Description

This Best Grilled Chicken Marinade recipe features a flavorful blend of olive oil, soy sauce, honey, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and smoked paprika that tenderizes and enhances boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Marinated for at least 30 minutes and grilled to juicy perfection, this dish delivers a deliciously smoky and slightly sweet taste perfect for easy weeknight dinners or summer barbecues.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Marinade

1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions

Prepare the marinade. In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, soy sauce, honey, lemon juice, minced garlic, ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until fully combined to create a flavorful marinade base.
Marinate the chicken. Place the chicken breasts into a resealable plastic bag or a shallow dish, then pour the marinade over the chicken ensuring each piece is thoroughly coated.
Refrigerate to absorb flavors. Seal the bag or cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, allowing the chicken to soak up the marinade. For best results, marinate up to 8 hours but no longer to prevent texture changes.
Preheat the grill. Heat your grill to medium-high temperature, preparing the cooking surface for perfect grilling.
Grill the chicken. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place it on the grill. Cook the breasts for 6 to 8 minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) indicating it is fully cooked and safe to eat.
Rest before serving. Once grilled, allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes off the heat. This helps the juices redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring juicy and tender chicken.

Notes

For a more intense flavor, marinate the chicken overnight.
If you don’t have a grill, you can use a grill pan or broil the chicken in the oven, adjusting the cooking time accordingly.
Make sure not to overcrowd the grill to allow even cooking and proper browning.
Use a meat thermometer to ensure chicken is cooked to a safe internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).