Balsamic Chicken Marinade

This best balsamic chicken marinade is tangy, herb-infused, and packed with flavor for the juiciest grilled chicken. Whether you're making boneless or bone-in thighs and breasts, this quick and easy marinade is great for the grill, oven, or baked chicken for salad. If you need simple and healthy marinade ideas, this ultimate balsamic vinegar recipe is a must-try for spring recipes and weeknight meals. Pin this easy marinade to keep a go-to flavor booster ready anytime!

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Why this is the best balsamic chicken marinade

This is an easy one-pot meal. There is no hard part! All you have to do is whisk together the marinade, pour it over the chicken, wait, and then cook the chicken using your preferred method. Easy peasy, and there's almost no clean-up.

This recipe tastes amazing! Something magical happens when you mix balsamic vinegar with these herbs. Let the chicken soak them in, and you have a big winner that everybody's going to rave about.

The ingredients for this easy recipe are common and inexpensive. You probably have most of the simple ingredients already in your pantry, and the remaining couple are available in most grocery stores.

This marinated balsamic chicken recipe is easy to prepare and takes just a few minutes of active cooking time. You'll need to measure everything, but after that, it's just a matter of waiting for the marinade to soak in and then sautéing the chicken.

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The best balsamic chicken marinade recipe is the easiest comfort food. The simple ingredients pack a big punch in terms of flavor.

This recipe is easy to serve. It doesn't get easier than a dump-and-go marinade, which makes this a perfect weeknight dinner for a busy mom or dad. You can prep it the night before and let it marinate all day, or you can prep it after work and let it marinate for 15 minutes. The flavors are deeper and better if it sits longer, but it will still taste great even in a short time.

This recipe is allergy-friendly and great for special diets. As written, this recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, egg-free, and nut-free. It is very high protein which makes it great for vegetarian, keto, low carb, and bariatric diets. As always, check the labels of your specific ingredients to ensure they fit your needs.

What you'll need to make balsamic marinated chicken

Equipment

• Garlic press - I always press fresh garlic when I'm using it in a recipe. A garlic press is the best way to do that.
• Whisk - You'll need a whisk or a fork to blend the marinade ingredients together.
• Gallon size zippered plastic bag - This is what you will put the chicken and the marinade in to store in the fridge and do the actual marinating.
• Large cast iron skillet - To cook your chicken on the stovetop. If you're cooking it in the oven, you'll probably want a baking sheet with a lip around the edges, and if you're cooking it on the grill, then you'll need a grill.
• Instant read meat thermometer - I always use a thermometer to determine when my meat and poultry are cooked so that they're not underdone and unsafe and they're not overdone and dry. This is the particular one that I have and love because it connects to my phone and I can monitor the temperature right there without having to stand over the skillet or whatever.

Ingredients

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See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.

• Balsamic vinegar - You will want the highest quality, imported balsamic vinegar that you can afford. There is a big difference in quality between cheap balsamic and expensive balsamic.
• Extra virgin olive oil - As with the vinegar, higher quality oil is better. The darker green the oil, the better, although some oils are sold in greenish bottles, so be on the lookout for that.
• Brown sugar - You need some sugar to balance the tart acidity of the vinegar, so don't leave this out. If you're in a pinch, you can use white sugar instead.
• Dijon mustard - I like Dijon mustard in this recipe, but if you only have a different variety of mustard, you can use it.
• Fresh garlic - You will press the garlic to release as much flavor as possible. Pressing makes the cloves into a thick paste, which releases all the flavorful oil. If you don't have a press and need to cut the garlic with a knife, you can, but you won't get as much garlic flavor as you would if you pressed it. I have seen some fancy chefs press their garlic by smashing it with the wide side of a chef's knife blade. You can try that if you're feeling brave.
• Italian seasoning - This is made of a blend of dried oregano, marjoram, thyme, basil, rosemary, and sage. If you don't have Italian seasoning, I've included an easy recipe about halfway down the page. Mix it up and then measure the amount you need. You won't use all of it, so put it in a jar and save it for another use.
• Salt - You can use any salt you want.
• Freshly ground black pepper - If you don't have a pepper mill, just use whatever pepper you have.
• Boneless skinless chicken breast - I slice this into tenders before marinating, so that there is more surface area for the juicy marinade to soak into. You could certainly leave the chicken breasts whole if you want to. You could also use bone-in chicken, and you can use breasts or chicken thighs. Cooking times will vary if you use bone-in chicken or thighs.

How to make the best balsamic chicken marinade recipe

For balsamic chicken

1. Combine all marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk until well blended.
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2. Place chicken tenders in a zippered plastic bag and pour marinade in.
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3. Squish the chicken around so that all pieces are completely covered in the liquid. If they are not, mix up another batch of marinade and add to the first. It is important that all the chicken is soaking in the balsamic marinade.
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4. Marinate the chicken in the fridge for a minimum of 15 minutes up to overnight.
5. When you're ready to cook the chicken, remove it from the bag and throw the marinade and the bag away. Never ever eat marinade that has touched raw chicken unless it has been cooked to a temperature of 165ºF first!
6. Prepare chicken using your favorite method to an internal temperature of 165ºF.
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For marinated balsamic chicken on the stovetop

• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, place chicken in a single layer and cook for about 8 minutes per side or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF.

For marinated balsamic chicken in the oven

• Preheat oven to 400ºF. Place chicken on a sheet pan and surround with veggies of your choice. If you want to cook only the chicken without vegetables, please it in a single layer in the baking dish of your choice. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF and veggies are crisp-tender.

For balsamic grilled chicken

• Oil the grill grates before heating. Place chicken on a preheated grill over medium-high heat and cook with the lid closed for 6 minutes on each side, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF.

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Variations & substitutions

If you want to avoid processed sugar, you can use honey in place of the brown sugar.

I have shared a recipe for balsamic chicken and veggies that includes carrots, broccoli, and onions. It's also great with zucchini, tomatoes, asparagus, and bell peppers.

You can serve marinated balsamic chicken over rice, pasta, or with fresh roasted veggies.

If you want extra balsamic flavor, you can drizzle the cooked chicken with balsamic glaze.

Easy Italian Seasoning Recipe

If you don't have Italian seasoning, whisk these herbs together, measure out 2 teaspoons, and put the rest in an airtight jar for another day.

• 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
• ½ teaspoon dried sage

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Storage

Transfer fully cooled chicken to an airtight container or zippered plastic bag and store in the refrigerator for up to five days.

I recommend reheating chicken in a skillet to preserve as much juiciness and texture as possible. You can microwave it, but chicken tends to get rubbery and dry in the microwave.

Try these other delicious chicken recipes:

• Chicken Savoy
• Thai Peanut Chicken Salad
• Easy CrockPot Salsa Chicken
• Balsamic Mushroom Chicken
• CrockPot Chicken and Potatoes
• Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
• Chicken Piccata with Zucchini Noodles
• Green Chili Chicken Soup (Stovetop or Crockpot)

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