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Simply the BEST Chicken Marinade recipe ever, so easy to make. Balsamic vinegar, honey, brown sugar and spices combine to infuse your favorite grilled chicken with savory flavor with impossibly juicy, tender melt-in-your mouth results.
This chicken marinade recipe takes 10 minutes of prep, then marinate 1-24 hours for best flavor. Cook on the grill or in the oven for juicy, flavorful chicken every time. I’ve tested this blend across dozens of batches to keep chicken tender and deeply seasoned whether you grill, roast, or pan-sear.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love My Marinade
- Ingredients For Chicken Marinade
- Quick Ingredient Substitutions
- How To Make Chicken Marinade
- How Long to Marinade Chicken
- How to Cook Marinated Chicken
- Appliance variations
- Make-Ahead, Storage & Freezing
- Can I reuse leftover marinade?
- Serving Suggestions
- More Easy Chicken Recipes
- Chicken Marinade Recipe
I’ve tried a ton of different chicken marinades with balsamic.This is by far my favorite for grilling.I put aside some marinade for basting towards the end and it’s fantastic.
– Chris
Why You’ll Love My Marinade
The magic of juicy chicken breast is a flavorful marinade and this easy chicken marinade saves you and your family from having to endure dry chicken ever again.
I’ve overcooked many chicken breasts and food is too expensive to waste. That’s where the need to create a flavorful chicken marinade recipe that would change my chicken game forever came into play and fix everything!
In the summer months, we do a lot of grilled chicken but in the winter, I roast it all, from boneless chicken breasts to meaty chicken thighs. This grilled Chicken Marinade recipe does double duty all year long and it works with any cut of chicken.
It’s sticky sweet and slightly salty, savory to really punch up the flavors of an otherwise flavorless boneless skinless chicken breast. It’s similar to our steak marinade recipe. So, you could say this is the BEST Chicken Breast Marinade recipe, as well.
Ingredients For Chicken Marinade
This easy marinade starts with simple ingredients you may already have in your pantry. A basic marinade recipe has four main components; fat, acid, seasonings and salt.
- Olive Oil – We use olive oil for the fat component of this marinade recipe, my preference is for Extra Virgin Olive Oil because it has more flavor with a peppery bite. You can substitute with avocado oil, grapeseed oil or another neutral oil.
- Vinegar – Tangy Balsamic Vinegar is my favorite for the layers of flavor in the vinegar. Not only do you have the acidic notes but it also has a sweet flavor in the background. You can substitute with another acid like citrus juice such as orange juice, red wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice.
- Seasonings – Italian seasoning, garlic powder, black powder, kosher salt and smoked paprika are your flavor enhancers for this simple marinade recipe. You can substitute with fresh chopped garlic and fresh herbs if you have them on hand.
- Soy Sauce – We do add salt to this recipe but soy sauce welcomes a rich umami flavor. If you need to substitute the soy sauce we have used coconut aminos, fish sauce and Mushroom powder with great results.
- Honey – You can skip the honey if you don’t want any added sugar but I urge you to give it a try. It’s not overwhelmingly sweet and balances the acidity in the marinade.
- Brown Sugar – This adds a rich sweetness like a bbq sauce but not cloyingly sweet. You can substitute with coconut sugar or skip it.
- Worcestershire Sauce – Similar to soy sauce, you can swap it for the same amount of soy sauce.
For the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card below.
Quick Ingredient Substitutions
- Herbs/Aromatics: Italian seasoning can be swapped for fresh chopped herbs; garlic powder for fresh minced garlic
- Oil (fat): Extra-virgin olive oil can be replaced with avocado oil or grapeseed oil
- Acid: Balsamic or lemon juice, orange juice, red wine vinegar
- Soy / Umami: Soy sauce can be swapped for tamari or coconut aminos; or ½ tsp fine salt with 2 tbsp water per ¼ cup soy (briny fallback); Worcestershire ↔ soy (same amount)
- Sweet: Honey can be replaced with maple syrup or brown sugar
How To Make Chicken Marinade
Homemade Chicken Marinade couldn’t be easier to make. Why this works: A simple 2 : 2 : 1 : 1 balance of fat, acid, salt and sweet gives tenderness, browning, with bold flavor.
- Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon zest, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar for caramelization, honey, Italian Seasoning, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and smoked paprika.
- Add your chicken to a large zip-top bag and place in an equally large bowl (in case the bag springs a leak!). Pour the marinade over the chicken and stash in the fridge for an hour or overnight to allow the chicken to marinate.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade, discard used marinade and cook the chicken on the grill, in the oven or on the stovetop. It’s a you do you situation after that.
How Long to Marinade Chicken
How long you marinade chicken really depends on what type of chicken you would like to marinate. Thin sliced chicken breasts will take much less time than thicker, whole chicken breasts. And bone-in chicken thighs will take even longer to marinate than boneless chicken.
I like to marinate chicken at least 4-8 hours or overnight for boneless chicken breasts or thighs. Bone-in chicken parts I like to leave in the marinade even longer, but not exceeding 24 hours. It’s great for busy weeknights because most of the prep work is done!
If you don’t want to mess with a wet marinade recipe, we love this dry rub on chicken, too.
How to Cook Marinated Chicken
You can cook your newly marinated chicken, basically, any way you’d like. My favorite way is to make Grilled Marinated Chicken, it’s fast, easy and almost mess-free!
You could also cook it in the oven on a baking sheet in a single layer lined with foil or parchment at 425˚F until cooked through. Boneless chicken takes less time (approximately 20 minutes) than bone in chicken (which could take up to 40 minutes depending on how thick it is.) An instant read meat thermometer is so helpful in determining if your chicken is cooked thoroughly.
We also love cooking our chicken pieces in the air fryer.
Appliance variations
- Air Fryer (boneless breasts): 380°F 8-10 minutes, flip halfway; rest 5 minutes.
- Instant Pot (boneless): Sear 2 minutes per side, then 6-8 min High Pressure and quick release; broil 2–3 min to add color.
- Slow Cooker (boneless): LOW 3-4 hours (or HIGH 1½–2 hours); broil briefly to caramelize.
Doneness Cues for cooking chicken:
- Internal temperature: 165°F at the thickest part (instant-read thermometer).
- Look: The edges will develop a deep brown caramelization; center no longer pink.
- Juices: run clear, not pink or rosy.
- Texture: Firm, yet, springs back gently when pressed.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Freezing
- Make-Ahead: Marinate chicken up to 48 hours in the fridge.
- Freeze (raw and marinade): Add chicken and marinade to a freezer bag; freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then cook.
- Cooked Leftovers: Refrigerate 3–5 days in an airtight container or freeze up to 1 month.
- Reheating: Rewarm gently, 325°F oven, covered 8–12 min, or in a skillet over low heat with a splash of broth to keep it juicy.
Can I reuse leftover marinade?
The excess Chicken Marinade is a one and done situation here, because raw chicken has been sitting in it for a long time you must discard any of the marinade that came in contact with the chicken.
If you made the marinade in advance as part of your meal prep, it can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container until you’re ready to marinade the chicken.
Serving Suggestions
- Fresh sides: Shirazi salad, coleslaw, cucumber-tomato salad
- Hearty sides: buttered rice pilaf, garlicky quinoa, roasted potatoes
- Veg: grilled zucchini/asparagus, corn on the cob
- Leftovers: slice for wraps, grain bowls, or chicken Caesar wrap
- Pro tip: spoon any resting juices over sides for instant sauce.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
- This Grilled Honey Chipotle Chicken…..it’s flipping AMAZING
- THIS Carolina Style Barbecue Chicken to mix up that barbecue game a bit.
- Add this marinade to this crazy easy Oven Baked Chicken Breasts!
- Marinade your chicken thighs before making these Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs for pure chicken magic.
Be sure to follow along over on Instagram, too, for behind the scenes tips and tricks!
