A chicken marinade is one of the best ways to give your favorite protein some big flavor and maximum juiciness. Choose from a bright Greek lemon marinade, to a sweet honey mustard marinade, and four more delicious flavors. Here’s everything you need to know about making and using the best chicken marinades!.
How to Marinate Chicken Before Cooking for Maximum Flavor and Tenderness
Marinating chicken before cooking is a simple but effective way to boost flavor and moisture. With the right marinade and technique, you can take chicken from bland and dry to succulent, juicy and bursting with flavor.
In this comprehensive guide we’ll cover everything you need to know about marinating chicken including the benefits, tips for choosing the best cuts, how to make a marinade, marinating times, and food safety. Let’s get started!
Why Marinate Chicken?
There are two main benefits to marinating chicken:
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It infuses flavor – A marinade allows seasonings, herbs, spices, acids and oils to thoroughly penetrate and flavor the chicken. Things like garlic, citrus, soy sauce, herbs and pepper will seep into the meat, rather than just coating the outside.
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It helps keep chicken juicy – Salt and acid in the marinade improves moisture retention and prevents the proteins from drying out while cooking.
Additionally, sugar or oil in a marinade can help promote browning and caramelization for better color and flavor.
What Cuts of Chicken to Marinate
Marinating any boneless chicken cut is good for it, but it’s best for lean breast meat. Chicken breasts tend to dry out, so marinating them makes them more tender and adds flavor.
Because they have more fat and collagen, chicken thighs and drumsticks tend to stay more juicy. But the strong flavors from a marinade still make them taste better. Marinating time may need to be extended for bone-in chicken.
For quick marinating, boneless chicken breasts, tenders or strips are your best bet.
How to Make a Marinade for Chicken
A simple marinade only needs a few ingredients, typically:
- Fat – Oil like olive, vegetable or avocado oil
- Acid – Lemon juice, vinegar, buttermilk or yogurt
- Seasoning – Salt, garlic, spices, soy sauce, herbs
- Flavoring – Honey, maple syrup, juice, zest
Using a combination of acid, oil, seasoning and sweetener is key for a well-balanced chicken marinade.
Some simple but tasty marinade combos are:
- Lemon, garlic, oregano, olive oil
- Soy sauce, brown sugar, chili flakes, sesame oil
- Yogurt, tandoori spices, lemon, cilantro
- Balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, rosemary
Get creative with your own signature marinade!
How Long to Marinate Chicken
Marinating times vary depending on the ingredients:
- 15-30 minutes – Quick marinade with citrus juice or other acids
- 1-6 hours – For most marinades, in the fridge
- Overnight – Great for bone-in chicken or strong flavors
As a general rule, never marinate raw chicken for longer than 24 hours since acids can start to break down the proteins.
For food safety, always marinate chicken in the refrigerator, not at room temperature.
Once marinated, let the chicken come to room temp before cooking so it cooks evenly.
Tips for Marinating Chicken
Follow these tips for perfect marinated chicken every time:
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Choose your cut – Breasts, thighs, drumsticks or tenders all work. boneless cooks fastest.
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Use a nonreactive dish – Glass, plastic or stainless steel to avoid reactions with acids.
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Poke holes – Forking the chicken helps the marinade penetrate deeper.
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Mix the marinade – Combine all ingredients in a bowl or zip top bag.
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Seal the bag – Remove air and seal to evenly coat chicken.
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Flip the bag – Occasionally redistribute marinade for even coverage.
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Refrigerate – Always marinate chicken in the fridge, never out.
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Cook fully – Chicken should reach an internal temp of 165°F.
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Discard extra marinade – Don’t reuse after touching raw chicken.
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Let rest before serving – 5-10 minutes allows juices to redistribute.
Marinating Chicken Safely
When dealing with raw chicken, food safety is crucial:
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Refrigerate at 40°F or below – Never marinate chicken on the counter.
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Use within 2 days – Marinating longer can cause bacteria to grow.
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Don’t reuse marinade – Boil if using as sauce.
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Clean surfaces – Avoid cross-contamination with utensils, hands, surfaces.
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Cook fully – Chicken needs to reach an internal temp of 165°F.
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When in doubt, throw it out – Don’t risk eating undercooked chicken.
