Balsamic Chicken Marinade

ByMadison Wetherill

A quick and easy Balsamic Chicken Marinade makes for an easy weeknight dinner or an upscale weekend party entrée. It takes just 30 minutes to marinate for the most flavorful Italian-style chicken.

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Cooked marinated balsamic vinaigrette chicken breasts in a cast iron skillet with visible seasoning and herbs.
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Balsamic Chicken Marinade Recipe

Marinades are my secret to really good food that doesn't require a lot of effort. The night before or over lunch, I can whisk together a quick marinade and let dinner infuse flavor, all while I do other things with my time.

Then, when it's time to cook, all I have to do is throw the marinated chicken on the grill or into a skillet, and dinner is on the table in less than 30 minutes. How's that for easy?!

Learning any chicken marinade is such a time saver and helps chicken be an even more versatile choice for a quick and wholesome dinner. This balsamic chicken recipe has the easiest marinade that you'll ever make, and I bet you don't even need to go to the store!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

There are plenty of reasons to love this balsamic chicken marinade recipe:

  • Aside from the chicken, this marinade only needs three main ingredients, plus some herbs and spices you probably already have on hand.
  • The marinade doesn't need more than 30 minutes to be effective (but you can always do more if you have the time).
  • Marinating is EASY and gets results — the most flavorful chicken you've ever had.
Raw chicken breasts in a bowl surrounded by small bowls of salt and pepper, oregano, dried thyme and rosemary, minced garlic, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil, all labeled.

Ingredients and Substitutions

You probably already have most of these ingredients on hand! Here’s your list for this balsamic chicken marinade:

  • olive oil: Any oil with a smoke point will be fine, but in my opinion, olive oil and balsamic vinegar are a perfect pair.
  • balsamic vinegar: You can use either white or dark balsamic vinegar. To elevate the flavor even more, there are also flavored balsamic oils available. Originally, I used peach balsamic vinegar in this recipe, but changed it to be standard balsamic which is easier to find!
  • garlic: Fresh has the fullest flavor, but using minced garlic would also work.
  • seasonings: For this recipe, I used classic Mediterranean spices of dried oregano, rosemary, and thyme, along with salt and black pepper. Feel free to adjust and/or substitute the spices to your liking. An all-purpose seasoning blend would be delicious, too.
Two bowls of Pan Seared Peach Balsamic Chicken and rice on a table.

Best Chicken for Marinades

Boneless skinless chicken breasts are great for marinades, as are boneless chicken thighs. You can use bone-in chicken if you'd like, but the cooking time will be longer.

You'll want enough chicken to serve 4 people. A typical serving size is about 4 ounces, so pick up a pound, or more if you want leftovers.

How to Make Balsamic Chicken

Ready to make a delicious balsamic chicken marinade? Here’s how:

Scroll down to the recipe card for the full step by step instructions! ⬇️

A glass bowl containing a mixture of herbs, spices, and balsamic vinegar, possibly a marinade or dressing.
Four pieces of balsamic chicken cooking in a skillet, with metal tongs flipping one piece.
  1. Make the balsamic marinade and marinate the raw chicken for 30 minutes. Just whisk together the oil, vinegar, and spices and pour it into a gallon-sized zip top freezer bag or large glass bowl along with the chicken. Place in the fridge to marinate. Place in refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
  1. Cook the chicken however you like. You can grill it or pan-sear it. I like to cook it in the balsamic marinade. Sear the first side for 2-3 minutes, then flip the pieces over, put the lid on the pan, and continue cooking.

Unlike beef and pork, poultry doesn't have strands of protein or fibrous tissue to break down. So, the point of marinating is just to add flavor. This is why you only need to marinate chicken for 30 minutes!

Tips for Success

Want to take your balsamic chicken marinade to the next level? Try these tips!

  • Experiment with marinades! You can use different cuts of chicken, or even use this to marinate steak or pork. Try different herbs and spices, too.
  • Test for doneness. Ensure the chicken is cooked to the correct temperature of 165°F by using an instant read meat thermometer. Actually, you can remove it from the heat when the internal temp reaches 163°F, because "carryover cooking" brings the temp up a couple of degrees.
  • If you are pan searing, let the balsamic vinegar reduce. As the balsamic reduces, it bubbles and creates a perfect coating over the chicken. I like to kind of swish the chicken around in the balsamic reduction to make sure everything is coated nicely.
  • If only marinating for 30 minutes, you can marinate at room temperature — this will help the chicken cook more evenly.
Chicken breasts marinated with garlic and herbs are cooking in a black skillet.

Uses for Balsamic Chicken Marinade

Marinated chicken can be baked, pan-seared or grilled. Choose your own adventure!

Balsamic goes really well with Italian dishes. Cube the chicken and add it to a pasta dish like this chicken pesto pasta.

It would also be delicious over a bed of greens to make the ultimate chicken salad. Or shred it to put on a salad or into some chicken orzo soup.

Balsamic Marinade FAQ

What temperature should chicken breasts be cooked to?

When it's safe to eat, the internal temperature of poultry should be 165°F. Press the thermometer probe into the thickest part of the breast to read the temperature.

What's the difference between white balsamic vinegar and traditional balsamic vinegar?

Both of these types of balsamic are made from grapes. White balsamic has a clear color and traditional balsamic is darker in color. The other difference is that white balsamic is cooked at a lower temperature, so it's less sweet and syrupy than darker varieties.

Two bowls of Pan Seared Peach Balsamic Chicken and quinoa on a table.
Chicken breasts marinated with garlic and herbs are cooking in a black skillet.

Balsamic Chicken Marinade

For a simple dinner, make this easy Balsamic Chicken Marinade. It makes the juiciest chicken packed with flavor, with hardly any effort.
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Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Marinating Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Madison | A Joyfully Mad Kitchen

Equipment

Ingredients

Balsamic Chicken Marinade

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper

Balsamic Chicken

  • 1 recipe Balsamic Chicken Marinade
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds)

Instructions

  • To a gallon zipper-top bag, add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, oregano, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Seal the bag, and shake to combine.
  • If breasts are very thick, use a sharp knife to slice through the pieces horizontally to make them thinner. Add chicken breasts. Place in refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes. (If only marinating for 30 minutes, you can marinate at room temperature — this will help the chicken cook more evenly.)
  • Heat a large, heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and sear the first side for 2-3 minutes. You'll know that the chicken is ready to flip using tongs when the chicken breasts pull away from the pan easily and without sticking.
  • After you flip to the second side, pour the marinade over the chicken, cover the pan with a lid, and continue cooking for another 5-6 minutes.
  • Remove lid and use an instant read meat thermometer to check the internal temperature at the thickest portion of the meat. Chicken is finished cooking when the internal temperature reaches 165℉.
  • If desired, use the tongs to move the chicken around the pan to get some extra balsamic reduction on it.
  • Transfer chicken to a serving platter and let it rest for about 5 minutes, then serve.

Notes

It's crucial to use a pan that is safe for use with oil, since this marinade is oil based.
If you don't have a lid for your pan, you could cover it with foil, or finish cooking in the oven at 350°F (177°C).
You can also make this recipe with bone-in chicken, but the cooking time will be longer.

Nutrition

Serving: 4 ounces | Calories: 165kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 391mg | Potassium: 330mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 36IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg

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Hey friend, I'm Madison!

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