The Trick To Flavor-Packed Baked Chicken Is To Use The Marinade Twice

If you have any experience marinating chicken, you know that the results can often turn out mediocre. While there's no doubt that allowing your poultry to soak in a blend of sauces and seasonings imparts more flavor than if you didn't use a marinade at all, the overall taste of your chicken may not be very strong after you've baked it. So, if you want to truly pack your poultry with flavor, double down on the marinade usage in your recipe — you've already gone to the trouble of making one, after all.

To start off, you'll marinate the raw chicken just as you normally would, but first set aside some of the liquid to use later on. Then once your poultry is fully baked, you'll use that reserve stash to brush on top. By using this method, the flavors are not only baked into your dinner, but you'll be able to taste them immediately when taking a bite. This technique is also helpful if you're using a marinade that contains lemon juice. Baking the citrus can warp the flavor, but adding more sauce at the end means the fresh tangy taste will still shine through.

A key factor of this double-marinade technique is to reserve some of the marinading liquid in a separate container before you douse your raw chicken. If you pour all of your marinade on the uncooked poultry, then use the same liquid later to brush on top of your baked chicken, you risk cross-contamination. Instead, you need to keep any juices from the raw poultry away from cooked foods that are ready to eat. Also, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly after touching any uncooked chicken.

Now that we've got that out of the way — here's how to concentrate the flavor of your reserved marinade even more before you brush it onto your baked poultry. Turn your sauce into a glaze by making a reduction on the stove; this gives the liquid a thick, syrupy quality. All you have to do is boil it for about eight minutes while stirring often, although if you like, you can saute a little onion or garlic first for extra flavor. In addition to brushing the glaze on top of your baked chicken, feel free to serve any extra on the side as a dipping sauce. Now get ready to enjoy a meal that is anything but bland.