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This absolutely perfect chicken marinade will make your chicken so tender and juicy you will be amazed!! This will be the one recipe that you use on repeat all summer!
Since you guys loved my steak marinade so much, I made this perfect chicken marinade recipe for you! This recipe was created from my Greek Dressing which makes the flavor of this chicken unbelievable!
Absolutely Perfect Chicken Marinade
I have found that clean eating helps me so much! I feel and look better! Although, sometimes when I’m trying to eat healthy it seems like meals can get boring with just a meat and vegetable. However, when my chicken is filled with this much flavor I don’t feel like I am sacrificing to eat healthy at all. Whether I cook it on the grill, in the oven, or on the stove top, I am able to achieve a delicious meal with this marinade every time!
Trust me when I say this chicken marinade recipe is going to totally change your chicken game. The chicken recipes you love will be so much better! No more dry and flavorless chicken. This marinade is so simple and will be a go-to for sure!
Marinade Ingredients:
All of these ingredients work so well together to create a well balanced flavor in your chicken. Like any good marinade, you will find an acid (vinegar), an oil (olive oil), and a combination of herbs and spices for amazing flavor. A bonus is that many of them will be ingredients you already own!
- Olive oil: Keeps the chicken extra moist and juicy
- Red Wine Vinegar: Breaks down the fibers in the chicken to make it tender.
- Garlic Cloves: Fresh is best, but using a jar will work too.
- Italian Seasoning: The Italian seasonings blend is such a classic spice combo that will go with any meal.
- Lemon Juice: I love using a bit of citrus to freshen up the flavor.
- Soy Sauce: Adds saltiness and flavor.
- Dijon Mustard: Great spice for the chicken.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Adds great flavor and more saltiness.
- Salt and pepper: To taste!
Combining the Marinade:
Making a marinade is so simple you will be amazed. And even better, you don’t have to use ANY dishes!! You will add the ingredients directly into a large seal-able bag and add your chicken. And that’s it. So simple and so worth it!
- Combine: Place all marinade ingredients into a gallon sized bag.
- Add chicken to marinade: Carefully coat the chicken in the marinade for at least one hour or overnight.
- Remove chicken: After a minimum of 1 hour, remove the chicken from marinade and discard.
The Best Ways to Cook Marinated Chicken:
The good news is when cooking marinated chicken you have so many great options for cooking. We love to use the grill over the summer at my house, but I have listed below directions for stove top or baking in the oven as well. Whatever option you choose, this absolutely perfect chicken marinade will take your chicken to the next level!!
- Baking Instructions: Place marinated chicken on a shallow baking pan in a 400 degree oven for 22-25 minutes. Chicken needs to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- Stove top: Grease a skillet and heat to medium-high heat. Cook for 10 minutes on each side. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.
- Grill: Place on cleaned and oiled grill rack at medium heat for 9-10 minutes depending on the thickness of your chicken. Turn chicken over halfway through cook time. Once internal temperature reaches 165 degrees, remove from the grill.
- Slow Cooker: Add marinated chicken to your slow cooker. Then cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
Helpful Questions About Marinating Chicken:
When I first started creating a perfect chicken marinade recipe I had so many questions about how to use it! I mean a lot of questions! I know many of you may be wondering the same things, so I have shared some of the things I have learned when cooking using this amazing marinade.
- How long do I marinate? Marinades are effective with as little as 30 minutes of soak time, however I find that an marinating overnight in the refrigerator will make your meal prep feel so much easier the next day and give your chicken the most flavor.
- What if I marinate too long? If chicken is left too long in the marinade it will actually become more dense and tough. So, be sure to remove the chicken from the marinade before 2 days.
- Do you marinate in the fridge? Always marinate meat in the refrigerator. Do not marinate at room temperature or outdoors. Otherwise bacteria can very quickly multiply on your raw meat.
- Do I need to poke holes in my chicken before marinating? Use a fork to pierce the chicken breasts all over. This will guarantee that the marinade will soak completely into the chicken to make it juicy.
- What type of Chicken do I use? Use whatever types of chicken you prefer — chicken breasts, thinly sliced chicken breasts, chicken tenders, or chicken thighs. All of these options work fantastic with this marinade. Chicken tenders and thinly sliced chicken breast will cook much quicker than thick chicken breasts so beware and keep a close eye on cook times.
How to Get Soft and Juicy Chicken Every Time:
First of all, always start with a marinade to make your chicken extra juicy and flavorful! This perfect chicken marinade is made with all the essentials to make your chicken taste amazing and super tender. In addition to that, I recommend flattening your chicken breasts before marinating and cooking as well to help you navigate cook time and get the most juicy, well-cooked chicken possible. Finally, I recommend preheating the grill or pan before placing your chicken on it.
