Easy Chicken Marinade
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
5 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Marinade Time
30 mins
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Total Time
50 mins
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Servings
4 people
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Calories
297 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Easy Chicken Marinade
Description
Easy Chicken Marinade combines ranch dressing with olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, white vinegar, lemon juice, minced garlic, and black pepper to create a creamy and tangy marinade. The chicken breasts are sliced or pounded to ensure they cook evenly and absorb the marinade fully during about 30 minutes to overnight. Crispy bacon is cooked separately and crumbled to top the finished chicken, adding a smoky contrast. Cooking is flexible: chicken can be pan-seared in bacon drippings or olive oil, grilled, or baked in the oven at 425°F. Baking is done in a greased dish with some reserved marinade and water to keep the chicken moist. This method yields tender, flavorful chicken with a slightly tangy and rich taste from the marinade and bacon. The dish pairs well with a variety of potato sides and vegetables, with options to top the chicken with melted cheddar and bacon for a richer meal.
Ingredients
- 5 Bacon I prefer Oscar Meyer, thick cut, strips
- 2 chicken breast large, boneless, skinless
Marinade
- ½ cup ranch dressing I use Hidden Valley
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar distilled
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Note: This marinade can be made without bacon and the chicken can also be cooked on the grill if preferred. See notes for instructions on baking in the oven.
- Pat the chicken dry and slice in half lengthwise to create 2 thinner pieces of equal size. If you prefer thinner chicken, place saran wrap over the top and pound it to about 3/4 -inch thick. It will plump up more when cooked.
- Combine the marinade ingredients. Reserve 1/3 cup of the marinade and use the rest to cover the chicken. Marinate for 30 minutes or so. (Overnight works too.)
- Meanwhile, cook the bacon slowly over low heat, flipping occasionally until crispy. Set aside and crumble once cool.
- Reserve 2 TBS bacon drippings. (If you don’t have enough, use olive oil instead.)
- Clean the pan or use a new one. A 13-inch pan is a great size for this recipe.
- Heat the drippings over medium-high heat. Once it’s warm and glistening, and add the chicken. Leave a generous amount of marinade on each piece when it goes into the pan.
- Sear on each side for 5-6 minutes, until a crisp golden sear is obtained. As the chicken cooks, add the reserved 1/3 cup marinade to the pan and spoon it over the chicken as it cooks. I like to lift the pan and rotate it to evenly distribute the liquid throughout.
- Once the chicken is seared on each side and the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees, remove from heat and garnish with bacon. Spoon any remaining sauce on top prior to serving!
Notes
- Serve with potato-based sides or roasted vegetables as preferred.
- Optional: Melt cheddar on top of cooked chicken and add bacon crumbles for extra flavor.
- To bake, preheat oven to 425°F, lightly grease dish, add reserved marinade and water, then bake chicken uncovered until 165°F internal temperature.
- Bacon can be cooked on stovetop while chicken bakes for efficiency.
- Grilling option: cook chicken over medium-high heat without disturbance, approximately 4-7 minutes per side depending on thickness.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 297 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 297kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 2g | 1% |
| Protein | 16g | 32% |
| Fat | 25g | 38% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 58mg | 19% |
| Sodium | 400mg | 17% |
| Potassium | 292mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 34IU | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 2mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 12mg | 1% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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