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The Best Ever Grilled Chicken Marinade

The best marinade for juicy chicken—balanced, classic flavors that soak in for tender grilled results. This foolproof recipe combines olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, Dijon, and garlic for grill-ready chicken with great color and texture.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
marinating 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 410
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken marinade
  • 2 lb chicken Any cut works (breasts, thighs, drumsticks).
  • 0.333 cup olive oil
  • 0.25 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 4 clove garlic, minced Minced garlic for even flavor.
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp dried herbs (thyme, oregano, or Italian seasoning) Use one blend or a mix.

Method
 

Make and marinate the chicken
  1. Whisk together olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, garlic, brown sugar, black pepper, and dried herbs until uniform.
  2. Place chicken in a large zip-top bag and pour marinade over it, ensuring the chicken is evenly coated.
  3. Refrigerate the chicken to marinate for 4-24 hours for best results, turning the bag once halfway if convenient.
Grill and finish
  1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
  2. Grill chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, timing varies by cut for even doneness.
  3. Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before serving to keep it juicy.

Notes

For the best texture, remove chicken from the fridge 10 minutes before grilling and pat off excess marinade so it doesn’t burn on the grates. Store grilled leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze cooked chicken up to 3 months. For a gluten-free swap, use gluten-free soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce that’s labeled gluten-free.