Italian Dressing Chicken Marinade is an Italian Chicken Marinade that doubles as a salad dressing! This is one of my tricks for easy midweek meals and it’s a highly effective method to make delicious meals with less effort.
I use this Double Duty trick in a handful of recipes, like this Lemon Chicken Salad and Mexican Chicken Salad – and readers love it!
Italian Dressing Chicken Marinade
Did you know that most salad dressings also make great marinades? Not creamy ones. But pretty much all non creamy ones do, including French Dressing, Honey Mustard Dressing, this Asian Sesame Dressing and Balsamic Dressing.
Today I’m sharing an Italian Dressing Chicken Marinade. So it’s an Italian dressing recipe – that doubles as a chicken marinade, made with:
-
White wine vinegar – sub with other vinegars
-
Olive oil
-
Mustard
-
Garlic
-
Sugar, salt and pepper
Use some to marinade the chicken, and the rest to dress your side salad!
You’ll love how the Italian Dressing does double duty as a marinade AND salad dressing in this recipe!
Italian Chicken Marinade
For the Italian Chicken Marinade, I do like to add some dried herbs – just to make the flavour of the chicken slightly different, otherwise everything tastes the same.
Cook this Italian marinated chicken on the grill, stove – or even bake it!
How long does the chicken need to be marinated? It’s best overnight, but even 20 minutes is enough, especially if you make this with chicken breast cut in half horizontally to make 2 thin steaks.
Best chicken for Italian Chicken Marinade? I’m a brown meat gal so for most chicken recipes, I opt for thigh over breast because it’s juicier with not much difference in calories. But this recipe will work just fine with breast too!
Italian Dressing Side Salad
I’ve made a side salad using very thinly sliced raw zucchinis – something a little different! I really enjoy raw zucchini – it actually doesn’t have that much flavour so it’s a great vehicle to add pretty much any type of dressing and it works very well with the Italian dressing.
BUT you can use the Italian Dressing/Marinade for any type of leafy salad you want – or even for steamed vegetables. Enjoy! – Nagi x
My favourite back-pocket marinades
These are the ones I use over and over again, made with pantry staples with lots of sub options!
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Italian Dressing Chicken Marinade
Ingredients
Dressing Marinade
- 4 1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar (Note 1)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- Black pepper
Marinated Chicken
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 1/2 tsp mixed Italian dried herbs (either a packet mix or mix herbs like basil, parsley, oregano, rosemary and thyme)
- 1 tsp dried red chili flakes (optional)
- 750 g / 1.5lb chicken thighs, boneless skinless, or breast (cut in half horizontally)
Zucchini Side
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 zucchinis , finely sliced into rounds using a mandolin
- 2 tbsp baby mint leaves , or 1 tbsp sliced larger mint leaves
Instructions
- Place the Dressing Marinade ingredients in a small jar and shake well to combine.
Marinade Chicken:
- Put the Marinated Chicken ingredients in a bowl or ziplock bag and add 5 tablespoons of the Dressing Marinade.
- Massage / mix to coat the chicken. Set aside for marinade for at least 20 minutes, ideally 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
Cook Chicken:
- Grill/BBQ: You shouldn't need any oil, but if you are concerned, brush your grill with oil. Heat the grill on medium high and cook the chicken for around 3 to 4 minutes on each side. (Cook breast for less)
- Stove: Preheat 1/2 tbsp oil in a large non stick fry pan over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook each side for around 4 to 5 minutes, or until dark golden brown and cooked through.
- When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the grill/fry pan onto a plate, loosely cover with foil and set aside for 10 minutes.
- Serve the chicken with the zucchini salad and toasted bread.
Salad & Dressing:
- Add the 1 tablespoon of olive oil (from the Zucchini Side ingredients) into the jar with the remaining Dressing Marinade and shake well. Set aside.
- Toss the zucchinis and mint with the Dressing Marinade.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Wow 🤩 we cooked the marinaded chicken on the bbq and my God it was delicious! And that zucchini and mint salad was one of the most easy yet delicious salads I’ve ever eaten. We devoured the entire salad and all 6 chicken pieces between the two of us. Also added a garlic ciabatta and it was the perfect meal. 6/5 ⭐️
Hi! I am wondering if these could be cooked in a slow cooker?
