This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our privacy policy for additional information.

Why You’ll Love My Recipe

This flavor-packed chicken marinade yields tender, juicy chicken no matter which cut of chicken you use!

Why not learn more about Worcestershire Sauce for this recipe? Or try to make some tasty Chicken Seasoning instead? This marinade also works well with the chicken in Grilled Chicken Salad!

A grilled chicken leg quarter garnished with herbs is served on a plate with white rice. More chicken, rice, garlic, and herbs are visible in the background on a white table.

Karlynn’s Recipe Notes

Skill Level: This is a very easy recipe.
Total Time: The marinade itself takes only 5 minutes to make. Marinating and cooking times will vary depending on cut of chicken.
Variations: Adjust the amounts of the seasonings to suit your own personal tastes. Add some hot pepper or your favourite hot sauce for some spice. Add some smoked paprika or liquid smoke if you enjoy a smoky element.
Tools Needed: For this recipe, you’ll need a medium bowl, measuring spoons/cups, a cutting board, a knife, and a whisk. For marinating, you will need a large plastic zipper bag or a container with a lid.

Several grilled chicken leg quarters with char marks are arranged on a baking sheet, garnished with slices of roasted lemon. The chicken appears juicy and well-seasoned.

What You’ll Need For Ingredients

Oil: This recipe calls for Extra Virgin Olive Oil, but you can use any neutral flavour oil you happen to have around. Olive oil is especially nice for marinades if you happen to have some.

Acid: Every good marinade needs an acid source to tenderize the meat. This recipe includes both lemon juice (a light, citrus kick) and balsamic vinegar (rich, sweet, and full of other flavours).

Sugar: While brown sugar will blend beautifully with the rest of these flavours, you could also try white sugar, no calorie sweetener, honey, or even maple syrup. Maple syrup might overwhelm the marinade though, so try to find neutral sweeteners.

Seasonings: This marinade recipe is packed with a bunch of herbs, as well as soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce for umami flavor. And of course plenty of garlic. You can mince the garlic yourself or buy some pre-minced in a jar.

Raw chicken legs arranged on a wooden board surrounded by small bowls of liquids, spices, garlic, lemon zest, and measuring spoons, all set on a white marble surface.

How to Make The Best Chicken Marinade

This is a brief overview of the recipe. The full list of ingredients and step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.

A glass bowl with soy sauce and herbs sits on a marble surface next to raw chicken wings, a whisk, a garlic bulb, and a white kitchen towel with red stripes.

Raw chicken pieces marinating in a sealed plastic bag with herbs and liquid on a white marble surface, next to a zested lemon, lemon zest, garlic pieces, and a white towel with red stripes.

In a medium bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients with a whisk. Mix well so that the oil and vinegar emulsify.
Place chicken in a large zip-top bag or a lidded container. Pour the marinade over the chicken.
Place in the fridge and marinate for 2-3 hours, turning the bag or jiggling the container occasionally to be sure the chicken is fully coated in marinade.
Preheat barbecue. Brush oil on hot grill.
Remove chicken from marinade and place on grill. Cook until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F (breast meat) or 185°F (thighs).

A grilled chicken leg quarter with herbs rests on a bed of white rice on a white plate, surrounded by a bowl of rice, grilled chicken in a dish, seasonings, and fresh parsley on a marble surface.

Karlynn’s Tips and Tricks for Making Chicken Marinade

Balancing Flavours: There are many flavour elements in this recipe, and part of the fun for you will be figuring out how to balance those flavours according to your own personal tastes. Maybe you want to increase the acidity slightly if you will be serving the chicken with a zesty Or reduce the acidity and increase the sweetness for a heavier dish. Use your taste buds and have fun experimenting.

Serving Suggestions: Chicken prepared with this marinade will fit in with a variety of meal options. Try it alongside a Greek Salad with Homemade Greek Salad Dressing or some Roasted Fingerling Potatoes for a full meal. Or use it to enhance the flavour of the chicken for another recipe, like Grilled or Baked Chicken Breast.

Grilled chicken legs with char marks are arranged on a wooden board, garnished with chopped herbs and lemon slices. The chicken appears juicy and golden-brown, ready to be served.

Storage Instructions

Fridge: Unused marinade can be kept in a sealed container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Do not store used marinade, as it will harbor bacteria from the raw chicken. Store cooked and cooled chicken in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Freezer: While the marinade itself is unlikely to freeze well, you can store leftover cooked chicken in a sealed container in the freezer for 3-4 months.

More Delicious Marinades, Sauces & Salad Dressings Recipes

Looking for more awesome and easy marinades to try?

Try The BEST Teriyaki Marinade Recipe on pork or chicken.

Check out this Flank Steak Marinade or The Best Steak Marinade Recipe to maximize your steak grilling game.

Make some Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin Marinade the next time you’ve got a large chunk of pork to prepare.

There you go, everyone. A quick and simple marinade to use on any chicken type of grilled or baked chicken. Try it out and let me know what you think.

Happy Cooking!

Karlynn