One of the best parts about summer is deliciously grilled meals straight from the barbecue. One of the most important components of any barbecued meal is the marinade. The right type of marinade can transform a boring chicken breast or a plain piece of steak into a mouth-watering, tender piece of meat. When it comes to marinades, the options are endless. We have compiled 15 of the best chicken marinades that you’ll definitely want to try out this summer. Even if you don’t have a barbeque these marinades work wonders for oven-baked or skillet cooked chicken too. Now, let’s dig in!
If you love flavors of authentic Greek cuisine then you’ll love this marinade. In this recipe, you’ll find classic Greek flavors such as garlic, lemon, and oregano. Plus, a secret to making your chicken extra tender, by adding Greek yogurt to the mix.
This recipe comes equipped with several tips and tricks to achieving juicy, tender chicken that holds loads of flavor. One of the tips is to use dried oregano because the dried version will contain more flavor than the fresh variety. Plus, it packs a zesty bold flavor by adding lemon juice as well as lemon zest, divine! You’ll definitely be making this one on repeat this summer.
https://www.foodiecrush.com/best-greek-chicken-marinade/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: FOODIE CRUSH
This recipe swears that the secret to achieving the perfect Asian flavors is to have a balance of sweet, spicy, salty and sour flavors. This chicken marinade is definitely not lacking in any of those components and has an abundance of flavor.
This marinade recipe is very easy and only requires 4 simple ingredients, all of which you might have on hand already. The sriracha provides a perfect bite, the honey provides enough sweet, and soy sauce and rice vinegar helps to give it a tender balance of Asian cuisine.
https://rasamalaysia.com/honey-sriracha-chicken/2/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: RASAMALAYSIA
If you love southern cooking then you most likely love Cajun seasoned marinade. Cajun seasoning traditionally consists of salt, pepper, garlic, bell pepper, paprika and spicy cayenne pepper.
This recipe guides you to make your own homemade Cajun seasoning blend. It’s very easy to throw together and requires just 4 seasonings and olive oil to make a marinade. Then you simply have to rub the mixture on the chicken and let it sit for at least an hour.
https://www.thespruceeats.com/easy-cajun-spiced-chicken-breasts-3052924 PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: THE SPRUCE EATS
Forkly’s got you covered with not just one but FOUR chicken marinades. These marinades will work great for all cooking methods. If you’re a meal prepper then these marinades can even freeze well too! Firstly included is a soy-honey garlic marinade. It’s made of simple yet flavorful ingredients.
Next, you’ll find a sweet and spicy Italian marinade that’ll make you wish you were eating this dish straight from Italy. There is also a chipotle lime marinade to help quench your Mexican cuisine craving. Last, but certainly not least, is a curry yogurt marinade. The yogurt really helps make the chicken nice and tender while the curry flavors make for a perfectly Indian flavor-infused meal.
http://www.forkly.com/recipes/chicken-marinades-4-ways/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: FORKLY
This marinade is quite unique with its blend of fresh sweet and spicy flavors. It’s also conveniently made in your blender. The mango in this recipes truly provides a fragrant sweet flavor while the lime juice adds enough tang.
Next, in this marinade, you’ll find the fish sauce provides a salty flavor and then sriracha will make it spicy. The secret ingredient is brown sugar which will help caramelize your chicken when you cook it and help balance out all that spice. This flavor will surely make a lasting impression on your palate as well as your guests.
https://www.platingsandpairings.com/mango-lime-grilled-chicken/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: PLATINGS AND PAIRINGS
The great thing about cooking with lemon is it can make a dish taste and smell very fresh. The flavors of fresh lemon and garlic with dijon mustard make for one delicious marinade.
It’s super simple to make yet it will fill the entire kitchen with a bold and delicious scent as it cooks. This recipe recommends setting your chicken with this marinade mix for at least 6 hours but really, the longer the better!
https://natashaskitchen.com/baked-chicken-legs-with-garlic-and-dijon/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: NATASHA’S KITCHEN
This 5-ingredient marinade is so easy to throw together and will be a total game changer to your ordinary chicken breast. Besides the flavor, the best part is it’ll only take you nearly 2 minutes to whip up.
