The Best Chicken Marinade Recipe
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The Best Chicken Marinade recipe is easy, delicious, and comes together in minutes for the best grilled chicken and baked chicken you’ve ever tasted!
We’ve used this simple yet scrumptious chicken marinade for many years, especially when making grilled chicken (and my son’s favorite grilled chicken legs). It is quick to make and uses common ingredients that you most likely have on hand. But the beauty of this recipe is that it is just as delicious as a marinade for baked chicken, so there’s no need to save this only for warm weather grilling season!
Use this chicken marinade recipe year-round on your favorite cuts of chicken, and enjoy! It makes the perfect marinade and results in some of the most juicy, delicious, and flavorful chicken ever! Everyone always loves the chicken I’ve marinated with this. I think you will enjoy it too!
How to Make the BEST Chicken Marinade
I originally just included this marinade recipe with my grilled chicken legs recipe many years ago. Since this recipe was requested so often, I thought it only fitting that the BEST Chicken Marinade got its own spot in the world. Here’s how you make it.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
Ingredients
This marinade recipe works best for about 5 pounds of chicken. To make this delicious marinade, you’ll need the following:
- Olive oil – Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil
- Spices – salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, and cayenne
- Garlic – fresh garlic cloves, chopped
- Onion – chopped
- Fresh parsley – chopped
- Beer – Use the beer of your choice. If you don’t want to use beer, you can substitute ginger ale, apple cider (not apple cider vinegar), or apple juice.
I rarely cook with beer, but it definitely adds something to this chicken. Use whichever brand you prefer – I usually use Corona or Yeungling, but any beer will work. If you can’t use beer or prefer not to, one of the substitutes listed taste delicious as well.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Combine the ingredients. In a medium to large-sized mixing bowl, stir together all of the spices with the olive oil. Mix in the chopped onion, garlic, and fresh parsley. Slowly pour in the beer (or substitute if using one), as it may foam over if poured too quickly. Mix all ingredients together until combined.
Pour mixture over chicken. Place the chicken you plan to marinate in either a large, sturdy zip-top bag or another airtight container. Pour the marinade over the chicken in your zip bag or container. If using a zip-top bag, press as much air as possible out of the bag as you seal it.
Chill the marinade-covered chicken. If using a zip-top bag, place it on a baking sheet. If in a container, make sure the lid is secure and airtight. Make sure that all of the chicken is well coated with the marinade and place in the refrigerator to chill.
How Long to Marinate Chicken in Refrigerator:
- At least 1 hour
- Preferably overnight for best results
- No longer than 2 days
Every few hours, turn the bag from one side over to the other to keep the chicken coated with the marinade.
Freezer Instructions for Chicken in Marinade
You can freeze the raw chicken in this marinade. Here are the steps.
Package in a freezer-safe container. Place the chicken into a freezer-safe container and pour the marinade over the chicken, making sure all of the raw chicken is well coated. Remove as much air as possible as you seal the container. If using a zip-top bag, place the bag on a baking sheet to freeze. Label the container with the contents and date.
Freeze chicken with marinade. Place the container in the freezer. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw, then cook as desired. Remove from the freezer and thaw in the refrigerator overnight. After the chicken is thawed, then remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade. Then cook the chicken according to your favorite chicken recipe.
What Chicken Recipes Can I Use With This Marinade?
You can use this recipe with many of your favorite chicken recipes! We love it for our grilled chicken as well as for our simple baked chicken!
More Delicious Marinades and Sauces
Here’s The Best Chicken Marinade Recipe. I hope you love it as much as we do!
The Best Chicken Marinade Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3 tablespoons chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 1/2 cups beer, ginger ale, apple cider, or apple juice
Instructions
- 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.
Notes
Freezer Instructions
You can freeze the raw chicken in this marinade. Here are the steps. Package in a freezer-safe container. Place the chicken into a freezer-safe container and pour the marinade over the chicken, making sure all of the raw chicken is well coated. Remove as much air as possible as you seal the container. If using a zip-top bag, place the bag on a baking sheet to freeze. Label the container with the contents and date. Freeze chicken with marinade. Place the container in the freezer. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw, then cook as desired. Remove from the freezer and thaw in the refrigerator overnight. After the chicken is thawed, then remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade. Then cook the chicken according to your favorite chicken recipe.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
From the Add a Pinch recipe archives. Originally published 2012.
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.
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!
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! 🙂
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!
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!
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!
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!
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.
I’d pick a honey brown beer for chicken. I bet a Reds apple ale would work great as well! Add smoked paprika to that spice blend. A hint of brown sugar and dash if spicy works well here as well. But use what you have on hand if you don’t have to go to the store already.
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!