marinade by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl
- Place the sliced chicken breasts in a plastic Ziploc bag
- Add in the marinade and toss well so the chicken pieces are covered well
- Marinate in the fridge for at minimum an hour and up to a day or overnight.
- When ready, heat the grill tp 350F (mine is electric) and place the chicken breasts on the grill for 10-12 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for 4-5 minutes on the other
- Make sure the internal temp is 165F.
Video
Notes
- Every grill is different so you have to make sure the chicken is cooked thoroughly. I get very paranoid about this.
- I added my chicken breasts while the grill was heating up which was recommended for an electric grill. I have no idea why to be honest, but the chicken turned out fine and was certainly cooked all the way.
- Remember to swap out utensils so there is no cross-contamination.
- You can use this dressing with steak too, but I’ve done it with oregano instead of the parsley.
Nutrition
Ciao!
Liz
Simple Italian Cooking
