Equal parts of three basic ingredients create the most flavorful, versatile marinade. Make the recipe once and you’ll never forget it!

Don’t feel like cooking but still want to eat a delicious meal?

Or perhaps company is suddenly coming for dinner?

This is your recipe!

This scrumptious chicken recipe has been passed along to countless friends and family members over the years, without the need for a recipe card. (Or text, email, or link, as the case may more often be today!)

It’s that simple.

The chicken is also easy to make for one person or a crowd, and leftovers can be enjoyed in so many ways.

For added value, you can use the marinade for vegetables and grill them at the same time. Suddenly, you have a whole meal!

The marinade consists of equal parts of three basic ingredients:

lemon juice
soy sauce
olive oil

So simple but everyone always raves and asks for the recipe because the flavors taste complex, betraying the recipe’s utter simplicity.

I’ve mentioned this stellar recipe on the blog under a different name, thanks to a family member assigning it her own name tied to a favorite vacation cookout spot.

The marinade is also mentioned under a name coined by a friend, who claims it to be “the essential marinade.” I’m not arguing that point or the creative names, but somehow, it seemed a like a miss that the recipe as I have referred to it for decades did not have a proper home on this blog.

Until now!

The backstory is short and sweet. After enjoying the most succulent grilled chicken several times at our friends’ house years ago, I asked our host what she put in the marinade.

Given the flavor, I fully expected a long list of ingredients.

“It’s easy,” she replied. “Just remember a third, a third, a third. The marinade is nothing more than equal parts of three ingredients: lemon juice, soy sauce, and olive oil.”

Mind blown!

The trick for the best tasting chicken is to let it marinade for at least 4 hours and up to all day. On many occasions, I’ve let the chicken steep all night.

In that case, the lemon juice (which, for best flavor, should be freshly squeezed) may make the chicken look partially cooked, but don’t worry. Simply grill as usual. The chicken will turn out just fine.

Lemon juice tenderizes and adds brightness, while soy sauce balances the sharpness of the lemon and provides salt and color. It also lends a savory umami that makes this chicken extra special.

The final ingredient, olive oil, moistens the meat and pulls its own weight in the flavor department. That’s because fat is an excellent carrier of other flavors, so it unites all the elements in perfect harmony.

Notably, the marinade is versatile too. Though I most frequently use this foolproof marinade for chicken, it’s delicious on salmon, shrimp, and flank steak as well. When using it for salmon, I often add a drizzle of toasted sesame oil.

As mentioned, the simple combination is equally divine used as a marinade for grilled vegetables. For the simplest but most satisfying of meals, I often marinate chicken in one bowl and, for a shorter time, marinate veggies in another. Everything can be grilled when ready to eat…and leftovers are delicious.

What to do with those leftovers?

For easy lunches and dinners later in the week, I cook enough chicken to ensure leftovers, which can be enjoyed cold or reheated. This chicken will level up your favorite chicken salad, from a traditional, mayo-based recipe to a seasonal favorite like Summer Breeze Chicken Salad, Asparagus & Chicken Salad With Sesame Ginger Dressing, and Chicken Chip Bake, which is like a warm chicken salad with a crunchy topping.

(For more chicken salad recipes, simply enter chicken salad in the search bar.)

Similarly, leftover grilled vegetables are delicious cold or reheated, and they make a mean Grilled Veggiewich. Roughly chopped, the grilled veggies will also perk up a green salad and can be stirred into cooked rice.

For an easy but satisfying bowl meal, chop some of the leftover chicken and add to cooked rice or fresh greens (or a combination; and shrimp, salmon, or steak, even tinned fish or tofu will work well in place of the chicken). If you don’t have any leftover cooked vegetables, you could add sliced cucumber, shredded carrots, fresh snow peas, chopped bell pepper, even frozen and thawed broccoli. A drizzle of sriracha mayo offers a flavorful finishing touch.

As these examples illustrate, eating well is often a matter of cooking enough one night to ensure leftovers, and then repurposing those leftovers with pantry staples, whatever fresh ingredients you may have in your produce drawer, and drizzle of a favorite vinaigrette and/or a sprinkle of something crunchy like nuts or seeds.

How much marinade do I need?

As a general rule, plan on ½ cup liquid for every pound of meat. When I grill four chicken breasts, I often use ¼ cup of each, which is more than enough to marinate them in a bowl or zip-top bag.

How long should I marinate chicken?

I like to marinate chicken for at least a few hours and up to all day. I’ve also allowed chicken to steep in this mixture overnight many times with great results.

If you occasionally notice areas of the chicken that appear cooked after extended marinating, do not worry. Acidic ingredients, like lemon juice, can cause this, but you should still have very good results if you simply cook the chicken to temperature, as usual.

How long should I marinate seafood?

I generally marinate shrimp, salmon, tuna, swordfish, and other fish for 30 minutes or up to two hours.

What about vegetables?

Vegetables should be allowed to steep for 30 minutes or up to several hours.

Do I need to baste when grilling?

With this recipe, I usually don’t bother, but my husband does when he’s at the grill. If you do, you may notice the flavor of the finished chicken (or vegetables and other meats) is a touch bolder.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

The marinade will be gluten-free if using a gluten-free soy sauce or tamari.

More ways to enjoy this easy marinade:

Prepare a little extra marinade to steep onions, zucchini, peppers, asparagus, eggplant, and/or mushrooms and grill them alongside the meat for a low-effort way to create a complete meal.
For a hearty, super easy side dish, marinate and grill whole portobello mushrooms. Simply scrape out the gills with a spoon before placing in the marinade.
For a mouthwateringly “meaty” veggie burger, serve the grilled portobellos in a bun and top with sliced avocado, tomato, lettuce, and slivered onion. I also make an Avocado Lime Sauce (or Sriracha Mayo; see recipe notes of linked post) that tops off this hearty sandwich beautifully.
For another filling plant-based option and a great way to repurpose leftovers, grill extra of your favorite vegetables and create a Grilled “Veggiewich” with your favorite pesto and cheese. Tip: Cutting the zucchini, eggplant, etc., in thick strips instead of rounds makes them less likely to slip through the grill grates and creates perfect pieces for layering in a sandwich.
My mother-in-law uses the leftover chicken to boost the flavor and make quick work of her standard chicken salad as well as this seasonal Summer Breeze Chicken Salad (one of my personal favorites).

If you happen to create your own spin-off recipe, please report back!

I’d love to know if you try this recipe. Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @fountainavenuekitchen on Instagram and Facebook. Your feedback is always appreciated.

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