Chicken Marinade
Published March 14, 2025. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
A great Chicken Marinade makes all the difference. For this recipe, I use soy sauce, lemon, vinegar, garlic, and herbs to add rich flavor while keeping the chicken tender and juicy. This marinade comes together in minutes and is the perfect addition to turn your chicken from bland to brilliant.
Chicken is one of the most popular protein meats, and in my kitchen, we enjoy it several times a week. I love how lean and versatile it is, making it easy to include in a variety of recipes. Some of our family favorites are my flavorful chicken fried rice and the classic, comforting chicken Francese.
Chicken Marinade
A chicken marinade is a liquid blend of herbs, spices, oil, and other ingredients that naturally season and tenderize the meat as it soaks, whether for a short time or an extended period. There are many variations of chicken marinades, and the ingredients depend on the desired flavor profile.
I’ve always believed that a great chicken marinade should do two things: add flavor and lock in moisture. This one does both. A well-balanced marinade makes every bite of chicken juicy and delicious. To get there, I start with acids like lemon and vinegar, then add salt from soy sauce or on its own. A binder like mustard helps the oil blend smoothly with the vinegar so the marinade coats the chicken evenly. From there, the flavors can be adjusted with fresh or dried herbs, spices, and even a splash of wine to bring everything together.
I use this recipe for grilling, roasting, or pan-searing, and it always creates the juiciest, most flavorful chicken. It’s versatile enough to work with pork, beef, and even vegetables.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken – I always prefer to fabricate a whole chicken down into breasts, drums, thighs, and wings. However, you can use just breasts, drums, thighs, or wings, or any combination that you deem fit.
- Soy Sauce – This will help add a lot of flavor, color, and salt to the marinade. I prefer to use tamari, which is essentially a more decadent soy sauce.
- Wine – Any dry white wine will work. I usually use chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, or pinot grigio. If you don’t drink wine, substitute with lemon juice and chicken stock.
- Acid – I use white distilled vinegar for tang, but apple cider or white wine vinegar work too. Fresh lemon juice adds brightness and balance.
- Herbs – Fresh thyme is my go-to, but rosemary, oregano, basil, chervil, or parsley all bring great flavor. Use what you have on hand.
- Emulsifier – A little Dijon mustard helps blend everything together.
- Oil – Any neutral-flavored oil works, so I use whatever I have in my pantry.
- Aromatics – Onion and garlic add richness and aroma. I like using white, yellow, or sweet onion.
- Seasonings – Coarse salt, black pepper, and a touch of sugar round out the flavors.
How to Make the Best Chicken Marinade
Grate: I finely grate the onion and garlic into a large bowl.
Add Lemon: Next, I squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon.
Pour: I add the soy sauce, vinegar, white wine, oil, thyme, sugar, mustard, salt, and pepper into the bowl.
Whisk: I vigorously whisk everything together until the ingredients are fully combined and emulsified. This helps create a smooth, well-blended marinade.
Mix: I add the chicken to the bowl with the marinade and toss it thoroughly. I make sure every piece is evenly coated for maximum flavor.
Marinate: Last, I cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. Letting it sit for 12 to 48 hours gives the chicken time to absorb all the flavors.
Cooking Methods
Grill: I place the chicken skin side down on a lightly oiled grill over medium-high heat, around 375° to 425°. I let it cook for 10 to 12 minutes per side until dark grill marks form and the internal temperature reaches 165°. If the heat gets too intense, I move the chicken around to prevent it from charring.
Pan-Sear: I add two tablespoons of my preferred cooking oil to a large frying pan and let it heat over medium for about a minute. Then, I place the chicken skin side down and cook for 5 to 7 minutes per side until golden brown and fully cooked. I keep an eye on it since the chicken can brown quickly, and if it starts to darken too fast, I lower the heat to medium-low.
Bake: I place the chicken skin side up on a parchment-lined sheet tray and bake it at 400° for 25 to 30 minutes. I let it cook until it’s browned and fully cooked through.
Chef Tip + Notes
Grating the onion and garlic instead of chopping them is key to releasing more juice and helping the flavors blend smoothly into the marinade. This allows the chicken to absorb maximum flavor and creates a well-rounded taste that makes a noticeable difference in the final dish.
- Don’t Waste the Marinade: I always set a little marinade aside before adding the chicken so I can brush it on while grilling. It adds even more flavor as it cooks.
