Classic Mediterranean Marinade
This marinade offers a taste of the Mediterranean with fresh herbs, balsamic, garlic, and more. This Classic Mediterranean marinade is ideal for chicken or pork, infusing it with flavor, and making it tender and delicious.
Make this with chicken and serve alongside rice pilaf, a greek cucumber salad, and a fun blackberry mint mojito for a complete meal.
Having an arsenal of fantastic marinades like this Greek Chicken Marinade, All-Purpose Marinade, and Mojo Marinade are a must for summer grilling. And the perfect way to make for simple, delicious meal without too much work. But these marinades are amazing all year round, and I especially love them in the colder months, when the fresh, bold flavors of the Mediterranean can add some color to a dreary day.
And this Mediterranean marinade is one of the BEST EVER marinades. I am obsessed with marinades, as they make meat tender, flavorful, and are perfect and easy, but this particular marinade is fantastic because …
Why this Marinade is so Great:
- Easy to Find Ingredients- Everything you need for it may already be in your pantry and spice cupboard.
- Can Be Customized- You can add a little bit of this, cut back a little on that to get it just like you want it.
- Has a Little Heat- I like just enough heat to make something interesting, without having to serve my kids a separate dinner. And this has just a hint.
I love the flavors of Mediterranean food, whether it is this Mediterranean Pasta Salad, these Mediterranean Lamb Meatballs with Yogurt Dipping Sauce, or something like Tabbouleh or Couscous Salad! You can’t go wrong with these fresh flavors.
What you need for this marinade:
Most marinades are made up of an oil and an acid. For this marinade with have both– Canola oil and Balsamic Vinegar.
The rest is what gives the marinade flavor. And this is very important. The oil and acid break down and keep the meat moist, the rest adds flavor to the meat.
So what do we use for flavor?
- garlic
- parsley
- basil
- red chili flakes
- Italian seasoning
- salt
- black pepper
Most of which you probably have on hand. And the fun thing is, if you don’t have fresh parsley and basil you can use dried.
How Do You Make Marinade?
It is literally the easiest thing in the world to make, because all you do is add all ingredients to a jar or bowl, then shake or whisk together.
If I already know what I am marinating, I might even skip the jar or bowl, and add things right into a zip top bag with my chicken or pork.
How Long Should You Marinate Chicken?
My general rule of thumb is 30 minutes – 2 hours!
Chicken is awesome because it doesn’t require a lot of tenderization, so marinades are typically more for adding flavor than for tenderizing.
This means you can marinate for as little as 30 minutes to add flavor; and according to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service chicken can marinate for up to 2 days before unsafe bacteria forms.
- 30 minutes = chicken tenders or chicken breasts with no skin or bone
- 12 hours + = whole chicken, thick pieces, pieces with skin on
How Long Should You Marinate Pork?
The rule of thumb for marinating pork is 30 minutes – 12 hours. I usually shoot for about 2 hours, depending on the cut.
If you marinate pork too long, especially in an acidic marinade (vinegar or citrus juice), it can damage the meat and make the meat mealy.
This is obviously not the desired result, so consider the cut of the pork, and the ingredients of the marinade. Most pork does not need to be marinated in order to achieve tenderness.
Marinades for pork are typically about adding flavor. So shoot for about 2 hours! In most cases this is sufficient and won’t damage the meat.
Can You Marinate Frozen Chicken?
Yes! Absolutely, the thing is, it won’t really add flavor or help anything until the chicken thaws. But the flavors will penetrate as it thaws.
Since frozen chicken really needs to be thawed before you cook it for safety reasons, adding marinade while the chicken is frozen is great, because it will marinate as it defrosts. This means less time waiting for your chicken to be ready.
TIP: One of my very favorite meal prep tips is to make your marinades ahead of time, and put your chicken and marinades into freezer bags, label and freeze. Then on busy days, you can pull one out and all the mess with prep is done, and you can just cook the chicken in your preferred way.