How to Cook Marinated Chicken
Marinated chicken shines when grilled, baked, roasted or pan seared. High, direct heat doesn’t dry it out because of the marinade.
For grilling, medium to medium high heat works well. Turning frequently prevents burning.
Baking in a 375-400°F oven is ideal for bone-in chicken or larger cuts.
Pan searing over medium high heat gives you fond for making an easy pan sauce.
The Takeaway
Marinating chicken is one of the easiest ways to take it from bland and boring to juicy, flavorful perfection.
With an acidic marinade and a little time in the fridge, you can have chicken that’s bursting with flavor in under an hour on a busy weeknight.
Follow these tips for foolproof marinated chicken every time. From grilled chicken breasts to baked drumsticks, the possibilities are endless!
How To Marinate Chicken
You can marinate the chicken breasts in a large bowl or large sealable bag. I personally like to use Stasher Bags to save room in the freezer or fridge. If you do decide to use a bowl, make sure it’s big enough for the chicken breasts to lie all the way down in the marinade.
- Make the marinade. Pick a flavor for the chicken marinade, then put all the ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk them together.
- Prep the chicken. Put the chicken breasts in a bag, and then pour the marinade over the chicken in the bag. Close the bag and squeeze it hard to get rid of as much air as you can. This will make sure that the chicken is fully covered.
- Set the chicken in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours (but no more than 24 hours). This is the marinating process.
Tip: Marinating chicken for two to twenty-four hours is best, but never for more than one day. The reason for this is that marinades typically have an acidic ingredient to help tenderize the meat. But it can give chicken a mushy texture when it’s exposed for too long.
Keep in mind that these marinades are made for one pound of chicken, which is about two or three breasts. So if you’re marinating more than that, you can double the recipe. To get started – grab a small mixing bowl, whisk, and let’s get into it!.
Honey Mustard Chicken Marinade
This classic flavor never fails when it comes to chicken. But instead of making a sauce (like on my honey mustard chicken thighs or my honey mustard chicken wings), this sweet and punchy marinade is infused into the chicken, making each bite pretty darn irresistible.
How to serve: I love to eat slices of this chicken with a side of roasted Brussels sprouts or roasted broccoli. But it also makes a delicious addition (sliced or diced) to a salad tossed with a Dijon vinaigrette.
Think of this as a simplified version of my teriyaki sauce (because I know not everyone has sake and mirin in their fridge). It’s rich, savory, and has hints of fresh ginger and green onion.
How to serve: Slice the chicken into strips and serve over a bed of white rice. And for veggie sides, both garlic ginger bok choy or steamed broccoli will round out this meal!
This is essentially my fajita seasoning dry rub turned into a marinade, with all those classic Mexican flavors you love. In other words, it’s like my chicken fajitas that’s ready on-the-go.
How to serve: Serve up slices of this chicken in a taco salad or make the ultimate Mexican plate with a side of fajita veggies, Mexican rice, or corn salad.
This is everything you love about Italian seasoning, but with a kick! If you don’t like spicy heat though, you can reduce or omit the red pepper flakes.
How to serve: I love pairing this Italian chicken (or Italian grilled chicken) with fresh salads such as a caprese salad or a simple massaged kale salad. It’s also great on top of sauteed spinach and blistered tomatoes.
Our chicken marinade The Vivaldi Way!
FAQ
What is the best way to marinade chicken?
In a medium bowl, mix together oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, wine vinegar, and lemon juice. Stir in mustard powder, salt, pepper, and parsley. Use to marinate chicken before cooking as desired. The longer you marinate, the more flavor it will have.
Is it good to marinate chicken before cooking?
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.
What is the basic marinade formula for chicken?
Making a chicken marinade at home is fast and simple. Marinades are usually 2 parts oil to 1 part acid (something like wine, lemon juice or vinegar), and some salt. Add to this mixture any herbs or flavouring you like—we like using thyme, rosemary and garlic.
What liquid is best for marinade?
Vinegar, fruit juice, beer, wine, yogurt, soy sauce, and even cola are acidic ingredients that are the primary tenderizers called for in most marinade recipes. Fresh ingredients like onions and sliced citrus can be added to infuse their flavor too. May 21, 2020.