6 Easy Chicken Marinade Recipes
Having marinated chicken breasts ready to cook in the freezer, is a lifesaver on nights when cooking dinner seems seems like a chore. I’m sharing my six go to chicken marinade recipes with you – these marinades cover a variety of cuisines making the chicken suitable for everything from rice bowls, wraps and pasta to shawarma and tacos.
Marinade Ingredients and Substitutions
These easy chicken marinades are go-to recipes in my kitchen. I cook chicken multiple times a week and to keep it interesting, I use marinades. The 6 recipes I’m sharing use pantry staples and ingredients that are common in most households to keep them as easy as possible.
- Oil. Use whichever oil you have in your kitchen. I like using olive oil for most of these recipes but a neutral oil like canola or sunflower oil works well in the Teriyaki marinade.
- Fresh lemon juice. I always have lemons on my kitchen counter so that’s the acid I use most often. Lime juice or vinegar can be used too.
- Honey. For sweetness I like using honey but maple syrup or brown sugar are good alternatives.
- Aromatics: Fresh garlic, ginger, fresh herbs and chopped chillies.
- Spices: You’ll see a lot of ingredients repeated in these marinades. Garlic powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt and black pepper are used often. I also use taco seasoning, chilli flakes/red pepper flakes and mixed dried herbs.
- Pantry staples: Soy sauce, rice vinegar, balsamic vinegar, tomato ketchup and Worcestershire sauce.
Which Cut of Chicken Works Best?
I tend to use boneless skinless chicken breasts since they cook so quickly. Boneless chicken thighs are a great alternative.
Tips For Marinating Chicken
- Season generously: Remember that a lot of the marinade will be discarded once you cook the chicken so be generous with the seasoning.
- Marinate for long enough: Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes but ideally up to 8 hours (you can go up to 24 hours) in the fridge. The chicken in marinade can also be frozen for up to 3 months. I wouldn’t recommend marinating the chicken in the fridge for longer than 24 hours – especially if there’s a lot of acid in the marinade as it can change the chicken’s texture considerably.
- Use the right container: Avoid using metal containers for marinades as the acidic ingredients can react with the metal. I prefer using plastic or silicone reusable bags or use glass or ceramic dishes if marinating in the fridge.
How To Marinate Chicken
- Make the marinade: Choose the marinade of your choice then whisk together all the ingredients in a medium bowl.
- Prep the chicken: I usually marinade whole, boneless chicken breasts but you can also slice the chicken in half to create thinner cutlets that will cook much quicker. Place the chicken in the freezer bags or marinating container. Pour over the marinade and toss to coat the chicken in the marinade.
- Marinate: Allow the chicken to marinade for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
How To Cook Marinated Chicken
- Baking: Thaw the chicken overnight in the fridge then place on a sheet pan or baking dish. Bake for 8-12 minutes (Depending on their size) at 430°F/220°C until the chicken is cooked through.
- Grilling: Grill the chicken over medium-high heat for 4-6 minutes per side until the chicken is golden brown on both sides.
- Air frying: These chicken marinades all work so well in the air fryer. You can easily air fry the chicken from frozen but I thaw the chicken most often. Air fry the chicken at 400°F/205°C for 8-10 minutes – or until the chicken is cooked through.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
Lemon Herb Marinadade
- ¼ cup olive oil
- zest of 1 lemon
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp dried mixed herbs
- ½ tsp chilli flakes / red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Yogurt Herb Marinade
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp dried mixed herbs
- 1 tbsp chopped chives
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- ½ tsp chilli flakes / red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Teriyaki Marinade
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 tsp crushed garlic
- 2 tsp crushed ginger
Mexican Marinade
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon/lime juice
- 1 tbsp taco seasoning
- ½ tsp chilli flakes / red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp crushed garlic
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
BBQ Marinade
- ½ cup tomato ketchup
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp oil
Spicy Paprika Garlic Marinade
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp fresh chilli finely chopped (to taste)
- 2 tsp crushed garlic
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
- All the marinades, except for the yogurt marinade, can be made in a bowl.
- Simply whisk together the ingredients until combined.
- Place the chicken in a bowl or freezer bag then pour over the marinade.
For the yogurt marinade
- Combine all the ingredients in a jug or bowl then blend with an immersion blender (you could also make this marinade in a food processor or blender) until smooth.
Video
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
How long will they last in the freezer? If I were to pre make them and save them
Up to 3 months but we always cook and eat them within a month.
I would think just making the marinades, freezing them you could use on a variety of meats, pork tenderloin, ch wings, etc? I would make these marinades, label the freezer bags and lay them flat to freeze in the freezer for easy storage,
really great Marinades cannot wait to try them 👍