Lemon Pepper Hen Marinade

I’ve been making this lemon pepper rooster marinade for over 15 years, and it’s a kind of recipes I by no means get bored with. It’s the one I attain for once I want a straightforward dinner, need to toss something on the grill, or want a batch of rooster for any type of meal prep. The components are easy, however collectively they make rooster that’s juicy, flavorful, and something however boring. Each time I’m unsure what to make for dinner, that is normally the place I begin.

Why My Recipe

• My go-to marinade for the previous 15 years.
• Only a few minutes of prep provides you juicy, flavorful rooster that’s prepared for weeknights, meal prep, or cookouts.
• Works with breasts or thighs and consists of oven, grill, and stovetop cooking choices.

Recent lemon juice does all of the heavy lifting right here, whereas lemon pepper and a few dried herbs hold the flavour vivid with out overpowering the rooster. It really works simply as nicely with rooster breasts because it does thighs so go along with whichever one your loved ones likes finest. I do suggest choosing boneless skinless both approach. I’ve included baking, grilling, and stovetop directions so you’ll be able to prepare dinner it nevertheless makes essentially the most sense to your day or the time of yr.

Ingredient Notes

• Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed provides the most effective taste, however bottled lemon juice works if that’s what you could have. You’ll want about 1 lemon for 1/4 cup of juice, however typically you’ll want 2.
• Olive Oil: Common olive oil or further virgin olive oil each work.
• Lemon Pepper: Lemon pepper blends can differ fairly a bit in salt content material so be careful for that.
• Dried Oregano and Basil: Stick to dried herbs for this one to maintain issues easy.
• Salt: I’m simply utilizing desk salt right here.
• Pink Pepper Flakes: Utterly non-compulsory, however they provides a gentle kick with out making the rooster overly spicy.
• Boneless Skinless Hen Breasts or Thighs: Each work nice. Hen thighs are naturally extra forgiving and keep juicy even when they prepare dinner a bit longer.

Hen Breasts vs. Thighs

This marinade works nicely with boneless skinless rooster breasts and thighs, so it actually comes down to non-public choice.

Hen breasts are leaner and prepare dinner a bit quicker, whereas rooster thighs have a bit extra fats, making them further juicy and forgiving in the event that they keep on the warmth a couple of further minutes. I take advantage of each repeatedly, relying on what’s on sale or what I have already got within the fridge.

Cooking Technique Choices

Certainly one of my favourite issues about this marinade is that it really works irrespective of the way you’re cooking dinner. Grill it through the summer time, bake it within the oven for a straightforward weeknight meal, or prepare dinner it in a skillet once you don’t really feel like turning the oven on. I’ve included directions for all three strategies, so you should utilize whichever works finest to your schedule and the climate.

Serving Strategies

This rooster goes with nearly the whole lot (which is why I adore it a lot).

Add a Starch: Serve it with rice (my easy cheesy rice pilaf is a fav), roasted potatoes (like my garlic and herb smashed potatoes), or buttered noodles (or my olive oil pasta) for a straightforward dinner.

Add a Veggie: like my cheesy skillet broccoli, roasted asparagus, or hold it tremendous easy through the use of my frozen veggie hacks.

Different Choices: It’s additionally nice sliced over Caesar salad, tucked into wraps, or served in grain bowls for meal prep lunches.