This balsamic grilled chicken recipe makes the most juicy and succulent boneless skinless chicken breasts EVER! Made with a simple 4 ingredient balsamic chicken marinade and just 10 minutes of marinating time.
Juicy Balsamic Grilled Chicken
Allow me to introduce you to one of my family's favorite grilled chicken recipes... This delicious balsamic grilled chicken is a MUST-TRY recipe!
This easy recipe starts with a super simple marinade. With just a handful of ingredients, it transforms boring, blah boneless skinless chicken breasts into juicy and succulent grilled chicken that you will crave -- all in under 30 minutes!
- 4 INGREDIENT CHICKEN MARINADE - The tangy balsamic vinegar marinade uses just four simple ingredients but gives maximum flavor.
- JUICY GRILLED CHICKEN - The flavorful balsamic vinaigrette marinade + high-heat grilling = the juiciest chicken.
- ULTRA VERSATILE CHICKEN RECIPE - Perfect for meal prep! And works with boneless skinless chicken thighs, as well as chicken breasts.
- EASY WEEKNIGHT DINNER - Learn how I marinate chicken fast to get dinner on the table in no time.
This balsamic chicken recipe is a weeknight dinner staple. We pair it with some Instant Pot sweet potatoes or sauteed green beans, which I start on while the chicken is marinating. Then I use the period when the chicken breasts are resting after grilling to cut up some fresh fruit and/or throw together a simple side salad.
Talk about an EASY dinner option for busy evenings!
Balsamic Chicken Marinade Ingredients
All basic marinades start with an oil and an acid, and this 4 ingredient chicken marinade is no exception. For this tangy balsamic marinade, we'll start with extra virgin olive oil and, you guessed it, balsamic vinegar.
Here are all of the ingredients you’ll need for this easy marinade:
- 🫒 Olive oil: Use a quality extra virgin olive oil for best results.
- Balsamic vinegar: No need to use a high-end aged balsamic, but I recommend looking for one that does not contain added sugar.
- 🧂 Italian seasoning: This earthy combination of dried oregano, marjoram, thyme, basil, rosemary, and sage is one of my favorite all-purpose spice mixes. However, not all brands are the same, so make sure to read my note below.
- 🧄 Garlic cloves: Crushed fresh garlic cloves add depth of flavor.
NOTE: Find quantities and detailed instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
Simply whisk together the oil and vinegar mixture in a small bowl, along with plenty of fresh garlic, Italian seasoning, and some salt and pepper. Place the chicken breasts in a plastic Ziploc marinade bag or other resealable bag, pour the marinade over top of them, and seal.
A Note On Italian Seasoning Blends
Recently, I received a comment on Pinterest that said this recipe contains too much Italian seasoning. Having made this recipe many, MANY times with excellent results, I was little surprised by this.
After doing some investigating, I discovered that there is a great deal of variation in the texture of the dried herbs between different brands. Some have a coarse texture and some are a more finely ground powder.
This balsamic vinegar chicken marinade recipe was tested with my favorite Simply Organic Italian seasoning, which has a very coarse texture. I suspect that the person that left the comment used one of the ground blends, which would definitely be overpowering if you don't cut back on the quantity.
If you choose to use a ground blend, I recommend starting with a half tablespoon and adding more to taste.
How To Marinate Chicken Fast
We all want juicy and tender chicken breasts without marinating them for hours, right? Well, I'll let you in on my secret for marinating chicken in a fraction of the typical time...
If you want to super speed up the marination process, this meat tenderizer is your new favorite kitchen gadget! The sharp blades easily pierce the meat, creating pockets which allows this balsamic marinade for chicken to penetrate your meat far more quickly. This significantly reduces the minimum marinating time for these balsamic chicken breasts to as little as 10 minutes!
Use the tenderizer to stab the chicken breasts all over, drop them into the marinade bag, and then pour in the balsamic marinade. Close the bag tightly and squish them around to coat the chicken completely. Place the bag on a plate and marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes.
Don't have a meat tenderizer? Slicing the boneless chicken breasts into strips is another simple way to speed things up, because it allows more surface area to come into contact with the marinade.
You can also skip the tenderizing step and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours. I really don't recommend any longer, because the acid can actually cause the chicken to start to break down resulting in mushy and stringy chicken.
However, freezing halts the marination process. So you CAN mix it up ahead of time and freeze the chicken breasts in it. Then just thaw it in the fridge and grill at a later time.
How To Make Grilled Balsamic Chicken
After your chicken breasts have completed their soak in the marinade, it's time to throw them on a hot grill. Grill over medium-high heat until the chicken breasts register 160 degrees, about 8-10 minutes per side. If you don't have an outdoor grill, you can achieve similar results by cooking your chicken indoors on a grill pan on your stove top.
I recently picked up this digital meat thermometer, and it's really upped my grilling game! It makes it super easy to check whether meat is grilled to perfection without cutting into it.
PRO TIP: The key to juicy chicken breasts is to let them rest after grilling! Transfer the cooked chicken to a platter. Tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes before serving. SO good!!
Featured Review
I NEVER leave reviews, but I had to for this recipe. This chicken breast is amazing and so flavorful. Definitely a keeper!!
- Elle
Juicy Balsamic Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 4-oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning*
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
- Tenderize the chicken breasts using a meat tenderizer. Then place them in a Ziploc bag, and pour the marinade mixture over top. Close the bag tightly and squish it around to coat the chicken. Place the bag on a plate and marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes or in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours.
- Discard the excess marinade. Clean and oil your grill grates. Then grill chicken over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes per side, until the internal temperature of the chicken reads 160°F. This simple and inexpensive digital meat thermometer will change your grilling game forever!
