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Italian Grilled Chicken - Easy Marinade for Juicy Breasts & Thighs

Erin Indahl-Fink
Looking for a really amazing Italian Chicken Marinade? Look no further! This simple recipe for Italian Grilled Chicken will be your new favorite dinner idea. The BEST grilled chicken recipe for breasts, legs and thighs!
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Italian grilled chicken breasts on a white plate garnished with fresh basil leaves and cherry tomatoes on the side.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes
Course Dinner/Main Dish
Cuisine Italian American
Servings 6 servings
Calories 246 kcal

Equipment

  • Grilling Tongs These stainless steel grilling tongs by OXO are perfect for quick grilling.
  • Citrus Juicer This hand-held citrus juicer is fantastic for fresh lime and lemon juice. Great for making marinades and dressings.
  • Gallon sized Zip-Lock Bags Ideal for marinating chicken and steak, these zip-lock bags keep everything sealed and spill-proof for refrigeration.

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts, legs or thighs

Italian Chicken Marinade:

  • 1/2 cup olive oil or avocado oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Instructions
 

  • In a medium bowl, add the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, garlic powder, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Whisk together to combine.
  • In a resealable plastic bag or shallow dish, add the chicken, and pour the marinade over the top of the chicken. Turn to coat the chicken in the marinade.
  • Refrigerate for 4 - 12 hours. You can also marinate for as little as 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
  • When ready to grill, preheat grill. Lightly oil grill grates to prevent chicken from sticking.
  • Place the chicken over indirect heat. Discard all remaining marinade.
  • Grill the chicken for approximately 6 minutes per side, for breasts, 4 minutes per side for thighs and 10 minutes per side for bone-in legs. Chicken is done cooking when juices run clear when cutting. For best results use a instant-read digital meat thermometer. Internal temperature should be 165 degrees.
  • Rest chicken for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. Chicken will keep for up to 5 days refrigerated. You can store the chicken with a salad, should you want to meal prep for later in the week.
Marinade Safety and Serving: For safety purposes be sure to throw away any excess marinade that came into contact with raw meat. It is NOT safe to consume. If you want to serve the cooked chicken with extra Italian marinade or brush it on the chicken as it cooks, I recommend making a fresh batch that has NOT come into contact with raw meat.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 246kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 41gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 160mgSodium: 322mgFiber: 1g
Keyword Italian grilled chicken breasts, Italian marinade for chicken, Italian grilled chicken, Italian chicken marinade, Italian dressing chicken marinade, grilled Italian chicken breast, Italian marinated chicken
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