Chicken is a simple type of meat, very flavoursome on its own, but which also becomes tastier and juicier with a good marinade. Some solutions are very complex indeed; however, this does not mean that you have to give up a tasty meal just because you are missing some ingredients. Making a poultry marinade is a simple process, and once you know what to use, the combinations are endless. If you prefer not to try your hand at this preparation, you can always follow a simple recipe.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Make a Custom Marinade
Step 1. Learn the essential factors for a good marinade
You can use just about any ingredient, including commercial vinaigrette, though nothing beats a homemade blend; you can use a lot of products, but the trick is to keep the proportions balanced. Obviously, the various recipes provide different doses and ratios, but in general you must respect these quantities:
- 1 part of acid substance or enzyme;
- 3 parts of oil or fatty substance;
- Aromas of your choice.
Step 2. Choose an acidic ingredient or enzyme to make the meat tender
The dose depends on the amount of poultry you are cooking; you need about 30ml of acid or enzyme for each pound of meat. Here are some suggestions:
- Acid: buttermilk, lemon juice, vinegar, wine or beer;
- Enzyme: honey, milk, pineapple juice or yogurt (including Greek one).
Step 3. Choose a fat to keep the meat moist and juicy
If you are preparing 500g of chicken, you need 90ml of fat; if you need to cook larger quantities of meat, use a dose of oil that is three times that of the acid or enzyme. Here are some useful fats for this recipe:
- Oil such as almond, olive, sesame or chilli oil;
- Dairy products (such as buttermilk) or egg products (such as mayonnaise).
Step 4. Choose the flavors
Although it is possible to use only one type of fat and only one type of acid (or enzyme), you can still add different aromatic ingredients; typically, you need 15g of flavors per 500g of meat. Here are some tips to get you started:
- Fresh or dried herbs;
- Spices or chilli flakes
- Garlic;
- Onions, scallions or spring onions;
- Fresh grated ginger or citrus peel;
- Maple syrup.
Step 5. Mix the acidic substance with the fatty one and the aromas
You can use a bowl and a whisk, although a blender or food processor is more suitable because it allows you to mix the various ingredients better.
Salt is a great flavor, but you shouldn't use it for marinade; add it to the meat just before cooking it
Step 6. Place chicken breasts or legs in a non-reactive bowl
You can use a glass, ceramic or stainless steel dish; alternatively, you can opt for large sealable plastic bags. In any case, do not use aluminum containers as this metal tends to react with most acids, changing the color and flavor of the chicken.
You can marinate other cuts of poultry as well, but boneless, skinless chicken breast is the one that is worked most often with this technique, followed by the thighs
Step 7. Pour the mixture over the meat
You need about 120ml of solution per 500g of chicken. After submerging it completely, flip the chicken a few times; in this way, you allow the liquid to cover the entire surface evenly. If you have opted for a sealable plastic bag, close the zip and shake the container; alternatively, you can gently "massage" the meat into the marinade.
If any of the solution is left over, set it aside to moisten the meat after cooking
Step 8. Cover the container or zip the bag
Leave the chicken in the refrigerator for 3-12 hours. it needs to rest at a low temperature during the process to avoid the development of bacteria that would make it dangerous to eat. Remember that the longer the marinade lasts, the shorter the cooking time; as a result, the meat may be ready earlier than indicated by the recipe.
- Boneless chicken breasts only need to marinate for 2 hours.
- If you are using a sealable plastic bag, consider storing it in a baking dish so you don't get dirty in the refrigerator if it leaks.
Step 9. Cook the chicken however you like
The meat is cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 74 ° C. If after putting the chicken in the pan or on the grill there are any leftovers of solution, throw them away. Below is a short list of cooking techniques for making boneless, skinless chicken breasts:
- Baked at 180 ° C for 35-45 minutes;
- On the grill over medium heat and with a lid, 9-12 minutes per side is enough;
- Pan-fried over medium-high heat for 8-11 minutes per side.
Step 10. Let the meat rest for 10 minutes before serving
Cover it with aluminum foil during this time so it doesn't dry out. If you have been storing marinade from the start (in which you didn't put raw chicken), you can pour it over the dish before offering it to diners.
Method 2 of 2: Try Different Recipes
Step 1. Keep it simple and make a marinade with olive oil and lemon juice
Mix the ingredients listed below and pour 500 g of chicken breasts over them. Let it marinate for 2 hours before cooking the meat however you like.
- 120 ml of olive oil;
- 60 ml of lemon juice;
- 15 g of Dijon mustard;
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Step 2. Try a classic Mediterranean flavored marinade
After mixing the ingredients listed below, pour them over two large chicken breasts in a resealable bag; wait two hours before cooking the meat. If you don't have any of these fresh herbs at home, you can substitute 5g of the dried version; dry aromas are more intense than fresh ones.
- 60 ml of olive oil;
- 60 ml of balsamic vinegar;
- 1 large clove of garlic, coarsely chopped;
- 15 g of chopped fresh parsley;
- 15 g of chopped fresh basil;
- A pinch of red pepper flakes.
Step 3. If you don't like this Mediterranean preparation, you can try the one with Provencal herbs
Mix all the ingredients and pour them over two large chicken breasts placed inside a large, resealable plastic bag; let the poultry marinate for 2 hours before cooking. If you don't have fresh oregano at home, you can use 3g of dried oregano; you can replace fresh thyme with a pinch of dried one.
- 60 ml of olive oil;
- 30 ml of lemon juice;
- 1 large clove of garlic, coarsely chopped;
- 5 g of Dijon mustard;
- 5 g of chopped fresh oregano;
- 3 g of fresh thyme leaves.
Step 4. Try a teriyaki marinade to enrich the flavor of the chicken
Combine all the ingredients and pour over half a kilo of chicken breasts stored in a sealable plastic bag. Let it rest in the refrigerator for two hours before cooking the meat to your taste.
- 90 ml of pineapple juice;
- 25 ml of soy sauce;
- 5 ml of honey;
- 3 g of chopped fresh ginger.
Step 5. Make a sweet and sour marinade if you don't like pineapple juice or honey
This is another version of the teriyaki solution; again, mix all the ingredients and pour them over half a kilogram of chicken breasts. Wait at least an hour and cook as you like.
- 50 g of brown sugar;
- 60 ml of oil;
- 30 ml of soy sauce;
- 30 ml of vinegar.
Step 6. Give the coconut milk marinade a try if you like exotic flavors
Combine all the ingredients and leave two large chicken breasts in the solution; wait 2 hours before cooking the meat as you like.
- 90 ml of coconut milk;
- 3 ml of soy sauce;
- 15 g of brown sugar;
- 1 large clove of garlic, coarsely chopped;
- 3 g of chopped fresh ginger.
Step 7. Make a wine-based marinade to soften dark chicken meats, such as thighs
Mix the ingredients in a small bowl and pour 120ml of liquid over 500g of meat; save the rest to moisten the poultry after cooking. Let it rest for 3-12 hours and cook the thighs as you like.
- 120 ml of red wine vinegar;
- 80 ml of still red wine;
- 15 ml of extra virgin olive oil;
- 4 minced garlic cloves;
- 30 g of chopped fresh rosemary;
- 5 g of salt;
- A pinch of freshly ground pepper.
Advice
- Citrus and vinegar marinades soften meat more quickly than marinades containing mayonnaise or buttermilk; this means that you don't have to let the poultry rest for very long.
- Chicken should typically stay in the marinade for 3-12 hours; however, boneless and skinless breasts only need 2 hours of soaking.
- Keep the meat in the refrigerator while you marinate it.
- Use a container made of non-reactive material, such as stainless steel, glass, or plastic bags.
- Prepare about 120 ml of liquid for half a kilogram of chicken meat.
- Avoid using an excessive dose of salt if possible; it is best to add it just before cooking.
- You can blend or process the marinade in a food processor to make it smoother and more homogeneous.
Warnings
- Do not reuse the leftover marinade; if you want to use it to moisten meats during cooking, set some aside before adding the chicken.
- Do not marinate chicken in aluminum containers because this metal reacts with the acids in the liquid, altering the flavor of the meat.
