These chicken marinade recipes include everything from teriyaki to honey mustard and fajita flavoured. Most have 5 ingredients or less!
They’re great for meal prep, freezer-friendly and easy to mix and match with your favourite sides.
Why you'll love these recipes
- Big flavour, simple ingredients: Most marinades use 5 ingredients or less, but still pack a ton of flavour.
- Perfect for meal prep: These marinades freeze well and work with a variety of cooking methods.
Components of a chicken marinade
Here are the main components of any basic chicken marinade:
- Oil: Extra-virgin olive oil, sesame oil, avocado oil, etc.
- Acid: Balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, citrus juices like lime or lemon juice, white wine, etc.
- Seasoning: Garlic, salt, black pepper, fresh herbs, red pepper flakes, ginger, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, cumin, paprika, etc.
You can use that simple marinade template alone, or add additional herbs and spices to create more depth of flavor. Let your creativity shine and your taste buds lead the way for the best chicken marinade!
How to marinate chicken
- Mix together the marinade ingredients.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken in a Ziploc or bowl.
- Marinate the chicken for 15-20 minutes.
- Cook the chicken and serve!
Why you should marinate chicken
Marinating adds flavour and helps tenderize the chicken, keeping it juicy and moist while it cooks. It’s especially helpful for lean cuts like chicken breast, which can dry out easily. A good marinade locks in moisture so your chicken stays juicy and delicious every time. Even a quick 30-minute marinade can make a big difference.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you marinate chicken for?
There’s no strict rule, but marinating chicken anywhere from 20 minutes to 24 hours is generally fine. For acidic marinades with lots of lemon juice or vinegar, stick to 20 to 60 minutes to avoid toughening the meat. Milder marinades like honey mustard, BBQ, pesto or wine-based versions can sit overnight in the fridge without a problem.
What to avoid in marinades?
Avoid overly acidic marinades for long times to prevent toughness, limit large particulate spices and herb chunks for better flavor penetration, refrigerate dairy-based marinades to prevent spoilage, use salt moderately to avoid drawing out moisture, be cautious with strong enzyme-containing fruits to prevent mushiness, ensure sufficient oil for flavor adhesion, thaw food before marinating for even flavor absorption and safety, and never reuse marinades that contacted raw ingredients.
Can you reuse chicken marinade?
No, it's unsafe to reuse chicken marinade that has touched raw chicken due to potential bacterial contamination like Salmonella. To use marinade as a sauce, reserve a portion before adding the raw chicken and cook it thoroughly on the stovetop to kill any harmful bacteria. Always discard marinade that has been in contact with raw chicken to prevent foodborne illness.
What should you marinate chicken in?
Before you marinate your chicken, you need to decide what to marinate it in. Here are some of my top suggestions:
- Ziploc bags: This is my top choice, because they're super easy and you can even stick them in the freezer to make the chicken at a later date. Grab some of these Ziploc bag holders for mess-free marinating.
- Glass bowls: These glass meal prep bowls can pull double duty as the container you marinate your chicken in, and a container to store any leftovers (after the container has been cleaned, of course).
- Casserole dish: If you're planning on baking your chicken breast, you can marinate the chicken right in a casserole dish then stick it in the oven.
The Best Chicken Marinade Recipes
Now that you know the basics of how to marinade chicken, it’s time to get into the recipes! Below you'll find pictures of my go-to super easy chicken marinades. Most of these recipes contain five ingredients or less and they are pantry staples so there's no running to the store for any crazy spices. These are my fave marinades and ones I always rotate through when it comes to my weekly meal prep. You can enjoy them on their own or use them to make salads, burrito bowls, wraps and more.
Lemon rosemary marinade
This lemon rosemary marinade is super flavorful while still being nice and light. It's made with garlic, salt and pepper, lemon juice, olive oil and rosemary. It tastes delicious with baby potatoes and a side salad.
Balsamic marinade
This is the perfect grilled chicken marinade (but you can bake it in the oven too). It's full of flavors thanks to the balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard, and goes well with a side of grilled veggies.
Pesto marinade
With just one ingredient, this pesto marinade is perfect for quick weeknight dinners. Serve it with Italian pasta salad for an easy and delicious meal.
Teriyaki marinade
You'll love this teriyaki chicken marinade that tastes just like your favourite takeout chicken with way less calories. All you need is garlic, gingerroot, soy sauce and sesame oil! Serve with steamed broccoli and sushi rice.
Garlic herb marinade
This garlic herb marinade is bursting with flavor. Pro tip – make your own homemade Italian seasoning! You can use this marinade for beef dishes, too.
Fajita marinade
If you're making fajitas, burrito bowls or another Tex Mex inspired meal, this fajita marinade is where it's at. If you don't have any fajita seasoning on hand, you can easily make your own.
BBQ marinade
This one-ingredient marinade is perfect for summer grill nights. All you need is your favourite BBQ sauce (or if you're feeling fancy, you can try homemade BBQ sauce).
Honey mustard marinade
This two-ingredient marinade has the perfect combination of tangy and sweet. Serve it with sweet potato fries or crispy green bean fries.
Meal Prep tools
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls to store leftover chicken.
- I get all my free range chicken from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.
- Get a meat thermometer to make sure your chicken is cooked through.
- Use these Ziploc bag holders for mess-free marinating.
8 Best Chicken Marinades
Ingredients
Teriyaki marinade
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp minced gingerroot
Honey mustard marinade
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup mustard
Balsamic marinade
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
Fajita marinade
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1 tbsp homemade fajita seasoning
- 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
BBQ marinade
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
Pesto
- 1/2 cup jarred pesto
Garlic herb marinade
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup dry white wine or lemon juice
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
Lemon rosemary marinade
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 tbsp fresh or dried rosemary
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
Chicken
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Mix together chicken marinade of choice in a small bowl and pour over chicken in a Ziploc bag or small bowl. Marinate for 15-20 minutes.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil. If you'd like to do multiple marinades at a time, make dividers using your tin foil as shown in the video below.
- For 6 oz breasts: bake 18-20 minutes. For 8 oz breasts: bake 20-22 minutes. For 10oz breasts: bake 25-28 minutes. Check that chicken is cooked through by slicing one of the breasts down the middle and meat thermometre reads 165 F.
- Let chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing or chopping. Store in glass containers for later or serve immediately with a side dish. Enjoy!
Video
Comments & Reviews
Tara says
I’ve tried several of these delicious marinades- so simple to put together & freeze for later!
Honey Mustard, Teriyaki, Pesto, Herb & Garlic, Lemon Rosemary, & Fajita!!
Works beautifully in sheet pan recipes!