Name: Basil Balsamic Marinated Chicken Thighs
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 18 min
Ingredients: 4 boneless (skinless chicken thighs); 1/2 cup fresh basil; 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 tsp salt; 1 tsp pepper; 3 cloves of garlic; 2 tablespoons lemon pepper; 4 cups spinach or mixed greens; drizzle of balsamic glaze

One of my favorite ways to whip up a healthy meal is grilling! The charred flavor you can get, the smell of the marinated chicken floats through the air and it just feels amazing. How do I incorporate the freshness of a summer night into a hearty, delicious meal? Marinate the chicken in a bright basil vinaigrette! This basil balsamic chicken is just the ticket.

This recipe was inspired by a recent recipe I made by Half Baked Harvest where you grill the whole chicken and serve with a balsamic vinaigrette. If you've never cooked a whole chicken, this is a great recipe to start with! I absolutely loved the basil vinaigrette and decided to make my own, and marinate the chicken in it instead of serve on the side.

How To Make A Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette?

It really is quite simple! You may be thinking, do basil and balsamic really go together? YES! The fresh and pungent sweet basil is perfection when paired with the tang of a balsamic vinegar.

How do you make a vinaigrette? My simple solution to making this vinaigrette is a blender cup! You could sit and whisk forever, but throw all of the ingredients in the cup and let the blender do it for you!

Combine vinegar, oil, herbs, & spices in the blender cup
Blend on high until it starts to become a little lighter in color. This will ensure that it has emulsified!

Then you can use this Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette as a marinade or an amazing salad dressing. If you need to know how to make the best salads, head to this Peach Prosciutto Salad Blog!

How Do You Marinate Chicken

Marinating chicken is one of the most simple ways to pack a lot of flavor into a little piece of protein! It requires very little effort which I love.

How long do you marinate chicken? It doesn't matter if it is chicken breast or thighs, my preference to get the most flavor is a minimum marinade time of 2-3 hours. However, you could freeze the chicken in the marinade in a Ziplock and save it for another day! If it's in the fridge, I would let it go overnight, then cook!

What is in a marinade? I like to load my marinades with plenty of acidity and spices! Think lemon juice, lime juice, and vinegars because these help tenderize the meat. Garlic powder is always a sure thing and a little bit of oil!

How to cook marinated chicken? This is totally up to you! The flavor has been locked in by the time you've taken to marinade. Some options include: grilling, baking, pan searing, and even air frying!

Basil Balsamic Marinated Chicken Thighs

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup fresh basil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
3 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons lemon pepper
4 cups spinach or mixed greens

In a blender cup combine fresh basil, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Blend on high for 30 seconds until thoroughly combined.
In a mixing bowl add your chicken things and pour the marinade over.
Set in the fridge for at least an hour
Pre heat grill to 400 degrees and cook the chicken fro 7-8 minutes on each side until the internal temperature is 165.
Serve with salad greens, goat cheese, and tomatoes tossed with your favorite balsamic dressing. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and enjoy!