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 uninterested in. It’s the one I attain for once I want a straightforward dinner, need to toss stuff on the grill, or want a batch of rooster for any form of meal prep. The components are easy, however collectively they make rooster that’s juicy, flavorful, and something however boring. At any time when 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.

Contemporary 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 effectively with rooster breasts because it does thighs so go along with whichever one your loved ones likes greatest. I do advocate choosing boneless skinless both approach. I’ve included baking, grilling, and stovetop directions so you may cook dinner it nevertheless makes probably the most sense in your day or the time of 12 months.

Ingredient Notes

• Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed provides the perfect taste, however bottled lemon juice works if that’s what you’ve got. You’ll want about 1 lemon for 1/4 cup of juice, however generally you’ll want 2.
• Olive Oil: Common olive oil or further virgin olive oil each work.
• Lemon Pepper: Lemon pepper blends can fluctuate fairly a bit in salt content material so be careful for that.
• Dried Oregano and Basil: Follow dried herbs for this one to maintain issues easy.
• Salt: I’m simply utilizing desk salt right here.
• Purple Pepper Flakes: Fully elective, 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 cook dinner a little bit longer.

Hen Breasts vs. Thighs

This marinade works effectively with boneless skinless rooster breasts and thighs, so it actually comes down to private choice.

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

Cooking Technique Choices

One among my favourite issues about this marinade is that it really works regardless of the way you’re cooking dinner. Grill it throughout the summer season, bake it within the oven for a straightforward weeknight meal, or cook dinner it in a skillet if you don’t really feel like turning the oven on. I’ve included directions for all three strategies, so you should utilize whichever works greatest in your schedule and the climate.

Serving Options

This rooster goes with nearly all the pieces (which is why I find it irresistible 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.