Grilled Chicken recipes are always a crowd-pleaser. This easy grilled chicken marinade recipe will become a favorite!
For years now, we’ve used a simple marinade that I quickly throw together for our grilled chicken. It uses ingredients that you’ll most likely have on hand. If not, I urge you to buy them the next time you are at the grocery store, along with your favorite cuts of chicken and make it! It makes the perfect way to start your grilling season! I think you’ll love it.
A few years ago, we made grilled chicken legs using this marinade when my sister-in-law Karen, her husband Todd, and their three boys were on an RV trip with us. I knew that our son loved it and hoped that their boys would as well. We won’t even talk about how much chicken we got all of the kids to eat, let’s just say they loved it as much if not even more than I’d hoped!
In all seriousness, I’ve not fed anyone chicken made with this marinade that hasn’t loved it.
I originally just included this marinade recipe in with my grilled chicken legs recipe that I shared a long time ago. However, I have requests for it so often, I thought it deserved it’s own little spot in the world. Ha!
Here’s how I make it.
You’ll grab a few spices that really kick up the smokey flavor of this grilled chicken marinade and another that adds a little kick, too.
Cumin, paprika, cayenne, and salt and pepper.
This spice blend just works beautifully and is one that is great to have on hand, too.
The other special ingredient in this chicken marinade is beer.
Now, I have to admit something to you. I rarely cook with beer, but it absolutely adds something to this chicken. For the beer, I would recommend using whatever beer you prefer. I usually use Corona or Yeungling, but any beer that you prefer will work. If you can’t use beer or prefer not to, I’ve included a couple of other options that I’ve tested in the recipe below for you.
Once I’ve mixed up my spices and beer, along with a few other ingredients, I just pour it over the chicken legs that have been placed in a large zip top bag.
Carefully, remove as much air from the bag as possible and then seal the bag. Then, turn the bag from side to side to make sure all the chicken is well coated with the chicken marinade.
Then, I place it on a half sheet pan and into the refrigerator for at least an hour, but hopefully overnight so the chicken has plenty of time to soak up all that goodness.
Every few hours, I’ll turn the bag from one side over to the other to keep the chicken coated with the marinade. Then, you’ll just grill your chicken according to your favorite grilled chicken recipe. We love it so much that I’ll pull out my grill pan in the dead of winter!
Here’s The Best Grilled Chicken Marinade Recipe. I hope you love it as much as we do!
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3 tablespoons chopped onion
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1½ cups beer
- Pour olive oil into a 2-cup liquid measuring cup.
- Mix together salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper and add to olive oil. Add garlic, onions, and parsley. Mix together well with a fork. Slowly add beer as it will cause the mixture to foam and bubble slightly.
- Pour marinade over the chicken in the zip top bag. Remove as much air as possible from the bag and seal. Turn the bag from side to side to make sure all chicken has been coated with the marinade.
- Place the bag flat on a small, rimmed kitchen sheet pan and into the refrigerator. Allow to sit up to 1 hour or overnight for best results, turning the bag over every few hours to keep the chicken coated.
Marinade works best for about 5 pounds of chicken.
If you prefer not to use beer, you can replace with apple cider or ginger ale.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
From the Add a Pinch recipe archives. Originally published 2012.
No grill–can I bake the chicken instead of grilling it? Using this recipe all the way in China today! Thanks!
Sure – I hope you enjoy it! Thanks!
Tried with beer today!!! Truly mind bobbling recipe!! You would love to taste it!! I am gonna try this again with apple cider, I hope it will taste much better than today!!! Thanks Robyn for this marinade!!!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much!
Hi Robyn, I’ve added the marinate in a oven bag, how do you feel it will go cooking in the marinate ?
Hi Lee,
I hope you enjoy the marinade. I’ve never cooked it in an oven bag, so I can’t say exactly. I have marinated in this and then cooked in the oven and it was juicy and delicious – I’ve just not used the oven bag.
Thanks!
Is there a certin beer that goes better with this recipe?
Hollie,
Just use whatever favorite beer you like. I usually use Corona or Yeungling. Hope you enjoy the recipe.
What temperature and length of time in oven. I usually bake my chicken breast at 400 for 20 minutes.
Hi Christine,
Just bake your chicken as you normally would. This is written for grilled chicken, but it’s equally as delicious when cooking chicken in the oven or on the stove.
Enjoy! Thanks!
Robyn,
Would marinating the chicken in a plastic container be ok?? Also, if baked…. what would you recommend for temp and time in oven?
Hi Adrian,
It will be fine to use. You may want to turn the chicken a bit after a while in the container so that all sides get good and marinated. 😉
If you bake in the oven, just bake at the time and temperature you normally do for your chicken.
Thanks! Enjoy it!
Thanks Robyn….
One more question…. you said Apple Cider or Ginger Ale are good substitutes…which brands would you recommend to acquire the best taste?
Any of your favorite, good quality apple ciders or ginger ales should be delicious as well. Thanks!
This is my new “go to” recipe for barbequed chicken in our house. My husband loves it. I use a bit more cumin, one more fat clove of garlic, and I add some soy sauce and a bit of grated ginger. I cook it on the Big Green Egg and it is fabulous. Pairs great with a Riesling from Piemonte such as Ca’ del Baio or Ettore Germano’s “Herzu.”
Hi Suzanne,
It is delicious cooked on the Big Green Egg, isn’t it?! I’m happy you enjoy it! Thanks so much!
Excellent idea! I’d like to prep chicken breasts, add this marinade, then place it in the freezer for future use. How do you think the marinade will hold up? I’m not sure about freezing it with beer included.
It freezes fine – I’ve done so several times. Enjoy! Thanks!
Thank you for the recipe. I made slight modifications – slightly less salt, twice as much garlic, and used chervil instead of parsley. I marinated the chicken for a grill party, and the popular opinion was that this, indeed, is the best grilled chicken marinade recipe!
I’m so glad that the grilled chicken marinade was a hit for your party, Omar! It’s such a favorite in my family too! So happy to know that you and your guests think it’s the best too! Thanks! 🙂
can i use white wine as we have no beer.
Hi Dereld,
I’ve not used white wine and I’m not sure how it will work with this recipe. You can use the substitutes I list at the bottom of the recipe if you don’t have beer….apple cider or ginger ale.
I hope you enjoy the marinade! Thanks!
Want to try this, corona sounds fabulous for the beer, yum. Can i use skinless boneless chicken for kabobs using this marinade? Do you think I can reserve the marinade, boil it and use it for a basting sauce for grilling the kabobs? Thanks.
No cumin….😱…..but I do have everything else!!!!
Will it make that much of a difference??
The marinade was great, your instructions are spot on. I don’t understand the purpose of the other questions. Plastic Bag, plastic container, it doesn’t matter. What kind of beer??? Really-OMG You must have a lot of patience.
I’m so happy you enjoyed the marinade, Betsy! 😉
Thank you so much!
Do you BBQ the chicken while grilling?
Hi Christy,
I don’t add any barbecue sauce to this chicken I grill after I’ve marinated it in my recipe. Thanks!
I had very low expectations for this recipe but i was bored and decided to try it with boneless, skinless thighs and was amazed by how good they turned out. The only regret i have is buying skinless chicken by mistake as the skin takes grilled chicken to the next level atleast for me.
Hi C F!
I’m thrilled that my recipe exceeded your expectations and so glad you enjoyed it! I hope you enjoy it even more when you make it next time. Thanks!