Easy Balsamic Chicken
Fresh herbs and pantry staples combine to create this complex Balsamic Chicken Marinade. We offer directions to grill, air fry, bake, slow cook, or pressure cook the chicken, as well as, how to meal prep as a freezer meals for later.
“Killer recipe! Chicken was so juicy and flavorful – I’m glad I doubled and saved one as a freezer meal. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️” – Steph
Why Make This Recipe
- This complex-tasting balsamic marinade infuses deep, savory flavor into typically lean, bland poultry cuts.
- I love that this recipe uses pantry staples, making it fast and easy to whip up.
- Easy to double or triple and freeze marinated chicken for later. We’ll show you how below.
- So versatile! We give you multiple ways to cook this chicken and multiple ways to use it.
Ingredients Needed
Let’s meet the key ingredients for this marinated Balsamic chicken recipe…
Ingredient Notes
- Olive oil – Locks in moisture. Look for the regular olive oil, not extra virgin (which deteriorates at high temps). You can also use avocado oil instead.
- Balsamic vinegar – This acid tenderizes the meat. Be sure to read the ingredients and try to find a high quality vinegar.
- Dijon mustard – Just a little bit to add complexity in the background, but this marinade does not have a notable mustard flavor unlike our Honey Mustard Chicken (which is great!).
- Chicken – This recipe is written for boneless, skinless chicken breast, but you can certainly use thighs instead. Just make sure the chicken is cooked until it’s 165°F internally. Note: If you plan to grill or air fry the chicken, I strong suggest slicing the breast in half lengthwise or pounding it out so it’s thinner. It will cook more evenly that way.
- Garlic & Herbs – Build flavor! While we wrote this recipe to use all pantry ingredients, you can sub in fresh herbs for the dried ones. The ratio is to use 3x more minced fresh herbs in place of the dried ones.
How to Make Marinated Balsamic Chicken
- Prep the Marinade – Place ingredients straight into a gallon-sized zip-top bag and give it a good shake. This saves you an extra dish.
- Marinate Chicken – (Note: If planning to grill or air fry later, be sure to pound out or slice the chicken in half lengthwise first.) Add the chicken to the bag with the marinade. Close securely and gently massage it into the meat. Marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
- Cook the Chicken – Grill, air fry, bake, slow cook, or pressure cook your chicken using our instructions below.
5 Ways to Cook Balsamic Chicken
Chicken breasts are by far the most popular cut to marinate and cook, so here are several cooking options below. You can bake, slow cook, pressure cook, air fry, or grill your boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs).
- Bake in the Oven – 400°F, uncovered for about 20-25 minutes.
- Slow Cook in the Crock Pot – Cover and cook on LOW for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours.
- Pressure Cook in the Instant Pot – Place chicken, marinade, and 1/3 cup chicken broth in a 6-quart Instant Pot. (Note: If using an 8-quart, add an additional 1/2 cup of broth.) High pressure for 7 minutes with quick release.
- Air Fry – Pound out the chicken before marinating. Drain off marinade. Air fry at 375°F for about 10-12 minutes, flipping once.
- Grill – Pound out the chicken to about 3/4 inch thick (or cut it in half lengthwise). Grill on medium-high heat for 4-6 minutes per side, closing the lid in between flipping.
How to Know When Chicken is Done
Chicken is done when it reaches 165°F internal temperature. A digital meat thermometer is a must to help cook chicken perfectly!
Meal Prep Tip: Freeze Marinated Chicken for Later
A great use of your time is to prep a few freezer meals using this marinade at one time.
Like most of our chicken freezer meals, simply combine the ingredients (the marinade & the chicken) in a gallon-sized freezer bag and freeze flat for later. No need to let the chicken marinate before freezing either. When you want to use it, let the chicken thaw one of these safe ways.
Then, grill, air fry, slow cook, pressure cook, or bake your marinated chicken. We’ve included instructions for how to cook boneless chicken breasts in the recipe card below.
