This is my favorite grilled chicken marinade of all time! It’s so simple and only has 6 ingredients (one of them is balsamic vinegar so you know it’s going to be good). Cook up the leftover marinade to make a delicious glaze to drizzle over the chicken after it’s slow grilled to perfection! Originally published July 25, 2018.
Table of Contents
- This is the Best Grilled Chicken Marinade
- What you’ll need for this Marinade for Grilled Chicken
- How to make Grilled Chicken Marinade
- How long do I grill the chicken?
- How to serve this Grilled Chicken Marinade Recipe
- How to store Marinade for Grilled Chicken
- Other side dishes to go with this grill chicken marinade:
- Simple Chicken Marinade for Grilling FAQs
- Marinade for Grilled Chicken Recipe
YOU. GUYS.
I have something shocking to tell you about myself. Something so shocking that I didn’t even know about it.
Apparently I’m a lizard person:
My friend Natasha over at Salt and Lavender (follow her, she’s awesome!) messaged me on Instagram yesterday with this screenshot. It’s from some random account that has funny memes. That’s definitely my face, on a meme. I was sooooo confused. Lizard people?? What in the actual heck?? Reading through the comments, it sounds like the meme is being sarcastic, and that it is CLEARLY EVIDENT that I am a lizard person:
“She is pretending to be human, but we all know she is a lizard person.”
You can read all about the conspiracy theory that “reptilians” are taking over planet earth on the internet. I read this on a highly reputable article on Vox.com: “What is a lizard person? It’s just what it sounds like. Lizard people are cold-blooded humanoid reptilians who have the power to shape-shift into human form. What do lizard people want? World domination.”
So guys. Now you know the truth. I’m a food blogger lizard person intent on world domination. From the comments above: “Her human form is very convincing, but Karen isn’t fooling anyone.”
YOU. GUYS. I’m dying over here!!! Who comes up with this stuff?? Do people really believe this?
This is the Best Grilled Chicken Marinade
Hold up, before you go off googling lizard conspiracy theories, I need to tell you about one of my favorite recipes. I don’t know why it takes me so long to get around to posting my favorite stuff sometimes, I’m a weirdo. I’ve been making this grilled chicken marinade for years, and it hasn’t failed me yet. It consistently gives me the most flavorful and moist chicken that will bring tears to your eyes.
I used to be kind of terrible at grilling. Anything, chicken, steak, whatever, I would always either burn it or it would be so tough and flavorless that everyone would wish they were chewing an old tire instead of dinner. At least that’s what I was thinking.
There are a million ways to marinate chicken before you grill it. I present this one: simple, sweet, and tangy. It never gets old, and you probably have everything you need already. I love the sweetness from the brown sugar, the tang from the lemon, and the depth of the balsamic vinegar. I love it hot off the grill, I love it for leftovers, I love it chopped up and tossed on top of a salad. Once you make it, your quest for the perfect grilled chicken marinade will be at an end.
What you’ll need for this Marinade for Grilled Chicken
Here’s a quick shopping list so you can make sure you’ve got what you need for this grilled chicken marinade. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for more details.
- Chicken, any cut, 2 lbs (I love thighs)
- Steak seasoning
- Balsamic vinegar
- Olive oil
- Brown sugar
- Lemon juice
- Brown sugar
How to marinate chicken to grill
Marinating chicken is simple – mix up a marinade, add your seasoned chicken, wait. You’ll want to put the chicken and marinade in a leakproof container so you don’t end up with a fridge full of salmonella. If you’re using a ziplock bag (I often do), place it inside a tupperware or a deep plate so that any leaks will end up in the container.
If you don’t have much time, you can cook the chicken after marinating for as little as 30 minutes. If you’re way on top of things, you can leave the chicken in the fridge for up to 48 hours before cooking it.
Make sure that your marinade is well mixed before you add the chicken. Trying to combine it more thoroughly after adding the chicken is less effective and you can accidentally rub the seasoning right off your chicken.
How to make Grilled Chicken Marinade
This grilled chicken marinade is beautifully simple and only has 6 ingredients. Instead of gathering a dozen spices from your cabinet, we take a shortcut and use a generous amount of steak seasoning. I got this tip from the Pioneer Woman. It’s full of pepper, coarse salt, garlic, paprika, etc., and it comes together to season your chicken beautifully. A half cup of oil per 2 pounds of chicken makes it super moist and tender. Balsamic vinegar adds that perfect flavor and tanginess.
Here’s a quick overview of how to make this grilled chicken. Super easy guys. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for complete instructions!
- In a large gallon size ziplock bag, add the chicken, sprinkle with steak seasoning, and use your hands to work it into the chicken a little bit. Add the marinade ingredients and shake the bag.
