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Learn how to make the best chicken breast marinade for juicy, tender results every time! This is my go-to oven baked chicken method that transforms basic boneless skinless chicken breasts into a flavorful meal. Whether you are prepping for a weeknight dinner or busy meal prep, the simple marinade ensures your chicken stays moist and delicious without any dryness. This should be your go-to chicken recipe!
It’s always so hard for me to cook chicken just perfectly so that it’s moist and tender but cooked all the way through. I’ve found that there are a few secrets to making the perfect Oven Baked Juicy Chicken Breasts and I’m going to share them with you!
The secret to juicy oven baked chicken isn’t just the bake time—it’s the preparation. By using a balanced marinade of balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and honey, the acid works to break down the fibers while the honey adds a perfect touch of sweetness. Combined with my “rolling pin” trick for even thickness, you’ll never have to worry about one end of the breast being dry while the other is raw.
Chicken Breast Marinade Ingredients
- I always use boneless skinless chicken breasts but this recipe also works with chicken thighs (although cook time and doneness will be different)
- Using balsamic vinegar and lemon juice as the acidic base of your marinade is essential. These acids help break down the connective tissues in the chicken, allowing the meat to absorb moisture and flavor more deeply during the marinating process.
- Besides the acidic ingredients, we add a lot of flavoring: Honey adds a little sweetness to temper the acidity. Worcestershire sauce gives some umami flavor and soy-sauce adds a depth. Add to that dijon mustard, garlic, pepper, onion powder, and Italian seasoning and you have the most flavorful marinade.
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Dorothy’s Expert Tips for Perfect Chicken
- For perfectly cooked chicken, you must ensure an even thickness. I recommend placing the chicken in a gallon bag and pounding the thickest part with a rolling pin until uniform. This guarantees every piece reaches the safe internal temperature of 165°F at the exact same time.
- Once your chicken is removed from the oven, let it rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring that every bite is tender rather than losing all its moisture to the cutting board.
Easy Oven Baked Chicken Recipe
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard or any kind
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 6-7 pieces)
Instructions
- Whisk oil, vinegar, lemon juice, soy sauce, worcestershire, honey, dijon, Italian seasoning, onion powder and pepper together. Add the garlic cloves.
- Place chicken in a large gallon size bag. Pound with a rolling pin to make the breasts even in thickness. Pour the marinade over the chicken, seal the bag, and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Take chicken out of the refrigerator and place in a baking pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray (let it come to room temperature while the oven is preheating). Discard marinade.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a meat thermometer place in the thickest part of the breast registers 165°F. Cook time will depend on thickness of chicken.
- To grill: preheat grill to 400°F. Spray grill with nonstick grill spray. Grill 5 minutes per side with the grill open, then close the grill, watching to make sure it doesn’t get too hot or there are no flare ups, and cook until chicken registers 165°F on a meat thermometer.
- Let meat rest at least 10 minutes before slicing.
Recipe Notes
- Be sure the chicken is even thicknes. Place raw chicken in a gallon size ziploc bag and pound with a rolling pin to make them even.
- Marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours for best flavor.
- Make sure the chicken is cooked to 165 degrees.
- Use the chicken as is with a side dish or use it for meal prep all week.
Recipe Nutrition
How to make the best marinade for chicken
- Mix marinade ingredients together in a small bowl or measuring cup. You don’t have to chop the garlic, just crack it a bit and you can leave it whole.
- Make sure your chicken breasts are even thickness. You can buy thin cut breasts or place the raw unmarinated chicken in a large gallon size bag and seal all but one inch of the zipper. Pound the thick part of the breast with a rolling pin or meat mallet so that the chicken is uniform in size. This assures that the chicken will cook evenly and not be dry at one end and raw at the other.
- Add your chicken breasts and let them marinate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight. Marinating time is important for your chicken! It helps the chicken absorb the flavor but also keeps it moist and tender.
- Once the chicken is done marinating, I add them to a baking dish I’ve sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. You’re going to bake them at 400°F until they’re cooked through, about 35-45 minutes. This is where an instant read thermometer comes in handy!
When are oven baked chicken breasts done?
Your chicken breasts will be done when they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. That’s why it’s important to pound them to even thickness and have the thermometer!
Once your chicken is done, let it rest about 10 minutes before slicing. The flavor of the marinade adds so much to the chicken and it’s perfect with any side dish!
FAQs
This is an all-purpose marinade with soy sauce, Worcestershire, and lots of spices. The flavors go with most meals.
Depending on the thickness of the chicken, cook the boneless breasts for approximately 35-45 minutes at 400 degrees.
Chicken is done when it registers 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer.
For the best flavor and texture, marinate for at least 4 hours, but you can safely go up to 24 hours. Beyond that, the acid may start to make the meat too soft.
Yes! This recipe works great for chicken thighs, though the bake time and internal doneness cues may vary slightly.
No. Because this recipe uses soy sauce, which is naturally high in sodium, you do not need to add extra salt.
I prefer fresh, smashed garlic for the best flavor, but you can substitute garlic powder in a pinch.
Yum, a great marinade recipe. Do you think that it will work well with steak?