How to Marinate Chicken (with 6 Easy Marinades)

The 4 Key Elements to A Good Marinade

The makings of a marinade include a few different types of ingredients and give way to creativity and customization so you can come up with a marinade that fits your taste. Here are the 4 key elements of a delicious chicken marinate. The key is to balance the ingredients to create the best chicken marinade.

1. Acid: The acid in a marinade helps to break down the muscle fibers in the chicken, making it more tender. Some of my favorite acidic ingredients include lemon juice, lime juice (or any citrus juice), vinegar or tomato sauce.
2. Oil: this keeps in the marinade helps to keep the chicken moist while it cooks. Depending on how we plan to cook the chicken, we like to use an oil with a high smoke point like avocado oil. We also love the classic olive oil. They can be used interchangeably in most marinades.
3. Sweetener: this helps balance out the acid and fat, but can be overpowering if you add too much. Just a touch of honey, maple syrup or brown sugar goes a long way.
4. Herbs and spices: are added to provide flavor and make all the difference. I love to add fresh herbs to my marinades! Common herbs and spices used in chicken marinades include garlic, ginger, cumin, and oregano.

Bonus ingredients: other bold flavors differentiate your marinade like mustard, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, or hot sauce.

Why Should I Marinate Chicken?

• Flavor: Marinating chicken infuses those flavors into the chicken to create a variety of tastes (sweet, savory, spicy, tangy, etc) and depth of flavor.
• Tenderness: The acid in a marinade breaks down the fibers in the chicken, making it more tender. This is particularly useful for chicken breast, which can be lean and tough if not properly prepared.
• Texture: some marinades, like those containing yogurt or buttermilk, can add moisture to the chicken and make it more tender. Also, marinades can act as a protective barrier, helping to keep the chicken moist during cooking and preventing it from drying out (no rubbery chicken here).
• Saves you time: save time and effort in the kitchen, since the meat can be marinated in advance and then cooked when ready (your weeknights will thank you).

What’s the Best Way to Marinate Chicken?

Start by prepping your chicken, remove any fat, and pound chicken breasts to an even thickness. If you’re using chicken breasts and they’re really large, slice them in half lengthwise. Pat the chicken dry and set aside.

Mix together all the ingredients for the marinade in a large bowl or resealable plastic bag.

Cover the bowl or seal the bag and refrigerate the chicken for at least 30 minutes, or up to 12 hours, depending on how much time you have, and cook according to the recipe directions. Be sure to toss leftover marinade. The longer the chicken marinates, the more flavorful it will be.

Note: Marinating time will vary based on the type of chicken and the marinade you’re using. Be careful not to exceed 24 hours or the acid could break down the chicken too much. If you can’t get to it within a day, follow the steps below to freeze it.

Success tip: Turn the chicken occasionally to ensure that each piece of chicken and all sides are evenly coated.

What Should I Marinate My Chicken In?

1. Freezer bag: a plastic resealable freezer bag is probably the most common method because it’s easy to toss and keeps cleanup to a minimum. We love to use these hands-free storage bag holders when we’re making marinades or freezer meals. We also love silicone reusable bags. This method is best if you plan to freeze your marinated chicken.
2. Glass container or glass bowl: make sure it’s large enough to hold the chicken and marinade and use plastic wrap or foil to cover it.
3. Casserole dish: a square or 9×13-inch casserole dish are both great options.

What Cuts of Chicken Can I marinade?

You can marinate any cut of chicken, but some cuts may benefit more from marinating than others.

1. Boneless skinless chicken breasts and chicken tenders: This is the most commonly used cut for marinating, as it tends to be lean and can benefit from added flavor and tenderness.
2. Chicken thighs: Chicken thighs are a bit more flavorful and tenderer than chicken breasts, but they can still benefit from marinating. They can be marinated for a shorter time than chicken breasts.
3. Chicken legs: they are often cooked with the skin-on, so make sure that the marinade gets underneath the skin as well as on top.
4. Whole chicken: Marinating a whole chicken is a great way to infuse flavor throughout the bird. It’s best to marinate it overnight or at least for a few hours.
5. Ground chicken: surprisingly, marinating ground chicken is a great way to add flavor to meatballs, burgers, or other ground chicken dishes. I’m going to try the greek marinade on our greek chicken meatballs next time!

Success tip: bone-in cuts will take longer to marinate than boneless cuts, and dark meat will take less time to marinate than white meat.

How to Cook Marinated Chicken

There are several ways to cook marinated chicken, depending on your personal preference and the recipe you’re using. Dry heat cooking is the most common type of cooking method that requires a marinade to add moisture (no rubbery chicken) and infuse extra flavors. Here are a few popular methods and cook times for chicken breast:

1. Grilling: Grilling chicken gives it a nice char and smoky flavor. Heat the grill to medium-high heat (about 400°F) and grill the chicken for 6-8 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
2. Baking: Marinated chicken can be baked in the oven for a quick and easy recipe. Place the chicken on a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 400°F 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
3. Sautéing: Sautéing is a quick and easy way to cook marinated chicken in a skillet on the stovetop. Heat a little bit of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
4. Pan-frying: This is a similar method to sautéing but it uses a bit more oil and is used to cook the chicken on both sides to a golden brown color.
5. Air fryer: air fry at 400°F for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through.

The cook times will vary based on the size of your chicken. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken.

Frequently Asked Questions

Balsamic Chicken Marinade

This is a classic and easy marinade you can come back to time and time again. It uses simple, familiar ingredients so it pairs with so many side dishes like cauliflower gratin, cheesy scalloped potatoes, or my favorite tomato peach burrata salad.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
• 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Honey Mustard Chicken Marinade

This is one of those delicious recipes you could eat every week and never get sick of. Bake or grill these, like in our honey mustard chicken thighs, and put them on top of a salad or alongside grilled zucchini salad or grilled peach salad.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
• 1/4 cup dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade

This is my all-time favorite if you’re wondering because I can’t get enough of Mexican-inspired meals. I love the fresh cilantro and spices in this one because they add so much flavor (similar to fajita marinade). Grill it or bake it for best results and serve it with cucumber tomato avocado salad or Mexican street corn pasta salad.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil or avocado oil
• 1/3 cup lime juice (about 2 limes)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro leaves 

BBQ Chicken Marinade

This is a go-to recipe any night of the week, and we especially love it in the summer alongside our grilled peach salad or grilled zucchini salad. We love to use it on chicken breasts and thighs in the oven or on the grill.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
• 1/4 cup of your favorite bbq sauce
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• salt and pepper

Greek Lemon Chicken Marinade

This is the marinade we use in our sheet pan greek chicken and our Instant Pot Greek chicken and rice. It’s absolutely delicious!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• Juice from 1/2 a lemon
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon EACH: dried basil and dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Greek Yogurt Curry Chicken Marinade

Greek yogurt adds moisture and acid to a chicken marinade, making it a great ingredient for simple marinades. The curry powder and fresh garlic add so much flavor and the shallots are so good when they’re cooked. We love to bake this one and eat it with coconut rice!

Ingredients

• 1 cup greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 2 thinly sliced shallots
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper