A quick and easy chicken meal prep recipe, this Easy Marinated Chicken is savoury, juicy and has just the right amount of sweetness and acidity for a versatile protein you can enjoy on it’s own or shred to incorporate into a variety of delicious meals.

Marinated Chicken Recipe

When I was in university, meal prepping was the key to my sanity and this marinated chicken recipe was one of my favorites.

I always had the marinade ingredients on hand, so all I had to do was buy a pack of chicken (whatever cut was on sale) and then spend a couple minutes whipping up the marinade on the stove.

I’d let the chicken soak in the marinade overnight (sometimes two nights if I forgot) and then would bake it and shred it so I could easily incorporate that delicious chicken into a variety of otherwise boring meals – everything from beans and rice to quick and easy salads… or even just a quick chicken pasta.

As a mom, I often overcomplicate things and forget that these basic recipes can really be life-savers. Having a container of pre-cooked, flavorful marinated chicken shredded and ready to go in the fridge means that I can get dinner on the table in about 10 minutes. This recipe is such a budget- and diet-saver: if I know that I will have a busy work week or my daughter’s extra-curricular schedule is well, “extra” that week, I know I can prep this ahead of time and it will save me from grabbing fast food on the way home.

This marinated chicken recipe is incredibly juicy and savoury, with just a little hit of sweetness and acidity. It’s perfectly balanced and lends itself wonderfully to being incorporated into a variety of recipes. 

How to marinate chicken: to marinate chicken, you simply mix your favorite seasonings with a liquid to soak your chicken. You can use broth, water, oil, melted butter or white wine. Place the chicken in the marinade mixture and refrigerate for a few hours to allow it to soak up the flavor and moisture from your marinade.

How long to marinate chicken: you can marinate chicken for up to three days, but you don’t need to exceed 1 day for the best flavor and if you’re pressed for time, you can just marinate for 30 minutes and still have a juicy, flavorful marinated chicken.

Can you freeze marinated chicken? If planning to prepare as a freezer meal, you can combine all ingredients in a large ziptop bag and remove as much air as possible before freezing for 1 month.

Recipes to Use This Marinated Chicken In

While this recipe is delicious on it’s own, it works double time as a meal prep ingredient that you can use to add flavorful protein to your favorite dishes. A few ideas for how to use this marinated chicken are:

• Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup
• Mix with pasta and veggies for a hearty chicken pasta recipe
• Muffin Pan Chicken Pot Pies
• Incorporate into a Chicken Salad recipe
• Italian Strawberry Arugula Salad with Chicken
• Shred the chicken and add to tacos with your favorite toppings

Check out our quick recipe video to see how easy it is to make our marinated chicken recipe – and then don’t forget to scroll down to grab your free printable recipe card:

Marinated Chicken Ingredients

• Chicken Breasts
• Olive Oil
• Lemon Juice
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Brown Sugar
• Minced Garlic
• Water
• Salt
• White Pepper
• Onion Powder
• Paprika

Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.

Tip: swap out my suggested seasonings for your personal preferences.

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful

• 9″ x 13″ Casserole Dish <– I love these Pyrex dishes with fitted lids for easy transportation to parties or leftover storage
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Mixing Bowl
• Whisk

How to Make Marinated Chicken

Place the chicken breasts in a 9″ x 13″ casserole dish and set aside.

Place the brown sugar and water in a small microwave-safe dish and melt for 20 seconds. 

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice and Worchestershire sauce.

Add the melted brown sugar to the olive oil mixture, then stir in the garlic and seasonings.

Pour the marinade over the chicken.

Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight.

Preheat oven to 425F.

Bake chicken for 30 minutes, then flip and continue baking for 5-10 minutes until an inserted meat thermometer reaches 165F.

Pin this Marinated Chicken recipe for your next meal prep session:

Grab your free printable recipe card for our marinated chicken recipe:

I’d love to hear what recipes you incorporate this marinated chicken recipe into – and any adjustments you make to make it your own!

For more ways to enjoy chicken, check out our full chicken recipe collection here: