Marinated Italian Chicken
This Marinated Italian Chicken is the only grilled chicken recipe that you will ever need. The flavorful and healthy dinner requires just 5 ingredients!
Servings 4 - 6 people
Calories 323kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise (I used Hellman’s Light)
- 1 cup Italian dressing (I used Wish-Bone Italian dressing)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Italian dressing, garlic powder and red pepper. Place chicken in a dish or in a large Ziploc bag. Pour marinade over top. Toss to coat the chicken with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes (or up to 12 hours).
- Remove chicken from the dish. Discard marinade. Allow chicken to sit on the counter at room temp while you prepare the grill.
- Heat a nonstick pan, grill pan, or outdoor grill over medium-high heat. Coat grill or pan with about a teaspoon of oil so that the chicken doesn’t stick. Sear or grill chicken on each side until golden, crispy and cooked through (about 5 minutes per side for small, thin chicken breasts or up to 10-12 minutes per side for larger, thick chicken breasts). The meat is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Notes
- Make sure that you allow at least 20 minutes for the chicken to marinate. You can leave the meat in this particular marinade for up to 12 hours, so it's a great prep-ahead option that you can assemble in the morning before work.
- Wrapped tightly, the grilled chicken breast will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- You can also store the chicken in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- You can enjoy the leftover grilled chicken cold -- straight from the fridge -- or you can reheat the chicken in a 325 degree F oven just until it's warmed through, about 15 minutes (be careful that you don't bake it for too long or it will become dry).
- I prefer Wish-Bone Italian dressing for this marinade, but any similar variety will work.
- The length of time that it takes to cook your chicken will depend on the size and thickness of your meat. When grilled over medium-high heat (on the outdoor grill or indoor on the stovetop), a thin, small chicken breast will require about 5 minutes per side. Larger, thicker pieces of chicken will need up to 10-12 minutes per side. I always recommend using a meat thermometer to know when your chicken breast is perfectly done. The meat should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Grilled chicken breast is a healthy dinner that's high in protein and low in calories. Assuming that each marinated chicken breast has about 2 tablespoon of marinade, a large 8-ounce piece of chicken has 323 calories, 10 grams of fat, just 2.5 grams of carbohydrates, and a whopping 52 grams of protein!
- You can use this grilled chicken marinade for chicken thighs as well.
- For a shorter cooking time, cut large chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create thinner pieces of meat.
- To bake the chicken breast in the oven, remove the chicken from the marinade and bake in a 425 degree F oven for 30-35 minutes (for smaller chicken breasts) or about 45-50 minutes for very thick, large chicken breasts.
- Prepare this grilled chicken breast on the stove by using a nonstick skillet or griddle, or an indoor grill pan. Heat the pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat and cook the chicken according to the instructions below.
- If you're cooking for just two people, you can prepare 1 lb. of chicken breasts and cut the marinade ingredients in half as well.
Nutrition
Serving: 1(8 ounce) marinated chicken breast | Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 2.5g | Protein: 52.2g | Fat: 10.3g | Saturated Fat: 1.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 136.5mg | Sodium: 516mg | Sugar: 1g