Dry, tasteless chicken no more! Use one of these 6 delicious chicken marinade recipes to infuse flavor into your chicken. You’ll never go back to plain, boring chicken again.
In this post, we’ll teach why you should marinate your chicken, how to make a chicken marinade, and how to freeze marinated chicken!
This is one of our most popular recipe tutorials on Fit Foodie Finds. So many of you have made one of these chicken marinade recipes and loved every bite. Enjoy!
Easy Chicken Marinade – 6 Ways
I grew up eating Italian-marinated chicken almost weekly as a kid. My mom would marinate chicken breasts in store-bought Italian dressing and then bake or grill it – so simple and such a great way to add flavor to chicken!
Today we’re sharing 6 of the best chicken marinade recipes to give you the best-tasting and juiciest chicken you’ve ever eaten. Enjoy!
Why make a marinade for chicken?
So flavorful: marinades infuse your chicken with so much flavor!
Easy preparation: dinner prep only takes 10 minutes.
So juicy: If you’re looking for ultra juicy chicken, then you should definitely use one of these marinades.
What is a chicken marinade?
A chicken marinade is a combination of herbs, spices, oil, and other flavor add-ins that you use to flavor chicken with. Think of it like a sauce that infuses flavor into your meat.
Well, what about a chicken dry rub or chicken seasoning? Dry rubs typically flavor the outside of your meat, but a marinade is going to flavor the entire cut of chicken. Sometimes, we like to use a combination of both!
Why marinate chicken?
We recommend marinating your chicken not only to infuse the entire thing with flavor but to make it extra tender and juicy.
As we mentioned above, marinades really do add so much body and flavor to the ENTIRE cut of meat.
Try it!
Grilled Chicken Marinade!
Use this grilled chicken marinade to infuse your grilled chicken with juicy, delicious flavors. This is seriously the best grilled chicken marinade recipe!
How long should I marinate my chicken?
We recommend marinating your chicken for anywhere from 30 minutes to 6 hours.
If your chicken marinade does not contain a citrus fruit or acid-like vinegar, you can marinate it overnight or for up to 24 hours.
How much marinade do I need per 1 lb. of chicken?
Per 1 to 1.5 lbs. of chicken, you’ll need around 1/2 cup of marinade. So, feel free to double or triple any of these marinades to flavor more chicken.
What cuts of chicken can I marinate?
Any cut of chicken can be marinated: chicken breasts, chicken legs, chicken thighs, and whole chickens!
What should I marinate my chicken in?
When it comes time to actually marinate your poultry, pretty much any container large enough to house your chicken works! Here are our top 3 choices.
- Casserole dish: we love using a simple casserole dish because it makes for easy baking when it’s time to cook!
- Gallon-size plastic bag: planning to freeze your marinated chicken? Use a plastic bag as your vessel for marinating.
- Glass container or bowl: don’t have either of the above? Any glass container or bowl will work!
How do I cook marinated chicken?
Our #1 piece of advice when cooking chicken is to make sure to cook it until the internal temperature is at least 165ºF. Pretty much any cooking method is fair game. We’re linking to some of our basic chicken breast recipes below so you can learn how to easily cook your marinated chicken.
Can you freeze marinated chicken?
Freezing marinated chicken is one of our secret meal-prep tips! Simply place your chicken in a large, gallon-size bag and then add the marinade. Remove as much air as possible and then seal the bag shut. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
PS: there is no need to let your chicken marinate for the full 24 hours before freezing. It will marinate as it freezes and as it thaws!
How to cook frozen marinated chicken
We get this question all. the. time. Unfortunately, we don’t ever recommend cooking chicken from a frozen state unless you use an Instant Pot. Follow that recipe HERE.
For the best results and to avoid any kind of food-borne illness, let your marinated chicken completely thaw before following of the above cook methods.
And now, please enjoy 6 of our go-to chicken breast marinade recipes! Because I know you’re curious, my personal favorite is the teriyaki 😛
Chicken Fajita Marinade
Looking for chicken fajita marinade that’s super simple to put together yet packs in all the classic fajita flavors? You’ll love this chicken marinade as it’s made with a mixture of olive oil, spices, lime juice, and fresh cilantro!
What you need
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro
Lemon Chicken Marinade
This lemon chicken marinade is light, fresh, and made with lemon juice, dill, garlic, and olive oil. It’s a winner every time!
What you need
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill
- 1/2 tablespoon white rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey (or maple syrup)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
BBQ Chicken Marinade
There is nothing better than saucy BBQ chicken. Follow this easy bbq chicken marinade recipe and mix your favorite bbq sauce with savory spices and a little olive oil!
What You Need
- 1/4 olive oil
- 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Teriyaki Chicken Marinade
Say hello to the greatest teriyaki chicken marinade you’ve ever tasted. Our homemade teriyaki sauce is made with 7 simple ingredients that you already have in your kitchen. PS: it’s made without refined sugars, too!
