Soy Chicken Marinade

With Memorial Day weekend just a day away, grill season is officially upon us.  There is literally nothing better, is there?  Long days by the pool, grilled chicken on the barbie, and snowballs for dessert.  Admittedly I have been counting down the days since we went on Spring Break and it snowed.  Yes, yes it did snow on April 2nd and there was snow on April 9th, and that’s when I mentally checked out of the school year, and headed right for summer.

Before we jump into the easiest recipe that you are likely to use all summer, let me ask – does your family cook seasonally?  I am not talking watermelon in the summer and oranges in the winter – although, that’s kinda obvious.  Are there recipes that your mom and dad only made in winter, like pot roast, and in the summer, grilled chicken?  I bring this up because I was chatting with friends about how there are just those foods that you only have certain times of the year.  In the summer months, my mom had a we-will-never-turn-the-oven-on-ever rule.  It was hot, we lived in the city, there was no air conditioning, it was hot.  Did I mention that already?  ?  This recipe brings me back to those days, although, I have been grilling since April and those snow days, I can’t say I make this chicken all year long.  There is just something about sitting by the pool with this chicken, potato salad, and a slice of watermelon. You just can’t replicate that in January.

Let’s get to it.  You got a grill to light and chicken to marinade.

Put the chicken in a zip top bag, or a glass container with a tight fitting lid.  You can use this marinade on any cut of chicken, with bone, without, with skin, without.  It all tastes great.

In a bowl, measuring cup, whatever you choose, whisk together soy sauce, avocado oil (or other high heat oil, like grape seed), Dijon mustard, chopped or minced garlic, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

I don’t know why I do this, but in all the years I have been making this, I throw the lemon right in the bag.

Pour the marinade right on over the chicken.

A few things can happen at this moment – the first being you don’t zip the bag and it leaks, so zip the bag.  It’s happened, which is why I switched to a glass container with a lid. What I was trying to get at is the age old question of how long to marinade these bad boys?

Here goes –

Just got home from the grocery store and need to get dinner started STAT?  No prob. Marinate the chicken, leave it on the counter while you light the grill, and put away the rest of the groceries.  You are ready to grill.

Planning ahead for a cookout? Marinate the chicken, and leave in the fridge overnight.  Pull it from the fridge when you light the grill to let the chill come off, and it will be ready to go when the grill is.

Meal planning for the week?  Marinate enough chicken to have for lunches every day.  (More on my lunch ideas to come in the next few weeks.)

You are a grocery goddess and snagged a mad deal on chicken?  Marinate, and freeze.  When you thaw it’s ready to go. This freezes for up to six months.

Lots of options which is why I love this recipe so much.

Enjoy, Friends.  Happy Grill Season!

Soy Chicken Marinade
2 lbs chicken
1/3 c soy sauce
2 t avocado oil
1 T Dijon mustard
3 garlic gloves, chopped or minced
2 t brown sugar
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
juice of one half of a lemon

In a non-reactive container, like a zip top bag or glass container, place the chicken.  Whisk together the soy sauce, oil, mustard, garlic, brown sugar, salt, pepper and lemon juice.  Pour over the chicken.  Let the chicken marinade for at least thirty minutes before grilling.

This recipe can very easily be increased to marinade enough chicken for a crowd.