The Best-Ever Chicken Marinade

Earlier this summer, I went to Zoe’s Kitchen, a place that has pretty great healthy Mediterranean meals. For some reason, I never go there. Each time I do, I wonder to myself why I am such an infrequent customer. It is amazing! Satisfying, filling, and fresh. I particularly love the way that they make vegetables so delicious. Anyway, this outing to Zoe’s sort of inspired this post and the marinade I’ll be talking about. I did some Pinterest-snooping to find a marinade recipe, and with the help of this site and my own intuition, I think I cracked a marinade that is just as good as Zoe’s.

I honestly have a love-hate with chicken. I do not enjoy handling raw chicken, and I get weird about freezing it too. I prefer it fresh (not frozen). I almost always cook it on the stove top, although in a perfect world I would eat it grilled. I know it is a great source of protein, but lately I have been all the more cognizant of the impact that the poultry industry has on the environment. So, while I have not entirely cut out chicken, I would say that it is a choice I make to go for stretches of time when I do not cook it (at least for myself).

HOWEVER - this chicken is a game changer. I tried it for the first time tonight on a whim and when I took my first bite, I told S, this is the best chicken I have ever made in my life! He was comically skeptical at my boastful claim, but with one bite he was in immediate agreement! With some roasted vegetables, this meal was a hit. I baked balsamic carrots, red onion, broccolini and at the last minute threw in a side of mashed potatoes.

This is what summertime cooking is all about! New recipes, experiments, and tastes!

Marinade Ingredients

• Olive Oil

• White vinegar (just a splash)

• Oregano

• Agave nectar (or honey will do)

• Kosher Salt

• Pepper

• Garlic Powder

• Onion Powder

Techniques

I allowed the cut chicken to marinate for about 1 hour (refrigerated) in a shallow Pyrex dish. I do think that when it comes time to cook, the pan makes all the difference! I used a wok (interesting, I know) because it is my highest quality cookware - although this would also make an amazing kabob on the grill. Lastly, while the chicken cooks, I try not to touch it until it is visibly less raw. After that point, I flip around the pieces and allow the other sides to cook!