In this marinade, you’ll find balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic and brown sugar. Balsamic vinegar has quite a strong flavor on its own so the brown sugar helps to balance everything out.
http://delightfulemade.com/2017/05/16/brown-sugar-balsamic-grilled-chicken/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=tailwind_tribes&utm_content=tribes PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: DELIGHTFUL-E-MADE
This marinade goes out to all the true peanut butter lovers out there. It will surely quench your peanut butter craving.
It also has many authentic Thai flavors such as fresh ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, lime and many more fragrant flavors. After you’ve marinaded your chicken to perfection, you’ll use that same marinade, bring to a boil (so it’s safe to eat) and then serve as a creamy and sticky sauce.
http://www.nowyourecook.in/2015/06/29/thai-peanut-butter-grilled-chicken/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: NOW YOU’RE COOKIN’
Honey and garlic is a classic flavoring, especially for chicken wings. So many people love it because of its a perfect balance of sweet and savory. Not to mention, it can be highly addictive too.
You’ll definitely find honey and minced garlic in this marinade but the secret ingredients such as ketchup and brown sugar help make this recipe extra unique and unforgettable. You could cook it straight away with this delicious sauce but marinading it may just make your chicken taste 10 times better.
https://dishesanddustbunnies.com/honey-garlic-chicken-plus-some-really-tasty-sauce/2/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: DISHES AND DUST BUNNIES
Following the sweet and savory trend, this marinade is another game changer. This recipe uses honey to balance the heat of the sriracha ever so nicely. When your guests eat this chicken they’ll quickly notice the notes of orange flavoring.
The secret to achieving hints of fresh orange is to include orange juice and orange marmalade within the marinade. You’ll also find many other delightful Asian flavors in this marinade. There’s plenty of flavors to go around and you’ll certainly want to make this all summer long.
https://www.recipegirl.com/honey-sriracha-orange-chicken/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: RECIPE GIRL
If you haven’t had Peri Peri chicken before, it is known as a classic South African dish. You can commonly find it at the chain restaurant Nandos!
Peri Peri is known as a chili based sauce but in this marinade recipe, you can easily make it mild or spicy in heat whichever you prefer. Keep in mind the more red pepper flakes you add the spicier it gets.
https://www.sprinklesandsprouts.com/peri-peri-chicken/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: SPRINKLES AND SPROUTS
If you want to try something different this grilling season then this marinade is definitely for you. This recipe combines flavors of Korean barbeque into a delicious marinade.
If you’re not familiar with Asian cooking some of the ingredients might stand out but no need to worry, you can find many of these at your local supermarket. You won’t need to serve beer with this meal because after you add the sake to your marinade you’ll most likely want to drink it with your dinner too.
http://glebekitchen.com/2017/03/16/spicy-miso-grilled-chicken/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: GLEBE KITCHEN
Ranch dressing doesn’t have to only serve your salad purpose, you can use it as an amazing marinade ingredient too. In this recipe, you’ll combine ranch dressing mix with garlic salt, lemon juice and a little bit of olive oil to achieve a savory marinade.
This simple marinade will have a big impact on your chicken and you can bet the whole family will love it too.
https://heatherlikesfood.com/garlic-ranch-chicken-marinade/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: HEATHER LIKES FOOD
Southwest flavors allow you to bring exquisite Mexican flavors to your table. The great thing about this marinade is it can work on any kind of chicken you have whether that be thighs, breasts, drumstick or whatever you have on hand.
The flavors of lime, chili powder, garlic, and cumin will quickly fill your kitchen with a savory aroma. Don’t be surprised when your family requests this marinated chicken instead of taco night.
https://www.willcookforsmiles.com/southwest-chicken-marinade-and-baked-chicken/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: WILL COOK FOR SMILES
Teriyaki is another popular choice when it comes to sauces. This recipe proves how easy it is to make your own homemade version with just a few ingredients that you most likely have on hand.
This sauce is made up of brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, garlic, ginger soy sauce and red pepper flakes. There are a lot of bold flavors but they all compliment each other nicely. Make sure to save the leftover marinade so you can whip up a delicious dipping sauce to serve with your chicken.
https://butteryourbiscuit.com/oven-baked-spicy-teriyaki-chicken-wings/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: BUTTER YOUR BISCUIT