Juicy (check), moorish (check), easy (check), healthy (check)! This simple marinade is SO good. It’s become a staple in our house whenever we decide what to do with chicken breasts. Cannot wait to get my hands on your cookbook! Thank you, Nagi!
You have 2 cloves of garlic in the ingredients list, however it doesn’t say whether to crush them, chop them or leave them whole. Do I assume you leave them whole so as not to over power the other flavours in the dressing?
Hi Janet, sorry you’ll need to crush them for the dressing here. N x
Have you used red wine vinegar?
It would be a last resort Kelly – the ones listed in the notes would be my preference 🙂 N x
My husband and I love this recipe! Although, we’ve only done the chicken and not the zucchini.
We were looking for a light marinate that would go with lots of different sides/meals. We’ve done these for wraps/pittas and I’ve used it to top some pasta dishes as well. It’s become a go-to weeknight dinner for us!
Hi Nagi,
I was reading your recipe, and it doesn’t say mention any type of chicken in the ingredient list. Please let me know what type of chicken to use, and how much to use. New cook who needs specific directions.
Thanks
Hi Nagi,
I was reading your recipe, and it doesn’t say mention any type of chicken in the ingredient list. Please let me know what type of chicken to use, and how much to use. New cook who needs specific directions.
Thanks
Only made the chicken because didn’t have any zucchini. But the chicken was good. I marinated it for three hours which was not enough. There was not that much mustard flavor to it. Served with green peas and sauerkraut salad.
Hi Dan! Nope, there would not be a strong mustard flavour to it, it is a subtle affect 🙂 N xx
Nagi thank you so much for the chicken marinade recipe! My sister and I was trying to find a light grilled chicken recipe to pair with our homemade vegan ricotta and pita bread (https://sprinkleofvanillasugar.wordpress.com/2017/03/11/sponsored-grilled-italian-chicken-pita-w-the-most-amazing-vegan-ricotta-df-nut-free/) . This was perfect! Thank you for your easy recipes and beautiful pictures!
ooh! that looks wonderful, sharing!
Hi Nagi,
I cooked this chicken feeling very sceptical about the marinade but I shouldn’t of worried as it turned out beautiful.
The dressing is fabulous and great for the zuchini salad.
I have never seen my husband eat zuchini but when he tried this recipe he actually went back for more.
I did this with your gnocci recipe which took me a while as my dough was quite sticky so I did have to add more flour,
but in the end it all turned out yummy, maybe not as pretty but still yummy.
Thank you for all your recipes as they taste great and are quite easy. Your’s is the best site ever. Thank you again.
Oh wow Anna, I LOVE hearing that!! (Especially the part about your zucchini-hating hubby going back for more!!)
You know, gnocchi is not the prettiest food in the world, full stop. but as you say, yummy! I’m glad you persevered because the stickiness of the dough does vary depending on weather, flour brand etc. I’m constantly adding more flour/water to get the consistency right, an exact formula that works for everyone is near impossible! And thank you for your kind words, so glad you are enjoying my recipes!! N x
I Nagi! The thighs came out great! I wrapped that extra “flap” over the bottom and secured it with a toothpick. I used four large thighs (about 2-1/2 pounds) which was just right for the amount of seasoning – if doing more the seasoning would obviously have to be increased. The spice level was perfect! I baked them at 300 for 30 minutes and then upped the temp to 400 for another 30 minutes. We are not big on ranch sauce, so I used honey mustard for the dipper (blue cheese would also be very good). They came out crispy and crunchy and SO juicy! Served them with David’s (of Spiced) BLT pasta salad. I will definitely be doing them again! In my humble opinion I think they would be a great post! 🙂
Hi Dorothy!! I’m SO GLAD you loved it!! OK, you’ve convinced me! Can you let me know when it’s baking weather over there? 😉 I have so many readers telling me it’s so hot they refuse to turn the oven on so I’m staying away from baking recipes for a while!!! N x THANK YOU for your wonderful feedback! I’ll incorporate this into the post!!
