The Tangy Ingredient Giada De Laurentiis Adds To Her Overnight Chicken Marinade

A flavorful marinade is the best way to enliven your chicken, according to Downshiftology. Marinades not only flavor the chicken, they also add moisture, juiciness, and tenderness. To prep a marinade, you simply need to mix your flavoring ingredients in a bag or bowl and then completely submerge your chicken in that mixture. You should let the flavors meld for at least 30 minutes and up to a day.

Marinating is particularly crucial if you plan to grill your chicken, NDTV Food reported. That's because the high heat can cause some icky buildup that can be prevented by an acidic marinade. Ideally, the marinade should include a fat, an acid, and other flavoring agents like herbs and spices.

Celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis shared her secret weapon for marinating chicken overnight on Instagram earlier this month, per Yahoo! Life, and it's a staple ingredient you likely already have in your pantry. Her simple chicken marinade recipe is perfect for busy weeknights or even to break out for special occasions.

Balsamic vinegar wakes up tired chicken recipes

If you're bored with plain chicken, food television personality Giada De Laurentiis has the cure. She posted her balsamic chicken marinade on Instagram in January and, if the comment section is any indication, fans can't get enough of it.

To make the marinade, combine balsamic vinegar with lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, and olive oil. Let those flavors work together with the chicken overnight in the refrigerator to achieve what she called "magic" in her post. "This is one of my favorite recipes of yours! It's amazing! And, a fav in our house!" wrote one person.

Eating Well shared a balsamic marinade that it claimed is great for grilling as well. This recipe is slightly different from De Laurentiis' because it's infused with Italian seasonings. Simple dishes like this one make a strong case for why you should always have balsamic vinegar in your kitchen. According to VV Olive Oil, chicken relies on the balsamic flavor in this kind of marinade.