If you’re new to cooking, I have one word for you: marinades. They are very forgiving and cover a multitude of sins.

Or perhaps you’re bored with plain ole chicken night after night. Again, marinades. They’re a fantastic way to infuse interest and flavor!

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This particular lemon and fresh herb marinade is incredibly versatile! It comes together easily and works well with all cuts of chicken: breasts, thighs, wings, and drumsticks. Note: it tastes even better when you grill the chicken over an open flame! Finally, it doesn’t require as much time as most to infuse fantastic flavor, as little as 30 minutes (though we recommend 3 hours).

NOTE: We use fresh herbs when we have them on hand, but this recipe still tastes amazing using dried herbs from your spice cabinet.

Lemon Herb Chicken Marinade
(Original recipe: Cafe Delites)

1-3 pounds your choice of chicken pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (approx 1 lemon)
2 TBSP water
2 TBSP red wine vinegar
2 TBSP fresh chopped parsley
2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients (except chicken) and whisk well. Pour over chicken and let them marinate in the fridge between 30 minutes and 3 hours (the longer you let it marinate, the more flavor you’ll get). Pull the chicken and marinade out of the fridge for 30 minutes prior to grilling to let it come to room temperature. Grill properly according to the cut of chicken you are using; minimum temperature should reads 165°F. Let your chicken rest for 10 minutes before serving.