Lemon Pepper Hen Marinade

I’ve been making this lemon pepper hen marinade for over 15 years, and it’s a kind of recipes I by no means get bored with. It’s the one I attain for after I want a simple dinner, wish to toss something on the grill, or want a batch of hen for any type of meal prep. The substances are easy, however collectively they make hen that’s juicy, flavorful, and something however boring. At any time when I’m undecided what to make for dinner, that is normally the place I begin.

Recent lemon juice does all of the heavy lifting right here, whereas lemon pepper and a few dried herbs maintain the flavour shiny with out overpowering the hen. It really works simply as properly with hen breasts because it does thighs so go along with whichever one your loved ones likes greatest. I do advocate choosing boneless skinless both manner. I’ve included baking, grilling, and stovetop directions so you may cook dinner it nevertheless makes probably the most sense on your day or the time of 12 months.

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 generally you’ll want 2.
• Olive Oil: Common olive oil or additional virgin olive oil each work.
• Lemon Pepper: Lemon pepper blends can range fairly a bit in salt content material so be careful for that.
• Dried Oregano and Basil: Persist with dried herbs for this one to maintain issues easy.
• Salt: I’m simply utilizing desk salt right here.
• Crimson Pepper Flakes: Utterly optionally available, however they provides a light kick with out making the hen overly spicy.
• Boneless Skinless Hen Breasts or Thighs: Each work nice. Hen thighs are naturally extra forgiving and keep juicy even when they cook dinner a bit longer.

Hen Breasts vs. Thighs

This marinade works properly with boneless skinless hen breasts and thighs, so it actually comes down to private choice.

Hen breasts are leaner and cook dinner a bit quicker, whereas hen thighs have a bit extra fats, making them additional juicy and forgiving in the event that they keep on the warmth a couple of additional minutes. I exploit each repeatedly, relying on what’s on sale or what I have already got within the fridge.

Cooking Technique Choices

Considered one of my favourite issues about this marinade is that it really works regardless of the way you’re cooking dinner. Grill it in the course of the summer season, bake it within the oven for a simple weeknight meal, or cook dinner it in a skillet while you don’t really feel like turning the oven on. I’ve included directions for all three strategies, so you should utilize whichever works greatest on your schedule and the climate.

Serving Options

This hen goes with nearly all the things (which is why I adore it 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 simple dinner.

Add a Veggie: like my cheesy skillet broccoli, roasted asparagus, or maintain it tremendous easy by utilizing 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.