My super-flavorful chicken marinade is your go-to for juicy, well-seasoned chicken every time. I use this blend constantly—not just on chicken—and once you try it, you’ll be making it again and again.
Why This Chicken Marinade Wins Every Time
- Always Juicy: This marinade helps lock in moisture so your chicken turns out tender and flavorful—perfect for salads, meal prep bowls, or a quick dinner with rice and veggies.
- Versatile Cooking: It performs wonderfully on the grill, in the oven, or in a skillet. You can also use the same marinade on other proteins such as salmon or steak.
- Better Than Bottled: Homemade marinades deliver fresher, bolder flavor than store-bought options and are easy to adapt to your taste.
Ingredients for Chicken Marinade
- Which cut to use: Use what you prefer—breasts, tenders, or thighs all work well. The marinade penetrates any cut and keeps the meat juicy.
How To Make The BEST Chicken Marinade
This marinade is simple to prepare. Combine the ingredients in a bowl or bag, add the chicken, and let it rest. It’s quick, flavorful, and ideal for weeknight dinners or batch cooking.
- Combine: In a medium bowl or directly in a sealable bag, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, soy sauce, Italian seasoning, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Marinate Chicken: Place the marinade and about 2 pounds of chicken into a gallon-sized bag or container. Seal and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight for deeper flavor. Discard excess marinade before cooking.
Alyssa’s Pro Marinating Tips
- Marinating time: At minimum allow 30 minutes. For best results, marinate overnight so the flavors fully develop and the chicken stays moist.
- Too long? Avoid marinating more than 48 hours; the texture can become overly firm or mealy if left too long.
Cooking Methods
- Oven: Bake at 400°F for about 22–25 minutes in a shallow pan. Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF.
- Stovetop: Heat a lightly greased skillet over medium-high heat and cook about 8–10 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Use an instant-read thermometer to confirm doneness.
- Grill: Cook over medium heat for roughly 9–10 minutes total, flipping once, until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF.
- Slow Cooker: Place chicken in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6–8 hours for tender, hands-off results.
Storing Marinated Chicken
- Refrigerator: Keep raw, marinated chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Cooked chicken will stay good for 4–5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze raw, marinated chicken for up to 6 months. Cooked chicken can be frozen for 3–4 months. Remove as much air as possible from the bag before sealing.
- To defrost: Thaw frozen chicken overnight in the refrigerator for safe, even thawing.
Pro Tip: Add the marinade before freezing so your chicken is ready to cook straight from the freezer—convenient for busy nights.
More Flavorful Marinade Recipes
A great marinade transforms meals by adding bold flavor and tenderizing the protein. If you like this chicken marinade, try other variations like a tri-tip or salmon marinade for different meals.
Easy
Bourbon Marinade
10 minutes
Dinner
Salmon Marinade
32 minutes
Dinner
World’s Best Steak Marinade
10 minutes
Recipe Skill Levels
Pork Chop Marinade
5 minutes
Ultimate Chicken Marinade
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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In a medium bowl, combine ½ cup olive oil, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 3 minced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk until blended.
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Transfer the marinade to a gallon-sized bag or container, add about 2 pounds of chicken, seal, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight. Remove the chicken from the marinade before cooking and discard any leftover marinade.
Video
Notes
Storing Instructions: Store raw marinated chicken in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Cooked chicken keeps 4–5 days in the fridge or 3–4 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.