Easy Balsamic Chicken
on Oct 21, 2021, Updated Oct 03, 2022
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This recipe for Balsamic Chicken is simple enough for a busy weeknight meal but can easily be dressed up for Sunday dinner. The result is juicy, flavorful, and tender chicken. Plus, you most likely have all of the ingredients for the marinade at home.
I can’t say enough good things about this chicken. It starts off with an easy balsamic vinegar marinade. That taste alone makes my mouth water. Then, you can throw the marinated chicken on the grill or bake in the oven. Add your favorite side dishes and dinner is served!
Table of Contents
Balsamic Chicken
I am a big fan of marinating. Using a marinade really helps to intensify the flavors and it keeps the meat from drying out. Even marinating something for 30 minutes will make a big difference. I prefer to let the chicken marinate for 3-4 hours but if you are in a time crunch, don’t hesitate to use the time you have.
Balsamic chicken marinade is easy to whip up. Place the chicken in a large, resealable bag. Prepare the balsamic marinade in a bowl and then simply add the marinade to the resealable bag with the chicken. Place the bag in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours.
What cuts of chicken can I use to marinate?
You can use any cut of chicken for this balsamic marinade. Try using breasts, thighs, tenderloins, or wings. Whatever you have on hand or what cut is on sale is what I usually use. If you are using something other than chicken breasts you will need to adjust the cooking time slightly.
What is the shortest amount of time you can marinate chicken?
If you are really in a time crunch, try and at least marinate the chicken for 30 minutes. You will still reap a lot of the benefits of marinating in that short amount of time.
How do can I tell when chicken is finished cooking?
The most ideal way to know when chicken is done cooking is to insert an internal thermometer. The temperature should be 165 degrees. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, cut into the thickest part of the chicken and make sure there is no pink.
Does chicken need to rest after grilling?
I like to let the meat rest after it is done grilling, just for a few minutes. When you let the meat rest, it will hold the juice in better as opposed to flowing out if you slice the meat directly after taking it off the grill.
More chicken recipes:
- The Best Chicken Tacos Ever
- Stove Top Parmesan Crusted Chicken
- Chicken Piccata
- General Tso’s Chicken Recipe
- Recipe for Baked Chicken Legs
If you’ve tried this easy Balsamic Chicken recipe or any other recipe on Bless this Mess, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some pictures of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories AND add your photo to your comment so that other can see your creation.
Easy Balsamic Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Using the flat side of a meat mallet, flatten chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap to about ½ inch thick. This helps the chicken to cook evenly.
- Place chicken in a shallow dish. In a bowl, stir together the remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken, turning to coat the chicken well. You can also marinade the chicken in a large zipper-topped bag.
- Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 4 hours.
- Grill chicken, uncovered, over medium heat 10 to 12 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165℉, turning and brushing with marinade once.
Notes
- I’ve had great luck cooking this chicken on the stove top and even baking it too. Don’t feel like you have to grill it, it’s great cooked with different methods.
- This recipe is really easy to scale up if you need to. It’s a good one to cook extra chicken and use it another recipe later in the week.
Nutrition
Balsamic Chicken is a recipe that you will make over and over again because it tastes so good but is really basic. It works great as a main dish and literally goes well with any side. Add this to your meal rotations this week!
Melissa, this sounds so easy and delicious. I love balsamic vinegar. But your protein grams seems way off. When I checked, protein in a half chicken breast ranges from 24 to 47 grams of protein.