Lemon Pepper Rooster Marinade

I’ve been making this lemon pepper hen marinade for over 15 years, and it’s a kind of recipes I by no means get bored with. It’s the one I attain for after I want a simple dinner, need to toss something on the grill, or want a batch of hen for any form of meal prep. The elements are easy, however collectively they make hen that’s juicy, flavorful, and something however boring. At any time when I’m undecided what to make for dinner, that is normally 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 shiny 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 manner. I’ve included baking, grilling, and stovetop directions so you may prepare dinner it nevertheless makes essentially the most sense to your day or the time of 12 months.

Ingredient Notes

• Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed offers the perfect taste, however bottled lemon juice works if that’s what you will have. You’ll want about 1 lemon for 1/4 cup of juice, however typically 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: Keep on with dried herbs for this one to maintain issues easy.
• Salt: I’m simply utilizing desk salt right here.
• Purple Pepper Flakes: Utterly optionally available, 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 a bit longer.

Rooster Breasts vs. Thighs

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

Rooster breasts are leaner and prepare dinner a bit sooner, whereas hen thighs have a 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 usually, relying on what’s on sale or what I have already got within the fridge.

Cooking Technique Choices

Considered one of my favourite issues about this marinade is that it really works irrespective of the way you’re cooking dinner. Grill it through the summer time, bake it within the oven for a simple weeknight meal, or prepare 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 need to use whichever works finest to your schedule and the climate.

Serving Recommendations

This hen goes with nearly every part (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 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.