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This sweet and salty chicken marinade is made with Dijon, soy sauce, and lemon juice that tenderizes the chicken while adding fresh and savory flavors.
Holly’s Chicken Marinade Highlights
- Flavor: Sweet, tangy, and customizable – switch up the ingredients to match the menu!
- Difficulty: Quick and easy chicken marinade is made with ingredients likely already on hand!
- Prep Note: This recipe marinates up to 2 lbs of chicken. Discard the extra marinade once used.
- Serving Suggestions: Work marinade magic on oven-baked, sautéed, or grilled chicken.
Ingredients
- Oil: Choose neutral-flavored oils like vegetable or avocado oil.
- Acid: Red wine vinegar and lemon juice are necessary for tenderizing the meat. You can also use apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, or balsamic, and swap out lime juice for the lemon juice.
- Sweet & Salty: Brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce provide a sweet and umami flavor to homemade chicken marinade. Use maple syrup or honey instead of brown sugar and coconut aminos for the soy sauce if desired.
- Seasonings: Italian seasoning and garlic powder work on their own, but you can also add a dash of red pepper flakes for a little kick of heat. Zest the lemon and add to the marinade along with the juice for a brighter flavor.
- Variations: Add a tablespoon or two of BBQ sauce, chili sauce, or teriyaki sauce to the marinade to make more of a glaze.
Storing Leftovers
Store unused marinade in a jar with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator for up to one week, or freeze into ice cubes and pop one or two out to marinate meat before they hit the grill.
Freeze marinated chicken pieces in zippered bags for up to one month. Then, simply thaw and grill, bake, or pan-fry with rice and veggies.
More Marinade Recipes We Love…
Did you enjoy this easy Chicken Marinade? Leave us a comment and rating below!
The Best Chicken Marinade
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Marinade
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Combine vegetable oil, Worcestershire, vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, Italian seasoning, pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl or a freezer bag.
- Add chicken and marinate at least 1 hour or up to 6 hours.
- Grill, bake, or broil as desired.
To Grill Boneless Chicken Breasts
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat and cook chicken 7-8 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Rest 3-5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Keep fresh marinade in a jar with a tight-fitting lid for one week.
- This is enough marinade for up to 2lbs of chicken, the recipe can be doubled.
- You can use this on bone-in or boneless chicken breasts or chicken thighs.
- Marinate in a bowl, freezer bag, or baking dish. Do not marinate in a metal bowl or container.
- If you have extra (unused marinade!), add a little to veggies before grilling or your other favorite side dishes for a punch of flavor.
- Nutrition information is an estimate for 1 tablespoon of the marinade as most of the marinade will be discarded.
- Nutrition information does not include chicken as this can be used on bone in or boneless chicken with or without skin.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Chicken, Dressing, Sauce
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My husband and son love this recipe!!!!!!!!!
Excellent! Considering the ingredients, a batch of this marinade should keep in the fridge easily for 6-9 months. For example, just look at commercial marinades.
Hi Jimmy, there are no preservatives in this marinade so it doesn’t last as long as the store-bought versions. We recommend storing for only a few days.
Very good marinade. Chicken breast were tender and juicy, not dried out at all.
I tried it with bone-in chicken thighs. I grilled them for 10 minutes on each side and they came out great!
Inexperienced Cook! How long to bake and at what temp. please. thanks
Hey Gladys, We preheat grill to medium-high heat and cook chicken 7-8 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Or if you prefer to bake them you can follow this Oven Baked Chicken Breast Recipe. Enjoy!