This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
About This Recipe
Having a good chicken recipe is essential for meal prep! It’s the most common protein people eat, and for a very good reason—chicken is ALWAYS good!
Not only is it straightforward to prep, but it quite literally goes with everything. And we all know how wonderful meal prep is for setting your busy life up for success!
This Balsamic Chicken Marinade is super easy to whip up with easy to find ingredients, some of which you probably have on hand. Just let the chicken marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes and throw on the grill, in a skillet, or in the oven.
You can even prep this marinade with chicken in advance and freeze it for a super easy protein whenever you’re ready to eat it.
This chicken is so incredibly juicy, tender, and flavorful!
And there are so many things you can eat it with…make it into a sandwich, throw on top of salad like my Strawberry Balsamic Salad, or even just eat it straight u with some green beans, air fryer sweet potatoes, or whatever sounds tasty! This recipe is a TRUE LIFE SAVER!
Why You’ll Love This Balsamic Chicken Marinade
- Pantry staples – It’s made with simple ingredients and pantry staples.
- The chicken turns out so tender, juicy, and flavorful!
- You can cook in the oven, in a skillet, or on a grill.
- PERFECT for meal prep!
- So many ways to enjoy because it goes with so much!!
- Chicken – I used raw, boneless, and skinless chicken breasts. You can also use chicken thighs, or really any type of meat here.
- Balsamic vinegar
- Olive oil
- Seasonings – Grab some salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.
How To Make
The full printable recipe is below, but let me walk you through the process so you know what to expect when you’re making it!
1. Prepare the chicken by trimming off any excess fat and butterflying each breast. This will help the chicken absorb more flavor and cook evenly.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together all the marinade ingredients: balsamic vinegar through garlic powder.
3. Place chicken in a bowl or a zip-top bag and pour marinade over chicken. Move chicken around to make sure it’s all coated. Place in the fridge and let marinate for at least 30 minutes up to 24 hours before cooking.
4. Heat grill (or a grill pan on the stovetop) to medium heat and make sure the grill is clean and well greased. Shake off excess marinade and place the chicken over direct heat.
5. Grill chicken for 5 minutes. Then, flip and grill for another 4-5 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F (carryover cooking will ensure your chicken reaches 165°F and prevents overcooking).
6. Double check your chicken is done. You can do this using a meat thermometer and ensuring the temperature has reached 165 degrees F. You can also simply slice the middle and make sure the chicken is no longer pink.
To Cook In Oven:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Arrange chicken in a single layer in a baking dish.
- Bake chicken for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Double check your chicken is done. You can do this using a meat thermometer and ensuring the temperature has reached 165 degrees F. You can also simply slice the middle and make sure the chicken is no longer pink.
How to freeze this meal prep balsamic chicken?
Add the marinade to freezer safe bag and be sure to remove as much air as possible. Then, freeze up to 3 months.
What if my chicken is already frozen?
Do not thaw your chicken if you are going to freeze again. Add the marinade to your already frozen chicken. Don’t worry. You will still get a ton of flavor. The marinade will season the chicken as it thaws.
How do I thaw chicken?
The safest bet is in the fridge overnight, but you can do a rapid-thaw process in cold water for a few hours. Just make sure your freezer bag is heavy duty so chicken juice doesn’t leak all over!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!
Meal Prep Balsamic Chicken Marinade
Ingredients
- 2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (60g)
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (30g)
- 1.5 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes. Scroll for macros and MyFitnessPal code.
Instructions
For the Marinade:
- Prepare the chicken by trimming off any excess fat and butterflying each breast. This will allow the chicken to have more flavor and help ensure even cooking throughout.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all the marinade ingredients (balsamic vinegar through garlic powder).
- Place chicken in a bowl or a zip-top bag and pour marinade over chicken. Move chicken around to make sure it's all coated with marinade. Place in the fridge and let marinate for at least 30 minutes up to 24 hours before cooking.
To Cook Chicken in the Oven:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Arrange chicken in a single layer in a baking dish.
- Bake chicken for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Double check your chicken is done. You can do this using a meat thermometer and ensuring reached 165 F. or simply slicing the middle and making sure the chicken is no longer pink.
To Cook Chicken on the Grill:
- Heat grill (or a grill pan on the stovetop) to medium heat and make sure the grill is clean and well greased.
- Shake off excess marinade and place the chicken over direct heat.
- Grill chicken for 5 minutes then flip and grill for another 4-5 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F.*
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
