These Chicken Marinades Are an Easy Way to Upgrade Your Dinner
Marinating chicken puts it on the fast track to deeper flavor and more tender, juicy meat. And even if you have a go-to marinade, like the simple olive oil and lemon one used for the Easy Roasted Chicken Thighs pictured here, you just might pick up a new one here–or at least glean a few great tips and tricks from our recipe collection.
So many of these recipes are perfect weeknight dinners, especially if you make the marinade ahead of time. Prepare everything the night before, and you're just a few short steps away from getting dinner on the table in a flash the next night. There's an oven-roasted chicken recipe that fits this bill perfectly, showcasing juicy, flavorful chicken thighs marinated in a simple olive oil and lemon juice mixture. Want to add some herbs? Thyme or rosemary would be lovely additions. Grilled buttermilk chicken is another one that works beautifully as a make-ahead meal. Let bone-in chicken pieces soak in herb-garlic-buttermilk mixture overnight; then grill—and that's it.
Other marinades need far less time to work their magic. Take chicken satay skewers, which just get a brief toss in a sesame oil, soy sauce and garlic combo and then are ready to be grilled. Or chicken souvlaki, a delightful Greek-inspired dish where the chicken marinates for less than an hour. Put together tzatziki, a yogurt sauce with cucumbers, and heat up the grill, while the marinade infuses the chicken with zesty, herby flavor.
For a fun twist on traditional marinades try an "after" marinade. Going in reverse order helps you build layers of flavor. One version we love: a grilled marinated chicken dish where you season thighs with salt and pepper, grill them, and then transfer them to a bath of lemon juice, oil, garlic, and herbs.
Tandoori Marinade for Chicken
Luscious whole-milk yogurt adds an unexpected tart note to a fiery Indian marinade of cumin, cardamom, and cayenne pepper. Use this marinade to make Tandoori Fried Chicken.
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Grilled Buttermilk Chicken
A herb-infused marinade gives the chicken a delightful tanginess and also tenderizes the meat.
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Chicken Satay Skewers
By slicing the chicken breast into thin strips, the meat needs only a quick marinade to soak in the umami-rich flavors of soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil and crushed red pepper flakes.
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Chicken Marinated In Garlic Oil
As there's no acid in this marinade, the chicken can sit in it without getting mushy or slightly cooked. Plus, the longer it sits in this garlicky bath, the better the flavor—so feel free to marinate as long as overnight.
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Marinated Chicken Kebabs and Corn Salad
Greek-style yogurt and dill star in this marinade that gives chicken kebabs a fresh flavor.
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Backyard Jerk Chicken
The fruity, spicy marinade used to make our backyard take on this classic Jamaican dish relies on an intoxicating mix of allspice, chiles and thyme for its signature flavor.
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Chicken Souvlaki
The oregano, garlic, and lemon in the marinade give these chicken skewers a Mediterranean flair.
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Grilled Marinated Chicken Thighs
A marinade for after cooking? Yes, juicy chicken thighs are tossed in a herbaceous lemon vinaigrette, offering a new twist on ways to capitalize on flavorful marinades.
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Buttermilk and Herb Marinated Chicken
Chicken breast is a lean meat that easily dries out during cooking; this marinade relies on buttermilk to tenderize the meat, and fresh rosemary to give it an extra layer of flavor.
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Chicken, Tomato and Bread Cubes with Lemon-Oregano Marinade
Bright Mediterranean flavors star in this quick-to-make marinade. Reserve some and brush it on during cooking—then it will act as a glaze and add yet more flavor!
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Garlic-Marinated Chicken Cutlets With Grilled Potatoes
Using thin cuts such as chicken cutlets means you can impart flavor with a just a 10-minute marination.
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Marinated Chicken with Cucumber-Mint Salad
This recipe draws inspiration from Greek flavors and streamlines it into a dish that takes just 20-minutes from start to finish.