What You Need
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon sriracha
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
Italian Chicken Marinade
This Italian chicken marinade is such a great all-purpose marinade to make for any meal. It’s made with fresh and dried herbs, lemon, and olive oil. You’ll never buy store-bought Italian marinade again!
What You Need
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil
Balsamic Chicken Marinade
We love this balsamic chicken marinade so much because it keeps things simple with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, balsamic, and fresh basil. Yum!
What You Need
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil
Check it out!
6 Baked Chicken Breast Recipes
You are going to love these 6 oven baked chicken breast recipes. Check out how to bake chicken breast perfectly every time and get 6 delicious flavor variations!
Best Chicken Marinade
Ingredients
Fajita
- 1 – 1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro
Lemon
BBQ
- 1 – 1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1/4 olive oil
- 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Teriyaki
- 1 – 1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon sriracha
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
Italian
- 1 – 1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil
Balsamic
- 1 – 1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil
Instructions
- Choose a chicken marinade flavor from above and place all ingredients (minus the chicken breast) into a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
- Place chicken breast into a glass container or gallon-size bag. Then, pour the marinade on top of the chicken, making sure it is covered.
- Let chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or for up to 6 hours.
- Follow your favorite cooking method to cooking chicken breast until the internal temperature is 165ºF.
Tips & Notes
- Each of these chicken breast marinade recipes is enough marinade for 1 to 1.5 lbs. of boneless skinless chicken breast.
- Nutrition information is for the lemon chicken marinade with 1.5 lbs. of chicken breast serving 6 people.
Can you substitute rice vinegar for something else?
Hi im going to try these marinades for bbq this weekend. Can i used chicken wing instead?
Absolutely! You can use these marinades on any cut of chicken 🙂
Could one substitute rendered duck fat for the olive oil?
Hey Jim, The fat will likely coagulate as it sits in the marinade, so we wouldn’t recommend this substitution. You can absolutely substitute for another cooking oil, though!
Can you make the marinades in big batches & store them in the fridge until you want to use them? If so, how long would they be good for?
I tried the fajita marinade for the first time – very pleased with the result, chicken was tender and full of flavour, marinade was very easy to make. I am looking forward to trying the other marinades!
Yay!
Please don’t ever take this down- each one is delicious and makes for an easy weeknight dinner option. I’ve made them all and they’re great- thanks for sharing!
We promise we won’t! 😀
I tried the Fajita and I must say damn, just from mixing the ingredients and tasting the marinade, you can tell it’s going to be one blast of flavour.
For lovers of salt maybe add a little more for more pronounced.
I just made the Chicken Fajita and the first bite was an explosion of flavor. Actually they all were. This dinner is going to be on repeat for the rest of my life. I am excited to try the other marinades as well.
Aw, we’re blushing! So glad you loved these marinades 😀
Can you freeze the marinates and then use them when you’re ready to?
Can you substitute dried herbs for fresh, and would you increase the amount.
You can but the flavor won’t be as good. I would half the amount!
For years I’ve always thought using a marinade is a waste of time as the few times I’ve tried it, it didn’t seem to make much difference to the overall taste. Then I followed the process and used the Fajita marinade and it turned out great! I didn’t know what I was missing!
Glad you loved the fajita marinade!
Amazing, I use these every week
Hey, I made the lemon marinade chicken a few nights ago for tonight, it’s now not needed until next week. Is it ok to freeze it even after its been marinading and the just defrost for when it is needed or doesit not freeze/defrost bery wekk once marinated?
Hi! As long as the chicken isn’t expired, you should be good!
Done and in the fridge! What is the best way to cook them? Thank you!
Hey Kim! We share a variety of different methods within the post on how to cook your marinated chicken.
These all sound wonderful! I almost NEVER buy pre-marinaded meats because they are so full of unhealthy additives and usually have too much sodium, so these are not just cheaper but also far healthier! I suspect several of these would work well with pork cuts like pork tenderloin as well. Have you tried pork with any?
Found your site – Thank goodness! Made the lemon marinade tonight. It was so easy to put together. Boneless, skinless thighs drank up it up for 3 hours. The flavor was light and so, so delicious! Looking forward to trying more. Rotisserie chicken on Monday night ~so many interesting choices to choose from. Thank you for sharing !
So glad you loved the lemon chicken marinade. It’s one of my favorites, too!
Hi there. I was hoping to freeze these ahead of my sons birthday party. Can I use all of these on a BBQ? Or would the fresh herbs burn? Thanks ☺️
I’ve used these all on the bbq!
These are great. Thanks!
Do you recommend using fresh chicken that is already thawed out? Or can you thaw and re-freeze.
Thanks
I would use fresh chicken either way, but chicken that has already been frozen and thawed works!
Thank! I like this information