Chicken Marinade Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Zip top bag
- 1 measuring cup
- 1 whisk
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 lemon, juice and zest
- 3 tbsp italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast (or 4 bone in thighs and 4 bone in chicken legs)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, lemon zest, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper until combined.
- Place the chicken in a large zip top bag and place the bag in a large bowl to prevent leaking. Pour the marinade over the chicken and seal the bag pressing out as much air as possible.
- Transfer the chicken to the refrigerator and marinade for 1-24 hours.
- Remove the chicken from the bag. Discard marinade. Cook, as desired.
To Grill
- Grill the chicken over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes (for boneless chicken) or 7-8 minutes for bone in chicken. Flip the chicken over and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes or until cooked through and no longer pink in the center.
To Roast
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment or foil. Roast the chicken for 20 minutes for boneless and 35-40 minutes for bone in chicken or until cooked through and no longer pink in the center.
Video
Notes
- Minimum marinade: 30 minutes helps; best flavor 3–12 hours (boneless). Bone-in: 6–24 hours.
- Food safety: Discard used marinade that touched raw chicken or boil 5 minutes before reusing as a sauce.
- Make-ahead: Marinate up to 48 hours; see Make-Ahead, Storage & Freezing for more.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
At least 30 minutes helps; 3–12 hours is the sweet spot for boneless cuts. Bone-in pieces: 6–24 hours.
For best texture, thaw overnight in the fridge first. If baking from frozen, extend time and expect lighter browning.
Only if you boil it for 5 minutes to make a sauce. Otherwise, discard any marinade that touched raw chicken.
Boneless cooks faster; plan 20 minutes at 425°F vs 35–40 minutes for bone-in (thickness dependent).
Hello, was wondering what you meant by Italian seasoning. Is there a special seasoning for that or one you would recommend? Thank you.
Italian seasoning can usually be found with the spices at your local grocery store. It’s a blend of Italian seasoning like oregano, basil, etc.
Just as this recipe title implies, this marinade is amazing! I used it for marinating and then grilling chicken drumsticks. I (accidentally) marinated them for a day and a half and they were SO flavorful. My husband couldn’t stop raving about how good the chicken turned out. Thank you for sharing. This recipe is a KEEPER!
I’m so happy you loved it! Thank you so much for your comment!
I made this chicken and then immediately made another batch of marinade for kater- so good! Can’t wait to try it on some chicken wings too!
It’s so good on wings!!!! I’m glad you loved it!
Can I marinate the chicken and freeze it before cooking? I buy chicken wings in bulk then freeze them in marinade in smaller batches. We are a senior couple and so many recipes are just too much for us. Thanks!
Hi Cassie!
Yes, you can totally freeze the chicken in marinade. We do it all the time when I’m prepping meals for a longer period of time. This makes a good amount of marinade and if you press the air out of a freezer bag it stretches it even further. If you do store in a freezer bag, I like to thaw it in a container just in case I poked a hole in the bag while it was in the freezer. This way it doesn’t leak all over the place when you thaw it. Enjoy!
I substituted gluten free , low salt soy sauce, just used the honey instead of the sugar. The chicken tasted great.
Thank you for your comment! So glad you liked it.
We tried it. Not a fan.
Would you care to explain what you didn’t like about it? I’m always looking to improve recipes based on reader experiences.
Made this and EVERYONE loved it. Would like to know if you can or have tried it with pork chops? Thanks
OMG!!! It’s sooooo amazing with pork chops, too. I hope you try it!
Can you use this on pork? Tried it with chicken and EVERYONE loved it. Thanks
You can totally use this on pork! So good!!
Hi, Thank you for sharing this recipe. I made it last night with boneless skinless chicken thighs….about 20 of them….plenty of marinade to do the entire batch of chicken. I made it exactly by the recipe. It was sooooooo delicious! It’s moving to the top of my list of marinades!
I’m so glad you loved it! Thank you for your comment and rating!
Do you throw marinade out.
Yes, discard the remaining marinade.