Can You Marinate Chicken Too Long?
Unfortunately yes!
In most cases, marinating too long isn’t actually a bad thing. But sometimes a marinade can damage your meat, and certain kinds of meat, particularly chicken and pork are more susceptible.
Not all marinades will tenderize equally. Some will yield a firmer chicken, and not actually tenderize. Some will damage or denature the chicken if it sits in it too long. Making it mealy or grainy.
A great marinade intended to add wonderful flavor and texture, can ruin chicken and pork it it sits on it too long.
Poultry can marinate for up to two days in the refrigerator, according to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, but not all marinades are good for this. And this is in terms of safety, not quality of flavor and tenderness.
It is best to stick to the 30 minutes to 12 hours time frame. And keep it under 2 hours if you aren’t sure what the ingredients are, or if it will be too long.
Keep in mind:
- Acidic marinades = tough meat over time! Use for flavor, not tenderizing, and if you leave your chicken in an acidic marinade too long, consider a tenderizer to help.
- Any marinade containing acid, alcohol, or salt should not be used longer than a couple hours, as they will chemically “cook” or denature the chicken.
- Marinades that contain citrus juices, especially lemon or lime juice, should be used for only 2 hours or less.
Can You Marinate Pork Too Long?
Again yes! It is just like chicken in that way. too long and it gets tough or mealy.
So shoot for about 2 hours! In most cases this is sufficient and won’t damage the meat.
Can You Freeze Mediterranean Marinade?
Yes! And I highly recommend it.
When you bring that meat home from the grocery store, throw it in a marinade and freeze it right away. This will lead to quick dinner options, less waste, and flavorful eats.
If you do this, the meat will marinate while it defrosts. Then you can bake it, grill it, or whatever you feel like doing.
Of course, you don’t have to add the meat to the marinade. I will often double a marinade recipe and save half, freezing it for later use. Most marinades freeze beautifully. And doing this reduces mess later.
TIP: Freeze meat with marinade, then put in the fridge the morning you plan to serve it and allow it to slow defrost in the refrigerator. Then cook in the evening.
Can This Marinade be Used as Sauce?
After you marinate meat, you may not want to waste that tasty marinade. So you might consider using it for a dip or sauce. DON’T DO IT!
Once a marinade or sauce has come into contact with raw meat, it is no longer safe to consume.
There are bacteria and contaminates on the surface of meat that make it unsafe to eat.
If You WANT to use it: The way to kill the germs and make the marinade safe is to boil it.
This is an approved suggestion according to USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline on the Foodsafety.gov website.
- Pour any marinade or sauce that you have used on raw meats into a saucepan and bring it to a boil.
- This needs to be a complete, rolling boil to ensure that all the bacteria is killed.
- Bacteria die at 165 F (75 C). So check the temperature and insure a good boil for a few minutes.
Once the marinade has reached a boil, and boiled for a few minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool to use as a dip, or use it hot to baste your meat.
Or simply whip up a second batch to use as a sauce.
Marinating Do’s and Don’ts
While marinades are a great way to add flavor to meat and tenderize it, there are some do’s and don’ts which will help insure you get the best meal possible.
Do
- Marinate vegetables for 15 to 30 minutes.
- Marinate fish and seafood for 15 minutes to one hour
- Poultry for 30 minutes to 12 hours, depending on cut (usually 2 hours is great)/ Other meat for 30 minutes to overnight.
- Prepare approximately half a cup to one cup of marinade per pound of meat, seafood, or vegetables.
- Make sure your marinade includes an acidic component to tenderize the meat and help the flavor infuse deeper. While it is easy to customize marinades for your personal preference, don’t leave out the acid. It is especially necessary for tough meats. Acidic ingredients can include wine, vinegar, citrus juice, yogurt, buttermilk.
- If using oil, be sure to use a high smoke point oils in your marinade as often marinated meats are grilled. Oils can add moisture, and they also help the flavors absorb into fatty tissue. High smoke point oils like peanut, canola, safflower, and soy oils are are flame and grill friendly.
