Grilled Chicken with Garlic Beer Marinade

Grilling and craft beer go together so well! Grilled Chicken marinated with Beer and Garlic is no exception. Of course any extra beer is for drinking. It’s hot while running a grill and an outdoor chef needs coolant. So fire up your grill and get ready for a great recipe from Chef Donna @ The Slow Roasted Italian.

Recipe and article courtesy of guest Chef Donna @ The Slow Roasted Italian:

It is barbeque season already and we are in the midst of The Slow Roasted Italian’s Summer Grilling Celebration!

After enjoying Beer and Garlic Marinated Chicken at my friend Mary’s house several times, I decided to develop a garlic beer marinade myself. I started with the garlic and the beer. I chose Black Toad beer, which boasts a deep nutty flavor.

I have to tell you though, this does not taste like beer, just a deliciously flavorful marinade.

I added lemon juice for some acid (which tenderizes the chicken), olive was my chosen oil, and some delicious herbs from my garden. I love the flavor and aroma of lemon basil, it works perfectly here. If you do not have lemon basil, you can use any basil.

Now go, get your grill on!!! Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken with Garlic Beer Marinade

Garlic Beer Marinade Recipe for Grilled Chicken:

Ingredients:

• 1 12 ounce bottle dark ale beer (I used Black Toad from Trader Joe’s)
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 6 large cloves of garlic, smashed
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon basil (or 3 teaspoons dried)
• 1 tablespoons fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried)
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4-5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and washed

Prepare – 24 hours before grilling:

1. Place chicken in a 1 gallon resealable plastic bag. Set aside
2. Combine olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, basil, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper in a food processor & blend until your mixture is smooth.
3. Reserve 1/4 cup marinade mix and 1/2 cup beer & refrigerate marinade in an airtight container.
4. Pour mixture over chicken & pour 1 cup beer in over chicken.
5. Squeeze out as much air as possible and reseal bag.
6. Turn your bag a few times to make sure chicken is well coated with marinade.
7. Allow chicken to marinate in refrigerator for 24 hours.

Grilling:

1. Preheat grill to medium-high.
2. Remove chicken and reserved marinade from refrigerator and set on counter to come to room temperature, about 30 to 60 minutes (you never want to grill cold meat, the temperature change will toughen the meat)
3. Grill chicken until the top sides start to turn opaque (instead of pink), this will take about 6-8 minutes. Grill chicken until the grill side is browned.
4. Turn your chicken and apply the reserved marinade to the cooked side of the chicken.
5. Grill the other side until your chicken is seared nicely and when you press down on the chicken it is firm but not hard. (Meat thermometer is 165F)

Chef Donna @ The Slow Roasted Italian

Please be sure and visit Chef Donna for more of her great recipes! While there, you can also enjoy the great photography of Chad, her husband.