The Best Chicken Marinade Recipe
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The Best Chicken Marinade recipe is easy and delicious and makes the best grilled chicken and baked chicken you’ve ever tasted. It’s quick to make, uses simple ingredients, and makes juicy, tender chicken that tastes incredible!
Use this chicken marinade recipe year-round on your favorite cuts of chicken when you are grilling or baking, and enjoy! It makes the perfect marinade and produces 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!
We’ve used this simple yet scrumptious chicken marinade for many years, especially when making grilled chicken. But the beauty of this recipe is that it makes a delicious marinade for baked chicken, too, so there’s no need to save the recipe for warm weather grilling season!
I originally only included this marinade recipe with my grilled chicken legs recipe many years ago. This recipe was requested so often that I thought it only fitting that the BEST Chicken Marinade recipe got its own spot on Add a Pinch.
How to Make the BEST Chicken Marinade
Here’s how you make this quick, easy, and delicious marinade.
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
This marinade recipe works best for about 5 pounds of chicken. You’ll need:
- 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. You can substitute with ginger ale, apple cider, or apple juice if you wish. Beer helps tenderize the chicken and adds to the flavor.
I rarely cook with beer, but it works great in this recipe to help make the chicken tender. 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 also tastes delicious.
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. Place the bag on a baking sheet to freeze if using a zip-top bag. 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 and 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
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.
Excellent! Followed the instructions and used a white ale beer. I also sprinkled them with the sauce once on the grill. Tasty and juicy.
Thanks so much, CK!
I was looking for an all purpose marinade and ran across your recipe. In a word….it’s AWESOME! Moist flavorful chicken that was great for sandwiches, salads or anything else. I typically do meal prep for the week and I am happy to have this recipe as a part of my rotation! Thanks!
Thanks so much, Maggie. Glad this worked so well for you! xo
I made it with beer the first time and loved it but my girlfriend can’t have wheat so I’m thinking of trying it with Somersby apple cider. Any thoughts?
Thanks, Jeff!
I think the marinade would be great with the Somersby apple cider. Hope your girlfriend loves it!
does this taste the same on the stovetop?
Yes, Meghan, the marinade does taste the same. Enjoy!
Have you or any of your readers tried to substitute orange juice for apple juice in the recipe?
Many years ago as a new bride I tried a recipe which called for marinating pork chops in an orange juice marinade, neither my husband, our sag (who never turned up her nose at anything), or I cared for it. It was very sour! I hope this helps!
Thanks! This was great! Didn’t have parsley and used Prosecco instead of beer, etc., as I had some open, and it turned out wonderfully! Will save this recipe and make again for sure!
Thanks, Natalie.
Am I missing the part of the marinade recipe with how much of each ingredient to use? Also is it fresh garlic and onion?
Hi Laura,
The amount of each ingredient is listed under Ingredients in the recipe. I do use fresh onion and garlic. Hope you enjoy!
Just used this recipe a few days ago for some chicken thighs and drumsticks which we grilled on the bbq grill, and my boyfriend said it was the best chicken he’s ever had IN HIS LIFE!
So glad I found your recipe!
Thanks, Angel! So glad you and your boyfriend loved it! xo
I need to know within 15 min to now
How long do I grill for breast and the temp
Hi Georgie,
This recipe is just for the marinade. You will need to follow your grilled chicken recipe for the temp and how long to cook. Happy Grilling!
Trying this recipe today! Love it when I have all the ingredients on hand. Our BBQ season is short up here in southern Ontario, so I’m making the most of it! I even have fresh parsley ready in the garden 🙂
Hi Melanie,
Lucky you to have fresh parsley in your garden! Enjoy your BBQ!