Homemade Marinade for Your Favorite Grilled Chicken

by Noor H. Salem

It’s finally time for summer picnics, camping trips, and family gatherings, usually around the grill. Nothing makes those gatherings more exciting than the smell of fresh grilled meat and vegetables. Nonetheless, while enjoying your social activities with friends and family, it’s important that you don’t lose focus on your healthy eating habits.

Whether it’s being cautious of reaching for too many brownies and ice cream, or avoiding the ranch dressing while munching on fresh veggie cuts, small changes can truly go a long way.

While many marinated and prepared chicken, meat, or seafood can be bursting in flavor and rather appealing in color, be cautious of some popular ingredients used. Many might contain artificial colorings or flavorings, such as natural or artificial smoke flavor. Citric acid, monosodium glutamate, and other unnatural flavor agents are commonly added as well. Purchasing spice packets that you just add to your meat or chicken may not be any healthier; many come along with natural and artificial flavorings, preservatives, and detrimental ingredients. For that, it’s highly recommended that you avoid pre-marinated meat or seafood, and make your own instead. Not only is it fairly easy to make your own marinade, but it also allows you to add additional spices and herbs that are extremely beneficial for you and your family. Furthermore, you are then able to avoid consuming genetically engineered oils that may possibly be used, such as vegetable oil, corn oil, soybean oil, or canola oil. Give this marinate a try, and enjoy your family gatherings without sacrificing your healthy eating habits.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup organic apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil or cold-pressed avocado oil
• 2 tablespoons ground turmeric
• 2 tablespoons Himalayan Pink Salt
• 1 tablespoon ground mustard seed
• 1 teaspoon rosemary, ground
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 6-7 slices fresh ginger
• 8 cloves
• 4 cardamom pods
• 3 tablespoons fresh mint, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• 5 pounds organic pasture-raised chicken (or wild caught salmon)

Directions:

1. Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well.
2. Place chicken in a single layered glass Pyrex. Poke chicken pieces all over with a knife (so marinate can sink in).
3. Pour over chicken and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
4. Grill the chicken as needed until it’s well-done. If it happens to be a rainy day, or you just need a quick protein-based dish for dinner, feel free to bake the chicken instead. Simply place in a baking dish, and bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until browned.
5. Enjoy!

Noor H. Salem is an author, speaker, and Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, from Michigan. Noor works with clients in better understanding their bodies and healing with natural foods through her wellness practice, Holistic Noortrition. She presents various workshops, school lectures, group coaching classes, and community lectures on the topic of holistic health. Noor recently published her book, SUNNAH SUPERFOODS, a culmination of life-changing recipes and remedies, with a foreword by Dr. Waleed Basyouni. Her book consists of prophetic hadith, modern research, and delicious recipes, and is in the process of being translated into other languages.