- Remove the chicken breasts to a platter to rest and cover with a tent of aluminum foil for 10 minutes.
Notes
This balsamic vinegar chicken marinade recipe has been tested with my go-to brand of Italian seasoning. It is a coarser mix then most other Italian seasonings. If you use a brand that is more finely ground or powder-like, I recommend starting with a half tablespoon and adding more to taste.
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Best Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
Wondering where to get the very BEST boneless skinless chicken breasts? I received the chicken breasts used in this post in a sample box I received from ButcherBox, and I have to say, they were honestly some of the very best chicken breasts I've ever had! Partly because of this delicious 4 ingredient chicken marinade, but also because they were just really high quality meat.
I'll share more about ButcherBox soon, but if you're interested in checking it out before then, use this link to get a FREE ground beef for life! Yep, you'll receive 2-lbs. of 100% grass-fed ground beef in every order for the life of your membership. This is seriously SUCH an amazing value...
More Grilling Recipes
If you like this marinated grilled chicken recipe, you might also enjoy these other delicious grilling recipes:
- Garlic Lime Grilled Pork Kabobs
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin Recipe
- BBQ Grilled Chicken In Foil Packets
- Grilled Honey Lime Chicken
Did you make this recipe?
I'd love to see how your balsamic grilled chicken turns out... Tag me @Unsophisticook on Instagram or use the hashtag #Unsophisticook so I can check it out. Enjoy!
Bert says
It was as promised. I think it needs some more garlic and/or more marinade time. I'll make it again but will tweak it a bit.
Elle says
I NEVER leave reviews, but I had to for this recipe. This chicken breast is amazing and so flavorful. Definitely a keeper!!
Anne says
I don’t have a grill. Would you recommend baking of pan cooking instead?
Tara Kuczykowski says
Hi Anne! You could use either method. The most important thing is to cook the chicken breasts until they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
Andrea says
I've made this recipe many times, but I usually make it "kabob" style. I use this to marinate the chicken and then add the chicken and veggies to skewers and grill. Perfect and easy! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Tara Kuczykowski says
Great idea -- we love kabobs, too!!
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Kourtney says
So yummy and easy! The meat was so tender and juicy. Will definitely make again!
Tara Kuczykowski says
Thanks, Kourtney -- so glad you enjoyed it!!
Cathy says
I’m in love! I only had Pomegranate Balsamic in my pantry so it was sweet, but added some crushed chili peppers to the marinade to balance the sweetness. Loved it!
Tara Kuczykowski says
That sounds amazing -- glad you enjoyed it!!
Courtney says
So easy and delicious!
lauren kelly says
My family loves balsamic chiken! I can't wait to make this!
Courtney says
I love that this is Whole 30 friendly! Making this on repeat! Thank you!
Steph says
This marinade was so good and SO easy to make!
Katerina @ diethood .com says
This looks incredibly delicious!! The perfect weeknight dinner!
Brandi says
Do you think I can use thighs in this recipe ? I tried with breast and it was phenomenal!
Tara Kuczykowski says
So glad you loved it, Brandi! While I haven't personally tried it with thighs, I definitely think it should be delicious, as well. I have used it on pork chops, and they were amazing! Oh, and if you like chicken thighs, check this recipe out: https://unsophisticook.com/baked-chicken-thighs/
kim says
What a delicious recipe! Loving the flavors in this one!
Alyssa says
OK, I feel really dumb because I've been cooking/grilling for years and it's never occurred to me to use a meat tenderizer to allow the marinade to soak in. I am ordering one today and trying it ASAP! Thank you for the tip.
Tara Kuczykowski says
Yes! I'm not a big believer in keeping tons of kitchen gadgets around, but this one's a keeper.
Debalina Mitra says
Beautiful flavours! I am drooling already. Once marinated and refrigerated till the right time, it's very easy then. I am going to try this for dinner maybe with a bowl of herbed rice and lentils.
sue says
Ok, I'm so jealous that you did Whole 30! And if all the eating is as good as this succulent chicken, I think I might have to jump in myself :)
Christina says
This is the perfect weeknight recipe! So much flavor!
Cliona Keane says
Super tender and full of flavour! Perfect with rice or steamed veggies.
Jackie says
I make this regularly for meal prep and LOVE it. I found it doing whole30 and now doing Keto but would really make it anytime because its so flavorful. Husband likes it too! Thanks for sharing!!
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
Thanks for the feedback, Jackie! It's my go-to marinade, too. If you have a chance, I'd love to hear what your favorite Keto resources are. Is there a book you recommend? I've been thinking about giving it a try!
Jackie says
I make this regularly for meal prep and LOVE it. I found it doing whole30 and now doing Keto but would really make it anytime because its so flavorful. Husband likes it too! Thanks for sharing!!
Jen says
Can you instapot these after marinating? I don’t have a grill.
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
Hi Jen! I haven't tried it myself, but I'm sure you could. I'd just use whatever settings you normally use for fresh chicken breasts. I'd love to hear how they turn out for you!
Susan says
Great tip on meat tenderizer, I had in drawer and only used for "cubed Steak" i haven't cooked in many years! Definitely sped up the process. Breasts were delicious!
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
So happy to hear that, Susan! I use the tenderizer more than I ever thought I would. It makes marinating all different meats so quick. Like pork -- this marinade is wonderful on it, as well!
Susan says
Great tip on meat tenderizer, I had in drawer and only used for "cubed Steak" i haven't cooked in many years! Definitely sped up the process. Breasts were delicious!