- Marinate in the fridge for 4 to 48 hours.
- Strain the chicken through a colander with a small saucepan underneath to catch the marinade. Set the marinade aside and place the chicken on a plate or cutting board.
- Preheat your grill to high heat and oil it. Place the chicken pieces over direct heat; close the lid and grill for 2-3 minutes.
- Use tongs to flip the chicken and place over the low-heat part of the grill. Cover and cook for 30-50 minutes, depending on the thickness of your chicken. Brush with marinade once or twice while cooking.
- The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F on a meat thermometer and juices run clear.
- Place the saucepan of remaining marinade on the stove over medium high heat. Add brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened somewhat. Serve the sauce over the grilled chicken.
Variations on this Simple Chicken Marinade for Grilling
I love this marinade exactly the way it is, but you can make it your own! Here are some ideas to get started.
- Try a different vinegar. I love balsamic but there’s no reason you can’t use red wine vinegar, rice vinegar, or whatever is in your cupboard.
- Switch out the citrus. If you don’t have lemons, feel free to use lime, orange, or even grapefruit juice.
- Use a different sweetener. You can use white sugar or honey in place of brown sugar.
How long do I grill the chicken?
Aside from the amazing marinade, the other secret to the best grilled chicken is to cook it on the grill low and slow, instead of hot and fast. It takes a little longer, but it truly is the best. You don’t get dry chicken when you take the time to grill it like this.
You start by searing the chicken –any cut, any amount—over direct high heat for about 2 minutes. Once the outer edge of the chicken is nice and browned with sear marks, you flip the chicken and cook it over INDIRECT heat for 30-50 minutes, depending on how thick your cut is. I do this by turning off one side of the grill.
How to serve this Grilled Chicken Marinade Recipe
When you are done grilling, take the marinade and boil it on the stove for a couple minutes with some extra brown sugar. Then drizzle this beautiful sauce over your perfectly grilled chicken and die and go to heaven. Cooking the leftover marinade with extra sugar is an idea from this Slow Grilled Mustard Chicken recipe, which is also where I learned the method for slow grilling. Summer food forever guys!!
The photos show this grilled chicken served with the best potato salad EVER that I am so excited about, and sharing with you later this week. I also served it with grilled tomatoes: cut a roma in half, scrape out the seeds, brush with oil, and grill for 4-6 minutes. Should I do a whole post on this method? They were so good and now I can’t wait for my tomatoes to get ripe!
I have an amazing glaze recipe that goes with this grilled chicken. One word: bacon. Get the recipe here: Grilled Chicken with Spicy Honey Bacon Glaze.
How to store Marinade for Grilled Chicken
If you want to make this marinade ahead, you can keep it in the fridge for up to a week or freeze it for 3-4 months. Make sure that you label it!
Other side dishes to go with this grill chicken marinade:
The Only Macaroni Salad Recipe You Need << creamy, perfect, full of flavor!
My Favorite Coleslaw << I love all the herbs in this – so fresh
The Best Potato Salad << no more hunting around for eggs, this potato salad has plenty!
Strawberry Spinach Salad << I absolutely love eating strawberries this way
Apple Gorgonzola Salad << so much flavor from the gorgonzola cheese!
Bacon Baked Beans << if you’ve never had baked beans made from scratch, you are in for a treat
Simple Chicken Marinade for Grilling FAQs
You can marinate chicken for up to 48 hours. After that, the acid in the marinade will start to degrade the chicken and it will become mushy.
If you only have 30 minutes to an hour to marinate your chicken, poking holes can help the marinade flavor the chicken more quickly. If you have a long time to marinate, don’t worry about poking holes (unless you really want to).
I don’t recommend that you rinse marinade off chicken. You DO want to remove most of it, which I do in this recipe by placing the marinated chicken over a strainer. You could also gently wipe the marinade off with a paper towel. The purpose of removing most of it is to prevent flare-ups on the grill from marinade dripping.
You should marinate chicken in the fridge unless you’re only marinating for 30 minutes. Chicken will start growing bacteria and become unsafe to eat if you leave it on the counter for an extended period of time.
Yes, you should! I like to use steak seasoning but it’s pretty standard to use salt and pepper. Rub your seasoning into the chicken so that it’ll stay, even when you place the chicken in the marinade.
More grilled chicken recipes you will love!
Slow Grilled Mustard Chicken << huge favorite of mine!
Lemon Tarragon Grilled Chicken << are you a tarragon fan? You have to try this!!
