Lemon Pepper Rooster Marinade

I’ve been making this lemon pepper rooster marinade for over 15 years, and it’s a type of recipes I by no means get uninterested in. It’s the one I attain for once I want a straightforward dinner, need to toss stuff on the grill, or want a batch of rooster for any kind of meal prep. The elements are easy, however collectively they make rooster that’s juicy, flavorful, and something however boring. Each time I’m undecided what to make for dinner, that is often the place I begin.

Why My Recipe

• My go-to marinade for the previous 15 years.
• Just some minutes of prep offers you juicy, flavorful rooster that’s prepared for weeknights, meal prep, or cookouts.
• Works with breasts or thighs and consists of oven, grill, and stovetop cooking choices.

Recent lemon juice does all of the heavy lifting right here, whereas lemon pepper and a few dried herbs maintain the flavour vivid with out overpowering the rooster. It really works simply as nicely with rooster breasts because it does thighs so go together with whichever one your loved ones likes finest. I do suggest choosing boneless skinless both manner. I’ve included baking, grilling, and stovetop directions so you possibly can prepare dinner it nevertheless makes probably the most sense to your day or the time of yr.

Ingredient Notes

• Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed offers the perfect taste, however bottled lemon juice works if that’s what you’ve. You’ll want about 1 lemon for 1/4 cup of juice, however typically you’ll want 2.
• Olive Oil: Common olive oil or additional 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: Follow dried herbs for this one to maintain issues easy.
• Salt: I’m simply utilizing desk salt right here.
• Crimson Pepper Flakes: Utterly non-obligatory, however they provides a light kick with out making the rooster 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 little bit longer.

Rooster Breasts vs. Thighs

This marinade works nicely with boneless skinless rooster breasts and thighs, so it actually comes down to non-public choice.

Rooster breasts are leaner and prepare dinner a little bit quicker, whereas rooster thighs have a little bit extra fats, making them additional juicy and forgiving in the event that they keep on the warmth just a few additional minutes. I exploit each repeatedly, relying on what’s on sale or what I have already got within the fridge.

Cooking Technique Choices

One among my favourite issues about this marinade is that it really works regardless of the way you’re cooking dinner. Grill it throughout the summer time, bake it within the oven for a straightforward weeknight meal, or prepare dinner it in a skillet whenever you don’t really feel like turning the oven on. I’ve included directions for all three strategies, so you should use whichever works finest to your schedule and the climate.

Serving Solutions

This rooster goes with nearly all the pieces (which is why I find it irresistible 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 straightforward dinner.

Add a Veggie: like my cheesy skillet broccoli, roasted asparagus, or maintain 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.