Storing Marinated Chicken:
If you do not plan to use the marinated chicken within a few days, then you need to store it in the freezer. Otherwise, it can be stored in the refrigerator.
- To store: Place your chicken in a freezer bag, pushing as much air as possible out before sealing. Raw, marinated chicken pieces can be stored in the freezer up to 9 months or the refrigerator for just a couple of days. While cooked chicken can be stored in the freezer for about 2-6 months and the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
- To Defrost Frozen Chicken: Place the chicken overnight in the refrigerator. I find that adding the marinade before freezing my chicken is so helpful. Then, I can just pull it out when I need it and cook it right away. So quick and easy and delicious!
Try More Chicken Recipes!
- Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken
- Baked Chicken Thighs
- Baked Parmesan Garlic Chicken
- Instant Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken
- Lemon Garlic Butter Herb Chicken Asparagus
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Absolutely Perfect Chicken Marinade
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients into a gallon sized bag. Add chicken and marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight. Remove chicken from marinade and discard.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
First time I’ve used this recipe and I just love it.It makes my chicken so tender and juicy and flavorable.Thank you so much .
Excellent marinade! My husband has complimented this chicken twice since we started eating!
This is outstanding! I always use mayo instead of oil for chicken, which makes it extremely juicy. Plus it sticks to the chicken so you don’t need to brush on any more. The sugar in the soy sauce makes it nice and charred, which is how i like it! I’m so glad I found this recipe; thank you!!
Hi.
I would like to cook this in the oven. Can you tell me what temp, for how long… for cutlets? Much appreciation! Thank you.
Thanks for the question. Place your marinated chicken in a shallow baking pan in a 400 degree oven for 22-25 minutes. Make sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
When making the chicken in the crock pot… Can you add the marinade, as well? I am catering a wedding soon and the want chicken…. I need a recipe I can cook, then put into a chaffing dish with some liquids, so it doesn’t dry out.
Serving about 100 to 130 people.
Thanks for the question. I think thats a great idea and would probably work great! Of course, I would test it before the day of the wedding! Let us know how it turns out!
How many servings is this for? Or how many pounds of Chicken (thigh or breast) per the marinade?
This recipe makes about 1 cup of marinade. As a general rule of thumb, I like to use 1/2 cup of marinade per pound of chicken.
This was a yummy recipe but it was a bit strong with the vinegar and olive oil taste. Great way to get the taste buds jumping though!
Made this last night and it got rave reviews at my dinner party!
I marinate my chicken tenders in this and then make creamy Tuscan chicken. The marinade adds such wonderful flavor! The final product is amazing and a family favorite!!
Our new favorite! We’ve made this so many times that we have most of the recipe memorized! I know this one is good, but what is your favorite recipe of all the ones you’ve posted? We definitely would like to hear your response and try as well. Btw, my son now hates every other chicken recipe we make! Thanks a lot! 😁
Ooh, that’s a tough one! I love my Butter Pecan Cake or The Best New York Cheesecake Ever! for dessert! And my family asks for Korean Ground Beef and Rice Bowls every single week! My favorites are constantly changing because there are so many to try out. I’m so glad that you love this marinade… Have you tried my steak one? It’s the number one recipe on my site and SOO delicious! World’s Best Steak Marinade
I was looking for something different from all the sweet/sour chicken dishes. This one, with NO sweet ingredients, intrigued.
We loved it.
Here were my tweaks, that worked for me, maybe not for you…
Two people, two whole chicken legs, the full marinade recipe. Half on the chicken, half saved.
Grilled with no sauce (tends to flare up so we avoid).
I reduced the half of the marinade saved with a big glug of white wine, then stirred in a TB of unsalted butter after it was reduced. The butter mellowed out the acidity even more.
It was really delicious. The other (very important) thing I did was STRAIN the marinade before reducint because I don’t personally like the mouthfeel of herbs, so my sauce was smooth.
And oh, about Italian seasoning….back when I was young, I used to think it meant just oregano and basil, but it really contains so many more things which all contribute to a well-balanced, delicious herb mix…I got mine at one of our (many) supermarkets which sell things in bulk, just bought the one TB I needed.
Going into my ever growing chicken rotation.
This marinade was amazing. I subbed mustard powder for the Dijon (I didn’t have any on hand). My family raves about this and I will be adding this to our regular routine.
Just did chicken breasts in this marinade and it is delicious! Grilled the chicken breasts after marinading for 4 hours and used the chicken breast for a Cobb salad – the flavor worked perfectly!