Skip to content

How to marinate chicken breasts

Maximise your marinating this summer and learn how to intensify the flavour of chicken breasts with our simple step-by-step guide.

  1. Mix the marinade

    For a simple marinade that’s great with chicken (as well as fish), mix 6 tbsp lemon juice with 6 tbsp olive oil, 1 crushed garlic clove and a few sprigs of thyme or rosemary. Season.

    Mix the marinade
  2. Butterfly the chicken

    Butterfly the chicken breasts to make them thinner and ensure that they cook all the way through. To do this, place the chicken breast on a board and lay one hand flat on top, then use a sharp knife to carefully cut horizontally through the middle almost all the way though. Open out and lay flat.

    Butterfly the chicken
  3. Shake and coat

    Put the chicken and the marinade in a large ziplock bag and seal it closed. Gently shake to ensure all the chicken is coated. Put the bag in a large dish in the fridge and leave for 2-3 hours, gently shaking the bag occasionally to ensure the meat marinates evenly.

    Shake and coat
  4. Cooking time

    About 20 minutes before cooking, remove the chicken from the fridge and drain off the marinade and discard. The meat needs to be at room temperature to cook evenly. Cook the butterflied breasts over direct heat on one side for 3 minutes, then flip over and cook for another 3 minutes. Then cook for another 3 minutes on each side. Check the chicken is cooked through by making a small cut into the thickest part of one – there should be no pink showing.

    Cooking time
  5. Serve and enjoy

    Scatter some fresh chopped parsley or thyme leaves over the cooked chicken and serve.

    Serve and enjoy
  6. Ingredients

    We've made a handy shopping list so you can get everything you need to make this comforting dinner. Don't forget to screenshot before you go shopping!

    6 lemons, juiced
    Olive oil
    1 garlic clove, crushed
    A few sprigs of thyme or rosemary,
    2 chicken breasts
    Fresh parsley, chopped