When I was a kid, my mom had this secret recipe chicken that everyone loved. In the winter it was baked and in the summer, it was grilled, but it always had that same tangy flavor that was unmistakable, and I’m not kidding, everyone always gobbled it up.
Years later I found out that it was really just chicken that had been marinated in a bottle of Wishbone Italian dressing. That was it. There was no secret — just open the bottle, pour it over the chicken, marinate in the fridge for a few hours, and cook. I’m sure every family has a “recipe” like that, and for good reason — it’s easy and you can’t mess it up.
The downside to those recipes is that the “easy” ingredients are just not good for you. Full of salt, bad fat, and preservatives, this is not the stuff you want to eat every day. So, I made my own version. While it’s not as easy as opening a bottle, it is as easy as adding stuff to a blender and blending. And it’s made of real ingredients that you know like lemon, mustard, and Ava Jane’s Kitchen Avocado Oil, plus a few delicious seasonings that hit those tangy, herby notes.
Use this again: The marinated and cooked chicken can be shredded and added to chicken salad or made into a wrap.
For one or two servings: You can marinate enough chicken for one or two and use the remaining marinade for salad dressing or simply divide the marinade ingredients in half if you don’t want leftovers.
Store leftovers: The marinated and cooked chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days; the marinade (don’t save marinade that has been used on raw chicken) itself can be stored in a jar in the fridge, but you should use it within a day for maximum fresh flavor.
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup Ava Jane’s Kitchen Avocado Oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ½ cup parsley fresh, chopped
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp AJK's Nana's Italian spice blend
- 1 tbsp AJK Sayulita Steak and Veg spice blend
- 1 lb skinless chicken thighs (can also use breasts)
Instructions
- Add the oil, garlic, mustard, lemon, and seasonings to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Add your chicken to a gallon size freezer bag or casserole dish. Pour the marinade over, make sure the chicken is well coated, seal or cover, and put in the fridge. Marinate for 1-2 hours and remove when ready to cook.
- Preheat a grill to medium high heat and grill the chicken until it has reached an internal temperature of 165 F.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This sounds like a great recipe but I do not see how much lemon to put in. Can you let us know that amount? Thank you!!
Hi Linda,
It should be about 2 tablespoons lemon juice, or about half a lemon.