Easy No-Fail Chicken Marinade Recipe
This just might be the best marinade ever. It is incredibly versatile. Use for marinating chicken, turkey, pork, fish, shrimp, tofu, or vegetables. When marinating meats and poultry, marinate at least 1 hour or overnight. When marinating something more delicate like fish, you only need to marinate 1 to 2 hours. You can also use this to baste while cooking or grilling; if you plan to do this, simply set a portion of the prepared marinade aside for basting.
This just might be the best marinade ever. It is incredibly versatile. Use for marinating chicken, turkey, pork, fish, shrimp, tofu, or vegetables. When marinating meats and poultry, marinate at least 1 hour or overnight. When marinating something more delicate like fish, you only need to marinate 1 to 2 hours. You can also use this to baste while cooking or grilling; if you plan to do this, simply set a portion of the prepared marinade aside for basting.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- zest of 1 lemon peeled or finely grated
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (1 to 2 lemons)
- 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes depending on how spicy you like things
- 3 cloves garlic crushed with the side of a large knife or minced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill parsley, cilantro, basil or a combination, optional
- Carbohydrate 6.61449083521162 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 7.50023260894735 g
- Fiber 1.12918832765962 g
- Protein 1.84508160344052 g
- Saturated Fat 0.993687531979824 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (42g)
- Sodium 175.765501761934 mg
- Sugar 5.485302507552 g
- Trans Fat 0.24035250463936 g
- Calories 96 calories
Step-by-step
- Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, salt, red pepper flakes and black pepper together until the salt has dissolved.
- Stir in the garlic, lemon zest and herbs (if using).
- Refrigerate and use within 1 to 2 hours.
Bright citrus oil and crushed garlic combine into an emulsion that coats proteins evenly, leaving a sharp, aromatic finish after cooking. Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, and Dijon mustard vigorously until the mixture thickens slightly before adding the remaining aromatics; failing to emulsify the fat and acid beforehand will cause the oil to pool on the food rather than clinging to the surface. Fresh lemon zest contributes essential aromatic oils that dried peel cannot replicate. Crushing the garlic cloves with the flat side of a large knife rather than running them through a fine press releases fewer bitter allicin compounds while still distributing enough flavor into the surrounding liquid. Pairing this acidic blend with naturally sweet roasted root vegetables or starchy grains like farro balances the sharp profile on the plate. Thin-skinned seafood like shrimp or white fish requires only one to two hours of exposure to the acid, whereas dense poultry cuts safely tolerate up to twenty-four hours in the refrigerator. Limited counter space and a lack of specialized mixing bowls require nothing more than a standard glass measuring cup and a small fork to combine the ingredients successfully. Reserve a portion of the liquid in a separate container before adding raw poultry if the plan includes using the mixture as a table sauce or basting liquid later.