Hi Nagi! Here in the South 95% of the homes have air and, trust me, they are using it! Even when I didn’t have air in MI I still baked – ya gotta eat! Plus I would bake on my gas grill – the time I baked lasagna on the grill my son said it was the best I’d ever made! I’m one of those people who eat chili in the middle of summer – if I’m hungry for it, no matter what the weather, I make it! Guess that makes me a glutton for punishment…. 🙂
Me too! I made chowder the day after Christmas when it was stinking hot….but I had to! I was CRAVING it! 🙂
OH YES I would binge on this! LOL!
🙂 Wouldn’t blame you!
We’re cooking about everything on the BBQ right now, so I’m all over this! I love how simple the marinade is and it looks super tasty!
Marissa, when I read how hot it is where you are, I couldn’t even imagine how you mustered the will to boil an egg for your Nicoise Salad! 😉
Hi Nagi! Just me again. Of course I read your Wings cookbook! From “cover to cover” and I fully intend to make every recipe! 🙂 Thank you so much!
Bursting with pride and happiness…. 😉 Thank you Dorothy!! Makes me so happy to hear that! 🙂
Hi Nagi! Quick question – have you ever applied any of your wing recipes to bone in, skin on chicken thighs? Unless wings are on sale I simply refuse to pay the price when I can get thighs for $1.00 a pound! I’m thinking thighs might work – what do you think? 🙂
Hi Dorothy! For the crispy ones, it doesn’t work as well because other cuts don’t have as much skin which is what goes crispy. It does work quite well for drumsticks though. 🙂 As for the sticky ones, they will work for any cut of chicken! 🙂 Which recipe were you thinking? I can give you more specifics! 🙂
Hi Nagi! I had in mind your Southern oven fried wings. Another question – I’m not good with time zones – it’s 8:00 P.M. here, what time is it there?
Hi Dorothy! Sydney is 14 hours ahead of you! 🙂 Oooh, the Southern Oven “Fried” Wings from the cookbook! Yay, I’m so happy to know you read it!! The problem is that the crispiness from oven baked chicken comes from the skin and that’s what the baking powder reacts with to make it super crispy. I have used the Southern recipe on bone in skin on thighs before and it works GREAT on the skin side!! I’d love to know what you think if you give it a go 🙂 Oh, and the baking time will take longer. The same 30 minutes on the lower temperature but then about 15 minutes longer on the high temperature. OH also, drumsticks works great! They have more skin so are more similar to wings. I hope you love it! I think you will, the wings are REALLY well seasoned!! 🙂
PS Hmm, maybe I should share Southern oven fried chicken thighs on my blog soon? Can you tell me when it gets a bit cooler over there??? 😉 N x
Hi Nagi! It just so happens I picked up some thighs today and giving it a go tonight! Who better to test it than someone from TN! The thighs I get have a “flap” of skin underneath so I can have skin all around which will be perfect! I will report back! 🙂
Oooh!!! Now I’m NERVOUS! 🙂 If you like it, I’ll post the chicken thigh version when it becomes cooler over there – once you tell me it is cool enough to use the oven without air con!
WHAT!!! But you hate cleaning up!! How do you NOT have a dishwasher…ok tots shocked here… That aside…this looks gorgeous!!! Love the flavors… Oh and it’s 64-degrees in the winter? You poor thing you 🙂
Don’t rub it in! Why do you think I do so many one pot meals? 😉
Nagi, this Italian (flavored lol) chicken looks super moist and seriously scrumptious! I am totally with you on doubling the use of the marinade as a dressing! Makes life so much more simple- show me who doesn’t like that! (Aside from a crazy person!) I don’t think you are strange for choosing more storage over a dish washer! I would have done the same! I have a dishwasher and literally, I’ve used it probably twice in 5 years. Anyways, This looks great- those grill marks on that chicken have me wanting to fire up the grill and make this right now! Cheers, my friend!
See? Bloggers CAN survive without a dishwasher! Thanks for the validation Cheyanne! 🙂
Love this two-for-one combo! Not only are you amazing at making life in the kitchen easier, but hello… grill master extraordinaire! Just look at those grill marks! Absolute perfection!
Our household goods finally arrive tomorrow – can’t wait to get our grill set back up so I can make this!
HURRAH!! Will you post pics of your new house? I want to see!!
It’s summer in our part of the world so this is perfect! It’s too hot to cook inside the house and this sounds so good 🙂
Don’t rub it in! Today it’s REALLY cold, I even have the heater on! 🙂