- Marinate for Maximum Flavor: Marinate for at least 12 hours to get the best flavor, and if you can let it go for 48 hours, even better. The longer it soaks, the deeper the taste.
- Make Enough for Everyone: This marinade works for up to 5 pounds of chicken, so there’s plenty to go around. It’s great when I’m cooking for a crowd or meal prepping.
- Save Your Chicken from Burning: If the chicken starts to burn on the grill or in the pan, I transfer it to a parchment-lined sheet tray and finish it in the oven at 350° for 12 to 15 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°, which is according to the USDA.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make the marinade up to 2 days before it is ready to be used to marinate chicken.
How to Store: Store the marinade covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This will not freeze well. If storing the chicken in the marinade, you can marinate it covered for up to 48 hours in the refrigerator. You can marinate the chicken and place it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day or until thawed.
How to Reheat: When reheating the marinated chicken, place the desired number of chicken on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and bake in the oven at 350° for 8-12 minutes or until warm.
More Chicken Recipes
Video
Chicken Marinade
Ingredients
- ½ peeled and finely grated yellow onion
- 5 finely grated garlic cloves
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ cup neutral flavored oil
- 1/3 cup white wine
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup white distilled vinegar
- 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 1/2 pound chicken broken down into individual breasts, thighs, drums, and wings
Instructions
- Finely grate the onion and garlic into a large bowl.
- Next, squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon.
- Add in the mustard, sugar, oil, wine, soy sauce, vinegar, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Whisk the ingredients together until they are combined and emulsified.
- Add the chicken to the bowl with marinade and mix thoroughly until it is completely coated in it.
- Cover with plastic and marinate it in the refrigerator for 12 to 48 hours.
Cooking Methods
- Grill: I place the chicken skin side down on a lightly oiled grill over medium-high heat, around 375° to 425°. I let it cook for 10 to 12 minutes per side until dark grill marks form and the internal temperature reaches 165°. If the heat gets too intense, I move the chicken around to prevent charring.
- Pan-Sear: I add two tablespoons of my preferred cooking oil to a large frying pan and heat it over medium for about a minute. Then, I place the chicken skin side down and cook for 5 to 7 minutes per side until golden brown and fully cooked. If it browns too quickly, I lower the heat to medium-low.
- Bake: I place the chicken skin side up on a parchment-lined sheet tray and bake it at 400° for 25 to 30 minutes. I let it cook until it’s browned and fully cooked through.
The Title says it all ! Many claim to be the best, but this one actually is the best I ever made.it replaced my family recipe
I think I might(?) have put in 1 exta clove of garlic, but everything else was as written
The rain came in 1 day earlier than expected, so I oven baked it as directed 400 x 29 to 32 min for my oven..
Thank Chef Billy !
Thank you!
The title says it all ! How many “Best” Chicken marinate recipes have you tried? I have tried quite a few, b/c I was looking to upgrade my (husbands) family recipe. I know, shaky ground right ? Our recipe was good, but missing that sum-thin, sum-thin. Bingo, Chef Billy nailed it. The base is similar to ours… oil, distilled vinegar, lemon, soy sauce & garlic. But ours used garlic powder. instead of the fresh., which actually worked fairly well. BUT fresh garlic made a better choice ( FINELY grated, as stated in the recipe, so it doesnt burn on the grill. I used a hand held microplane,/ lemon zester to get it very fine. The rest of the ingredients
put it over the top…especially the greated onion and Dijon.
Tips : If you have to sub dried thyme for fresh, use 2t( level or slightly scant) of dried thyme LEAVES….. NOT ground
Sometimes i use dried oregano depending in what i am making
●DO NOT just jump to the recipe, then reviews. If you choose the recipe of a profesional chef, WHY skip the advice & experience part.
Thanks Chef Billy, We have a new family recipe. Even my husbands family likes it now. We all LOVE the alturnitive cooking methods
Brava !
Many thanks!
All I have is the small jars of minced garlic. Can I use ths and if so, how much? My husband, in his infinite wisdom, thought they were what I wanted.
If you do not get an answer rule of thumb is 1 clove fresh is equal to 1/2t. jar minced. OR 1/4t. Garlic powder for EACH clove of garlic
Hopefully, Chef Billy will correct as needed., since he is FAR more experiencd. I would however pay close attention to his detail about FINE grating the frresh garlic (& onion) to prevent then from burning. Once garlic burns, you cannot correct that off taste.