Balsamic Herb Chicken Marinade

Fresh herbs and pantry staples combine to create this complex Balsamic Chicken Marinade. Grill or bake the chicken, then enjoy on its own or atop a salad.

Ingredients in Balsamic Chicken Marinade

Marinating chicken is THE key to infusing flavor into typically lean, bland poultry cuts. This complex marinade requires mostly pantry staples to turn that lackluster cut into something that makes your tastebuds sing.

Let’s meet the key ingredients for Balsamic chicken marinade…

• Olive or avocado Oil – To keep things moist.
• Balsamic vinegar – Acid is a must in all marinades.
• Honey – Just a hint of sweetness.
• Dijon mustard – Brings in a different kind of acidity.
• Garlic cloves – Delicious pungent flavor.
• Fresh parsley (or dried) – All the herbs add color and an herbaceous undertone.
• Dried basil
• Dried oregano
• Salt and Pepper – Basics that balance every marinade.

How to Make and Store Balsamic Chicken Marinade

If you find that you are using this chicken marinade frequently, you could make a large batch of it (scale it up 2-3x) and store it for future use. There are two main ways to store the marinade: The refrigerator or the freezer.

Store marinade in the refrigerator

The marinade will store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in a jar to use when ready.

Store marinade in the freezer

Here is an out of the box idea: make a big batch of marinade and freeze it in small portions! If you freeze it in a mason jar, be sure to allow at least 1 inch of headspace at the top because the contents will expand.

Scaling up the recipe is a great use of time and resources too. Just one of the many reasons we love freezer meals!

When ready to use the balsamic marinade, let it thaw (if necessary) and pour it over chicken in a zip-top bag or container with a lid. Let it marinate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours to infuse flavor.

Use Balsamic Chicken Marinade as a Freezer Meal

Another great use of your time is prep a few freezer meals out of this marinade. Like most of our chicken freezer meals, simply combine the ingredients (the marinade & the chicken) and freeze 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, slow cook, pressure cook, or bake your marinated Balsamic Chicken. You choose your method! We’ve included instructions for how to cook boneless chicken breasts any of these ways in the recipe below.

My favorite way to use this balsamic chicken marinade is for grilled chicken on a Surf and Turf night. Try our Mediterranean Shrimp Kabobs with it! Or serve it over some Instant Pot Brown Rice for a super healthy meal!

More Chicken Marinades You Must Try

Try some of our other favorite healthy chicken marinades to mix things up:

• Lemon Garlic Chicken Marinade
• Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade
• Honey Dijon Chicken Marinade
• Asian Sesame Chicken Marinade
• Southwest Chicken Marinade
• The BEST Savory Chicken Marinade

Download our Free Chicken Marinades Cheat Sheet Printable!

If you want to have these simple marinade combos on hand anytime, download our quick cheat sheet. This handy one-page printable includes all the recipes and 4 options for cooking your marinated chicken breasts. Tape it up inside a cabinet or pantry door, so you can whip up these recipes anytime.

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