No more dry, tasteless chicken for the family! Use one of these 4 delicious chicken marinades to infuse flavor into your chicken— each can be made ahead and tossed into the freezer. Never have bland, plain, boring chicken again!

Today we're talking about dinner— weeknight dinners to be exact. In an effort to make those weeknight dinners less hectic, more flavorful and a bit easier, I'm sharing basic chicken marinade recipes that you can make ahead of time.

Why You'll Love These Recipes

• Saves time during the week
• Incredibly flavorful
• Creates a tender, juicy chicken every time
• Easy to prep ahead of time

Here's Why You Should Marinate Your Chicken

A chicken marinade is a combination of herbs, spices, oil, and other add-ins tossed tossed together that you use to flavor the chicken. You can think of it like a sauce that over a set time infuses into the chicken creating layers of flavor— the longer it sits, the better the flavor.

The best part of marinades is that you can make them ahead of time. The recommended marinating time is anywhere from 30 minutes to 8 hours, if there's no acid in the marinade, up to 24 hours.

How To Freeze Marinated Chicken

This is why you're really here— freezing marinated chicken. This is one of my meal-prep tips! Simply place the chicken in a large, gallon-size bag and then add the marinade. You want to remove as much air as possible and then seal the bag shut. Then, store in the freezer for up to 3 months. There's no need to let the chicken marinate for a set time prior to placing the freezer, as it thaws it will marinate.

How To Cook Chicken

There's a few ways that you can cook chicken— it's really based on preference and what you have available.

• Instant Pot: Chicken cooks pretty quick overall, but when frozen, the best way to cook it is in the instant pot.
• Bake: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the marinated chicken breasts, even thickness, into an oven-safe baking dish and bake for 12-15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. If using chicken thighs, bake for 8-10 minutes. Keep in mind that the total time varies based on the overall thickness of the chicken breast.
• Grill: Preheat the grill to medium-high heat— the higher heat gives the chicken a nice crust. Place the marinated chicken breasts, even thickness, onto the hot grill, and cook for 12-15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

No matter the way you cook the chicken, allow it to rest for 5 minutes prior to slicing to let the juices redistribute through.

Marinating Tips

• Marinades can be pre-made and stored in a air-tight container or jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• Do not thaw chicken if you are going to freeze again— marinades can be added to already frozen chicken (flavor will be absorbed while thawing.)
• Trim/cut your chicken to your liking.
• Prepared marinated chicken can be frozen for up to 3 months.
• Store marinated chicken in a zip top bag and remove excess air or a vacuum sealed bag.
• To thaw chicken, place in the refrigerator overnight or raid-thaw in a bowl of cold water for a few hours.
• These marinades can be used on steak or fish.

Recipes To Serve With Chicken

• Oven Roasted Asparagus
• Mexican Quinoa Salad
• Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad
• Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
• Creamy Mashed Potatoes
• Creamy Cauliflower and Broccoli Au Gratin