Ways to Use This Balsamic Chicken Recipe
Balsamic chicken is a delicious and flavorful dish that can be served in a variety of ways. Here are a few options:
- Serve it with a side of roasted vegetables or Roasted Vegetable Hash.
- Make it into a salad. Slice the chicken and serve it on top of a bed of mixed greens, along with other salad toppings such as cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and feta cheese. Drizzle some Honey Balsamic Dressing on top.
- Serve it over Instant Pot Brown Rice or Butter Noodles.
- Serve it as a grilled chicken sandwich: Place the cooked chicken breast on a bun with some lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise for a tasty sandwich option.
- Top with a simple salad mix of chopped cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, mozzarella pearls, and balsamic glaze.
FAQs
In our tests, we found that it’s best to marinate your chicken in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours and up to 24 hours. Less than 1 hour didn’t seem to infuse enough flavor into the chicken breasts and more than 24 hours (unless the chicken was frozen for part of that time) can cause them to become a bit mealy and mushy, especially if the marinade has a high acid content.
Absolutely! As freezer cookbook authors, we especially love how easy it is to prep these chicken breast marinades ahead of time and freeze them to have on hand for another night. Every recipe includes freezing instructions, so you can double and freeze a batch anytime.
Yes, you can marinate frozen chicken. Go ahead and throw frozen boneless chicken breasts or thighs in a freezer bag with the marinade and stick the bag in the freezer until you’re ready. Or, place the bag of chicken and marinade in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours, until thawed completely.
Absolutely! All cuts of chicken can benefit from a dip in a marinade. So, these marinades work just as well for chicken thighs and bone-in chicken. Cooking time will vary from our recipes, however, since we direct you how to cook chicken breasts.
Absolutely? Give root vegetables like slice carrots, diced sweet potatoes, diced Yukon gold potatoes, and Brussels sprouts a quick dip in the marinade, shake off any excess, and then lay out on a sheet pan (making sure they don’t touch). Roast at 425°F for about 25-35 minutes, shaking a few times during the bake time, until desired crispiness.
Get 7 of Our BEST Chicken Marinades Sent to Your Inbox!
Download and print our free one page cheat sheet!
More Chicken Marinade Recipes
Try some of our other favorite healthy chicken marinades to mix things up:
How to Video
Balsamic Chicken Marinade
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup oil (recommend: avocado or olive oil)
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (minced; sub: 2 tsp dried parsley, crushed in hand)
- 1 teaspoon dried basil (crushed in hand)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (crushed in hand)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (sub: chicken thighs)
Instructions
- Make Marinade: Add the oil, vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic, parsley, basil, oregano, salt and pepper, and chicken to a gallon-sized freezer bag. Seal and squish around to make sure the chicken is covered in marinade and everything is combined.
- Marinate Chicken: Place the bag in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
- Cook Chicken: Cook the chicken using one of these methods. The chicken is done when it reaches 165°F internally and/or is no longer pink inside. – Bake in Oven: Preheat oven to 400°F. Place chicken in a casserole dish or on a rimmed baking sheet. (Tip: Spray the dish/sheet pan with cooking spray to prevent sticking.) Bake uncovered for about 20-25 minutes, until done. May take longer depending on the thickness of the chicken. – Slow Cooker: Place chicken (with or without the marinade) in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours. Really! That’s all it takes to get it done, otherwise, you’ll overcook and dry it out. – Instant Pot: Place chicken, marinade, and 1/3 cup chicken broth in a 6-quart Instant Pot. (Note: If using an 8-quart, add an additional 1/2 cup of broth.) Lock and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 7 minutes and use a quick release of the pressure when the cook time is up. Drain off liquid. – Grill: (Pound out the chicken to about 3/4 inch thick (or cut it in half lengthwise) to help with fast and even cooking. To do this, place one breast at a time inside a freezer bag and pound with the flat side of a meat mallet.) Preheat grill to medium-high heat (400-450°F) and clean the grates well. Grill for about 4-6 minutes per side, closing the lid in between flipping, until done. The cook time may be longer depending on the thickness.– Air Fry: If you want to make this in the air fryer, be sure to pound out the chicken before marinating it to make it an even thickness. Drain off marinade, place in air fryer basket, and air fry at 375°F for about 10-12 minutes, flipping once, until at least 160°F internally.
