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.
I will be baking the chicken. so do I cover it at first and then take off the cover half way and how long to bake or grill?
Hi Ann,
You just marinade your chicken, then pour off the marinade. Then follow whatever recipe you are using for your baked chicken. Thanks!
Do you use BBQ sauce in addition to the marinade when grilling it?
Hi RJ,
I don’t add BBQ sauce to my chicken after the marinade. Hope you enjoy it!
Trying this on 4th of July. Can you baste the chicken with the marinade?
Hi Colin,
I’ve never tried basting the chicken with this marinade. I just leave the chicken in the marinade from one hour to overnight and then discard the marinade.
Basting with chicken marinade is not safe!! If you want to do that, reserve some of the marinade BEFORE adding the chicken to the rest.
I am marinading my chicken right now, I used apple cider vinegar so hopefully it turns out good. Fingers crossed.
Hi Jericho,
I haven’t tried this with apple cider vinegar so let me know how it turns out!
Idk if I’m overlooking it but how much chicken legs?
Hi Jonina,
This recipe works best with about 5 pounds of chicken. The recipe is just for the marinade. You can use it with your favorite chicken recipe. Enjoy!
This is just what I was looking for. I left out the cumin and cayenne and I use a ginger ale lemonade drink. I grilled with a honey BBQ sauce at end. It was the best grilled chicken I have ever had. So moist and the mild flavor complemented the Sweet BBQ sauce. I cut the breast crosswise in hearty slices to serve. I loosely wrapped leftover breast in foil and reheated at 350. It was just as moist and tender as the day before and didn’t have that reheated meat flavor. I think it would be a good prepare ahead dish for a busy day. The grilled meat could be put in a 9×13 and heated while the remainder of the meal was being put on the table. Thank you!
Hi Beth,
I love your ideas for using the marinade. So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks!
I’ve made this 4 times and it’s always a hit in my house. I’m marinating some for 4th of July tomorrow and am sure it will be another home run! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Emily! So glad you love this marinade. Have a happy and safe 4th! xo
Going to try making this. I need clarification first. Do you use 1 1/2 cup each of all ingredients beer, ginger ale, Apple cider and apple juice? Or do you pick one from that list?
Hi Karen,
You only use 1 1/2 cups of one of these, whichever you prefer. Hope you enjoy!
Have you ever used this marinade to make grilled chicken breast? Wondering if any adjustments should be made to the marinade?
Hi Ilana,
Yes, I have used this marinade with chicken breasts. I didn’t make any adjustments to the recipe. It works best for about 5 pounds of chicken so if you have more, you might want to increase the recipe. Hope you enjoy!
Thanks for publishing. BBQ chicken is my favorite so I will be using this marinade. Just me at home and I mostly scratch cook, so I may have time to make the marinade & then be delighted what I find at a Farmers Market,
A few questions:
1. How much marinade does this recipe make?
2. What is the nutrition info? Didn’t see it on this recipe. Thanks.
3. On what other meats might this go well?
4. How long might the marinade last in the fridge BEFORE using?
Hi Leslie,
BBQ chicken is a favorite around my house, too. This makes 2 cups of marinade. I didn’t do nutritional value for this marinade since I don’t know how much of the marinade is being absorbed into the meat and it might differ with different types and amounts of meat. I have used this marinade also with pork and it was delicious. You should be able to keep this in the refrigerator up to about 4 days before using. Hope this helps and you enjoy this marinade. Thanks
Love it. I accidentally used apple cider vinegar the first time I tried this and it turned out fine . I have started using a mixture of vinegar and white wine. Today I added a sliced fresh jalapeño pepper to part of the mix to spice it up for my nephews’ first visit back to the Southwest after 18 months in Oregon.
Hi BJ,
The additions you made sound delicious! Hope you have a great visit with your nephew!
The first time I used this marinade my boys loved it! I use it a lot now. Love it!
Thanks, Priscilla. So glad your boys love it.
Can you use this to marinade a whole chicken? Not just chicken breasts or legs…I’m planning on letting it marinade overnight
You can use this for a whole chicken, Kylee. Hope you enjoy!
first time trying it doing it for the 4th of July I’ll let you know thanks
Hi Steve,
Hope you love it. Have a fun and safe 4th!