The Best Chicken Marinade

This sweet and salty chicken marinade is made with Dijon, soy sauce, and lemon juice that tenderizes the chicken while adding fresh and savory flavors.

cooked chicken breast with The Best Chicken Marinade

Flavor: Sweet, tangy, and customizable – switch up the ingredients to match the menu!
Difficulty: Quick and easy chicken marinade is made with ingredients likely already on hand!
Prep Note: This recipe marinates up to 2 lbs of chicken. Discard the extra marinade once used.
Serving Suggestions: Work marinade magic on oven-baked, sautéed, or grilled chicken.

Chicken Marinade and seasonings over chicken breasts

Ingredients

Oil: Choose neutral-flavored oils like vegetable or avocado oil.
Acid: Red wine vinegar and lemon juice are necessary for tenderizing the meat. You can also use apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, or balsamic, and swap out lime juice for the lemon juice.
Sweet & Salty: Brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce provide a sweet and umami flavor to homemade chicken marinade. Use maple syrup or honey instead of brown sugar and coconut aminos for the soy sauce if desired.
Seasonings: Italian seasoning and garlic powder work on their own, but you can also add a dash of red pepper flakes for a little kick of heat. Zest the lemon and add to the marinade along with the juice for a brighter flavor.
Variations: Add a tablespoon or two of BBQ sauce, chili sauce, or teriyaki sauce to the marinade to make more of a glaze.

Chicken Marinade and seasonings over chicken breasts in a bowl with parsley

Use a plastic or glass bowl, baking dish, or zippered bag for marinating meats. Metal containers can react with the acids in the marinade and alter the flavor.
Be sure to discard any used marinade to avoid bacterial contamination.
Avoid marinating the chicken for over 6 hours, as the chicken can become over-tenderized.
For extra flavor, brush leftover marinade over the chicken while grilling.
Grill marinated chicken breasts until a meat thermometer reaches 165°F, about 7-8 minutes per side. Let the chicken rest before serving.

Storing Leftovers

Store unused marinade in a jar with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator for up to one week, or freeze into ice cubes and pop one or two out to marinate meat before they hit the grill.

Freeze marinated chicken pieces in zippered bags for up to one month. Then, simply thaw and grill, bake, or pan-fry with rice and veggies .

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This easy chicken marinade makes perfectly juicy chicken and can be tailored to suit any meal.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

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Combine vegetable oil, Worcestershire, vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, Italian seasoning, pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl or a freezer bag.
Add chicken and marinate at least 1 hour or up to 6 hours.
Grill, bake, or broil as desired.

To Grill Boneless Chicken Breasts

Preheat grill to medium-high heat and cook chicken 7-8 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Rest 3-5 minutes before serving.

Keep fresh marinade in a jar with a tight-fitting lid for one week.
This is enough marinade for up to 2lbs of chicken, the recipe can be doubled.
You can use this on bone-in or boneless chicken breasts or chicken thighs.
Marinate in a bowl, freezer bag, or baking dish. Do not marinate in a metal bowl or container.
If you have extra (unused marinade!), add a little to veggies before grilling or your other favorite side dishes for a punch of flavor.
Nutrition information is an estimate for 1 tablespoon of the marinade as most of the marinade will be discarded.
Nutrition information does not include chicken as this can be used on bone in or boneless chicken with or without skin.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Chicken, Dressing, Sauce

Cuisine American

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