- Always marinate in the refrigerator. You never want to marinate your meats on the counter top as room temperature allows dangerous bacteria to grow and can cause foodborne illness.
- Make sure meat is completely covered in marinade, or turn your meat a few times during marination to make sure all surfaces have coverage and equal time in marinade.
Don’t
- Don’t use too much salt in your marinade, as it can dry out the meat by drawing all the moisture out. It is better to add salt later for flavor, but only use a little in your actual marinade.
- Always discard your marinade after use as bacteria can grow in it. If you do want to use it as a sauce or for basting, be sure to follow safety procedures of boiling it for several minutes, until it reaches at least 165 degrees F.
- Don’t marinate in metal containers. The acid in marinades can react to metals chemically, and change the flavor of the marinade. My favorite way to marinade is in a zip top bag, as it allows you to easily squeeze the marinade and make sure everything is evenly coated. It is also easy to transfer the marinade to the freezer if it is a freezer-safe bag. Glass and food-grade plastic work as well.
- Don’t over marinate fish or chicken. Fish is naturally quite tender and can become mushy if marinated too long. Chicken can either get tough or mushy depending on the marinade. So for fish keep it 15 minutes to an hour. For chicken 30 minutes to 2 hours is best, but longer is ok depending on the cut.
- Some say not to freeze meat in their marinades because prolonged exposure to the acids can be damaging to the meat. I disagree and have had great experience with this. The trick is to remember the meat will be marinating while it freezes and defrosts, so don’t give it extra time in the marinade.
Marinating Tips
Keep in mind:
- Acidic marinades = tough meat over time! Use for flavor, not tenderizing, and if you leave your chicken in an acidic marinade too long, consider a tenderizer to help.
- Any marinade containing acid, alcohol, or salt should not be used longer than a couple hours, as they will chemically “cook” or denature the chicken.
- Marinades that contain citrus juices, especially lemon or lime juice, should be used for only 2 hours or less.
Cooking Methods for Marinated Chicken Breast
Skillet Cooking:
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Pound thickest parts of chicken with the flat side of a meat mallet to even their thickness.
- Add oil to skillet, then add chicken.
- Cook chicken about 5 – 6 minutes per side or until center registers 165 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.
- Transfer to a plate. Let rest 5 minutes before cutting into it.
Oven Baked:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
- Bake 18 -20 minutes, or until surface is golden and internal temperature is 165F
- Remove from oven and from hot baking pan, and let rest 5 minutes before cutting into it.
Grilled:
- Preheat your grill to a medium-high heat
- Cook meat on grill, flipping half way through, until the proper internal temperature is reached: 165 degrees F.
- This typically takes 7-15 minutes per side.
- Remove the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before cutting into it.
Air Fried:
- Set air fryer to 360 degrees
- Place marinated chicken in the air fryer basket, and cook for 10 minutes.
- Flip the chicken over and cook until internal temperature reaches at least 165 degrees F. This should take about 8-12 minutes depending on the thickness of the chicken breast.
- Remove the air fryer basket and let rest for 5 minutes before cutting into it.
Make it a Complete Meal:
Classic Mediterranean Marinade
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon parsley minced fresh
- 1 tablespoon basil minced fresh
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 2 1/2 tbsp. Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a jar or bowl.
- Shake or whisk together.
- Pour over chicken or pork in a container or zip top bag.
- Marinate for 4-12 hours depending on cut of meat.
Nutrition
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
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Heather says
Used this marinade for some air fried chicken, YUM! Super flavorful and will be trying with a pork tenderloin next week.
April says
Loved it! Basic, easy, delicious – just what I want in a marinade. 🙂
Chelsea says
This marinade is SOOO delicious!! Thanks so much for sharing!
Melissa says
I came across your recipe and it’s so delicious! I’m always on the look out for a good marinate!