Soaking the chicken serves to absorb the flavor and keep the meat moist while cooking. Chicken marinades (aka marinades) are made with oil, vinegar or other acidic ingredients, and lots of spices. This article will show you how to marinate chicken using four popular methods.
Ingredients
Marinade Moster
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup olive oil
Italian Marinade
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 450 grams chicken (breast, thigh, wing, or other part)
Chinese Marinade
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup sugar or molasses
- 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tbsp garlic, chopped
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 450 grams chicken (breast, thigh, wing, or other part)
Chipotle Spicy Marinade Seasoning
- 1/4 cup chipotle chili in canned adobo
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 450 grams chicken (breast, thigh, wing, or other part)
Step
Method 1 of 3: Making Marinade
Step 1. Finely chop the garlic and other fresh ingredients
It's important to chop up fresh ingredients like garlic, onions, bell peppers and ginger, so the flavors can be absorbed into the skin of the chicken. This way, these ingredients will coat the chicken completely instead of coating only one part of it.
Step 2. Mix the ingredients well
Place all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and use a whisk to mix all the ingredients well. The oil should be mixed with other ingredients and not separated.
- You can mix all the ingredients in a blender for a few seconds to make sure they are completely combined.
- Some cooks like to put the marinade ingredients in a bottle and then shake it.
Step 3. Don't worry about getting the ingredients right
The advantage of marinades is that many ingredients can be substituted. If you don't have a particular ingredient, take a look at the others you do have. You can substitute the following ingredients:
- Replacing lemon juice with vinegar, or vice versa
- Replace any oil with olive oil, or vice versa
- Replacing honey or maple syrup with sugar, or vice versa
Method 2 of 3: Marinating the Chicken
Step 1. Choose each part of the chicken to be marinated
The marinade tastes great for chicken breasts, thighs, legs or wings. Marinate the whole chicken or cut the chicken into pieces. You can also marinate chicken with or without bones.
Step 2. Wash the chicken and pat dry
This will remove any remaining flavor from the chicken packaging and prepare it to absorb the marinade.
Step 3. Place the raw and marinated chicken in a food storage container
Find a suitable container so that the marinade will cover most of the chicken when poured over it. Place the lid on the container when finished.
- You can use a food storage bag if you don't have a glass or plastic container.
- Do not use metal containers; the chemicals in the metal can react with the marinade and change its taste.
Step 4. Chill the chicken in the refrigerator for at least four hours
During this time the flavors of the marinade will blend with the chicken. You can marinate the chicken for four hours or leave it in the refrigerator overnight for maximum flavor.
Method 3 of 3: Cooking the Marinated Chicken
Step 1. Bake in the oven
Marinated chicken will taste delicious if it is grilled. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, place the chicken in a baking dish, cover with foil, and bake until the chicken's internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
- The amount of time it takes to cook the chicken depends on how much chicken there is. For 450 grams of chicken pieces it usually takes about 40 minutes.
- Pour additional seasoning over the chicken before grilling for extra flavor.
- When the chicken is almost done cooking, remove it from the foil and place it back in the oven for a few minutes for a crispy skin.
Step 2. Cook on the grill
Grilled marinated chicken is a delicious dish but requires a bit of finesse. Preheat the grill, then position the chicken pieces so they get indirect heat; otherwise, the chicken may burn.
Step 3. Sauté the chicken on the stove
Heat a large skillet with a little olive oil. Once the pan is hot, add the chicken pieces and cover the pan. Cook the chicken slowly for about 1/2 hour; Chicken pieces will be cooked when they have reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