- Make Extra Sauce (optional): Instead of discarding the leftover marinade, place it in a small pot and bring it to a rolling boil on the stovetop for at least 1 minute. Watch closely so it doesn’t overflow. Strain it, if desired, and use as extra sauce over the cooked chicken.
Freezer Instructions
Notes/Tips
- How to Know If Chicken Is Done: Chicken is done when it reaches 165°F internal temperature. (A digital meat thermometer is a must to help cook chicken perfectly.)
- How to Safely Turn the Marinade Into Sauce: To kill all the raw chicken germs, be sure to bring the marinade to a rolling boil in a pot on the stove for at least 1 minute, according to the CDC. The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that bacteria are rapidly killed at temperatures above 149°F (65°C), which is below that of boiling water or even a simmer. So rest assured you’ll be safe if you boil it well for 1 minute. We’d suggest straining it after boiling to remove any chicken pieces.
Nutrition
My grandson loves this Balsamic chicken – he says “It’s amazing!” He always looks forward to having it 😊 Thank you for your amazing marinades!
Awe. Love to hear this JoJo. Thanks for sharing!
Love this recipe! I’ve made it many times with rice and beans with a side salad. Any chance you know how to cook this is the air fryer?
I haven’t tested this in the air fryer closely yet, so I don’t have exact temp and timing for you on it. I will update the post if I do, though. It’s a good idea–love the air fryer!
I love this recipe! My go to chicken marinade.
Yay! Thanks for leaving a review Ann.
I used this marinade on chicken breast that I put together according to directions and then put it in the freezer. Great flavor
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for leaving a review.
Love this marinade! Amazing!!!
Glad you like it Debbie! Thank you for leaving a review.
Easy and delicious! Marinated my chicken breast for a chicken Caesar salad!
Great idea! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and review. Means so much to us!
This was so delicious the kids loved it as well
Yes! Love it when even the kids are on board. Thanks for leaving a review Caitlin!
This was amazing!
Thanks Alicia!
My chicken tenders were already frozen so I want to marinate them cook them then refreeze them is that ok and how long will they hold up especially after already cooked
Yes, you can do that. The USDA says it’s safe to thaw meat, marinate and cook, and refreeze. In fact, they also say it’s safe to thaw and refreeze if you don’t have time to cook. Just pay attention to how long it’s been thawed and treat it like you would fresh food.
When you package cooked chicken for the freezer, it’s important to reduce air exposure as much as possible to help it last the longest in the freezer. So wrap the tenders tightly in foil or plastic wrap and then in a freezer bag, squeezing out all the air before sealing. Place in the back of the freezer or a deep freeze where they will remain solidly frozen. As long as your tenders remain completely frozen, they will be safe to eat indefinitely. But for best texture, I’d plan to use them within 1-2 months. I hope that helps!
Delicious
Thanks Toni!
Killer recipe! Chicken was so juicy and flavourful- I’m glad I doubled and saved one as a freezer meal.
So smart to double and freeze. Thanks for the feedback, Steph!
This is the best marinade! My whole family loves this chicken off the grill.
That’s great to hear, Whitney. Thanks for the review!
Where is the recipe?
It’s at the bottom of the post here: https://thrivinghomeblog.com/balsamic-herb-chicken-marinade/#tasty-recipes-53149-jump-target
So easy and full of flavor! Cooked the chicken on the grill and it was a hit. Will definitely add this into our rotation of favorite marinades!
So delicious. Grilled the chicken and it was delicious. A new staple dinner
Thanks for the feedback, Cindy. Really glad you enjoyed it!
Yummy! I poured it over my chicken and then made a sauce with flour butter and cream, for my picky child. Made with rice and a little extra honey, plus veggies!
Wonderful! Thank you for the feedback and review. The best review of all is knowing a picky child ate it. 🙂