Healthy Grilled Chicken Marinade

Grilled chicken has been a favorite entrée of mine for as long as I can remember. You’ll never run out of flavor combinations and side dishes when cooking this lean meat! And who doesn’t love the aroma of a fired up grill on a warm summer’s day? This healthy grilled chicken marinade is a super simple dinner option for when you’re short on time or just looking for a tender and juicy chicken option.

Healthy Grilled Chicken Marinade

Apart from the delicious taste of grilled meats, marinating chicken ahead of time also shaves off some time in the kitchen! I created this healthy grilled chicken marinade recipe last summer for a new take on some chicken and veggie kebabs, but have since enjoyed using it for chicken breasts as well!

I don’t think I’ve ever met someone (busy mommas I’m looking at you 😉 ) who would complain about less time spent prepping dinner! Although I sincerely enjoy cooking, I will always appreciate a quick and easy dinner after a long day or when we’re short on time. Cooking out usually means an easy clean up afterwards, so it’s a win-win in my book!

For this specific recipe I’ve chosen a few simple ingredients that you’re likely pretty familiar with and may already have in your kitchen. Honey and Dijon mustard are the base with some coconut aminos, lemon juice and dried herbs and spices added in.

Coconut aminos (sap from a coconut tree) is a favorite staple of Paleo lovers. It’s typically used to replace soy sauce in a recipe because of it’s lower sodium content, but can truly be used in a wide variety of ways. It has been one of my go to ingredients for the last few years since adopting more of a clean eating diet.

If you don’t have any honey you can easily sub in some pure maple syrup (another favorite ingredient of mine!) Likewise you can replace the lemon juice with orange or lime juice if need be.

For this healthy grilled chicken breast marinade recipe simply gather up your ingredients and whisk together in a bowl. You’ll want to remove 2 tablespoons of the marinade and place inside an airtight container in the fridge (for basting the grilled chicken). Then add your prepped chicken breasts to a bowl, pour the marinade in to thoroughly coat the chicken, cover with foil and pop into the fridge for a couple of hours.

Side Dish Ideas For Grilled Chicken

There are so many wonderful summer salads and side dishes that pair perfectly with grilled chicken. A few of my favorites are listed below.

• Avocado cucumber salad
• Potato salad
• Baked potato with sea salt and nutritional yeast
• Corn on the cob with dill lemon butter
• Grilled veggies (bell peppers, onion, zucchini, mushrooms)
• Parmesan zucchini and corn
• Grilled Asparagus
• Steamed broccoli and carrots with ghee and lemon juice
• Side salad- fruit or veggie

RELATED: PEACH SUMMER SALAD WITH CHICKEN

Do I Need to Marinate Chicken Before Grilling?

Marinating chicken before grilling isn’t essential, but it may be on the dry side if you skip this important step. By allowing the chicken to soak in the flavorful juices of a marinade you will not only lock in some extra flavor, but also help tenderize it.

As far as how long you should marinate chicken for, I would recommend around two hours. If you’re short on time even 30 minutes will still make a difference. You can also poke some holes in your chicken breast meat with a fork to allow the marinade to penetrate further.

Marinades often contain some sort of acid (such as the lemon juice in this recipe) which can begin to break down the meat a bit too much. Although you can use this recipe as an overnight chicken marinade, I wouldn’t allow the chicken to sit for more than 24 hours before cooking.

How Healthy is Grilled Chicken?

In case you’re searching for a lighter meal and wondering how healthy grilled chicken is… I’ve got good news for you! Obviously it will depend on the type of seasonings you choose, but overall grilled chicken is a healthy lean meat, and a great alternative to a greasy burger or bratwurst.

A few simple ingredients- typically herbs, spices, an acid (vinegar, citrus juice etc.), and oil can go a long way in creating a flavor packed dinner that is light on calories. A typical 4 oz grilled chicken breast will be around 200 calories give or take.

Easy Healthy Grilled Chicken Marinade Recipe

Here’s a super easy healthy grilled chicken marinade for those busy weeknights when you’re short on time or just looking to mix up the flavor combinations.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 Pound chicken breasts
• ¼ cup honey
• 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
• ½ Tbsp Coconut aminos
• 1 tsp Lemon juice
• ¼ tsp of both Thyme and parsley
• 1/8 tsp Crushed red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Prep chicken breasts (cut off any fat, slice thin if desired)
2. Gather all of your ingredients and whisk together in a medium sized bowl.
3. Remove 2 Tbsp of marinade and store in a mini air tight container in the fridge (this will be used to baste the chicken once it’s cooking on the grill)
4. Add the chicken to the bowl of marinade and thoroughly coat each piece. Leave the chicken in the bowl and cover with tin foil.
5. Place the marinating chicken in the fridge for 2 hours
6. When you’re ready to cook simply preheat your grill to around 400
7. Heat thoroughly until cooked through, flipping occasionally (usually takes between 12-20 minutes depending on the thickness of your chicken).

I hope that you enjoy this healthy grilled chicken marinade and it becomes a new summertime favorite!