Lemon Pepper Rooster Marinade

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

Contemporary lemon juice does all of the heavy lifting right here, whereas lemon pepper and a few dried herbs preserve the flavour brilliant with out overpowering the hen. It really works simply as properly with hen breasts because it does thighs so go along with whichever one your loved ones likes finest. I do advocate choosing boneless skinless both means. I’ve included baking, grilling, and stovetop directions so you’ll be able to prepare dinner it nonetheless makes probably the most sense on 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 may have. 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 range 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.
• Crimson Pepper Flakes: Fully non-obligatory, however they provides a light kick with out making the hen overly spicy.
• Boneless Skinless Rooster Breasts or Thighs: Each work nice. Rooster thighs are naturally extra forgiving and keep juicy even when they prepare dinner slightly longer.

Rooster Breasts vs. Thighs

This marinade works properly with boneless skinless hen breasts and thighs, so it actually comes down to non-public desire.

Rooster breasts are leaner and prepare dinner slightly quicker, whereas hen thighs have slightly 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 recurrently, relying on what’s on sale or what I have already got within the fridge.

Cooking Methodology 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 in the course of the summer season, bake it within the oven for a simple weeknight meal, or prepare dinner it in a skillet whenever you don’t really feel like turning the oven on. I’ve included directions for all three strategies, so you should use whichever works finest on your schedule and the climate.

Serving Options

This hen 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 simple dinner.

Add a Veggie: like my cheesy skillet broccoli, roasted asparagus, or preserve it tremendous easy by utilizing 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.