Easy Baked Pesto Chicken << a weeknight dinner with soooo much flavor
Chipotle Maple Grilled Chicken from Valerie’s Kitchen
Grilled Chicken Thighs with Lemon and Za’atar from Kalyn’s Kitchen
Grilled Chicken Skewers with Green Curry Yogurt Sauce from A Farmgirl’s Dabbles
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Marinade for Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken, any cut (I love thighs)
- 2 tablespoons steak seasoning
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, *
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar, for boiling with marinade
Instructions
- In a large gallon size ziplock bag, add the chicken. Sprinkle with steak seasoning and use your hands to work it into the chicken a little bit.
- Add the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, and lemon juice.
- Zip it up and shake it a little to make sure everything is coated.
- Marinate in the fridge for 4 hours, or up to 48 hours. (You can even do as little as 30 minutes, but the longer you marinate the tastier it will be!
- Strain the chicken through a colander with a small saucepan underneath to catch the marinade. Set the marinade aside and place the chicken on a plate or cutting board.
- Preheat your grill to high heat. If you are using wood or coals, make sure you leave an area of the grill with fewer coals. After the initial sear you will be cooking the chicken over indirect heat.
- When it’s very hot (wait several minutes), place the chicken pieces over direct heat. Be sure to oil the grill so that it doesn’t stick. Close the lid and grill for 2-3 minutes, or until the outside is as crisp and brown as you want it.
- Use tongs to flip the chicken and place over the low-heat part of the grill. I have a gas grill, so I just turn off one of the burners. (The chicken should cover the half of the grill that is turned off). Reduce the heat on the other half of the grill to medium-low heat, between 250-275 degrees F.
- Cover and cook for 30-50 minutes, depending on the thickness of your chicken. Brush with marinade once or twice while cooking.
- The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F on a meat thermometer. Or you can cut it to see if the juices run clear (not pink).
- If you want, you can quickly sear the other side of the chicken over direct high heat before serving.
- Meanwhile, place the saucepan of remaining marinade on the stove over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 5-10 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened somewhat. Serve the sauce over the grilled chicken.
Hello.i love your recipes very much.can you please upload some chocolate cake re
cipes,some simple ones.i’ll be much obliged.
Thanks.
Hi Huda! This is my absolute favorite chocolate cake recipe of all time: https://thefoodcharlatan.com/the-best-chocolate-cake-maglebys-copycat-recipe/
Enjoy!!
This is hilarious!! You had me giggling! Lizard people?? And this chicken marinade looks amazing!! Definitely going to try it! – Anita
Every time I remember about this I laugh out loud. Lizard people???? Seriously who comes up with this stuff. haha! Thanks Anita!!
Can I cook this in the oven first, then brown it on the grill?
Absolutely Gerry! I would check out this post for tips on how to bake chicken in the oven; you’ll definitely want a meat thermometer. Then when it’s done or mostly done (in fact I would take it out of the oven around 150 or 160 at the highest) take it out and finish it up on the grill. Let me know how it goes!
This was the first time that everyone loved dinner and the leftovers did’t last 24 hours. Great simple recipe, I let it marinade for about 24 hours and did not use any lemon or lime juice.
You know it’s a winner when it’s the first thing everyone reaches for in the fridge! Thanks so much for the review Derek!
I have a Traeger grill. How would you grill this chicken using that?
Hi Deborah! I don’t have a Traeger, so won’t be much help here, but the basic idea is to sear the meat over direct heat for a couple minutes, then cook low and slow over indirect heat until the internal temperature reaches 165. Hope this helps!
This was a hit in our family! I love recipes that are delicious, easy to prepare and use few ingredients. AND it is a bonus if I am most likely to have the ingredients in my cupboard anyway. This recipe checked off all the boxes. Thanks! I am sure to make this chicken recipe again and again. BTW, I used boneless chicken breasts and they were so moist and tender.
This is CRAZY GOOD!!!! We LOVED IT!!!! Next time I’d better make, like, 10 lbs or more, because we went through 4 lbs of chicken in TWO DAYS! FOUR OF US!
I didn’t have a lemon, but I had a lime, and a burning desire to try this. Lime works GREAT!
Thanks for making me look so good!
“and a burning desire to try this” haha you are my kind of girl Dana!! I’m totally laughing over here. I’m glad you guys liked it so much!! Lime sounds like it would be really good in this!!
really terrible chef. not a good chef at all. stop acting like ur better then evreryone else.
I’m no chef Josh, but I AM a lizard person, and soon I will take over all the chefs in the world anyway, so what difference does it make? ;)
Was that Josh guy, joking? (I’m gonna kick his …) Not really, but, seriously, you are always humble, genuine and hilarious! PS, my grown daughters love your tri-tip marinade-they call it, “moms marinade” when they make it, however I give you all the credit and say, “It’s, the Food Charlatan”
I think Josh is just jealous that he’s not a lizard person ;) Thank you so much Jana!! I’m glad you are enjoying the recipes. And please, you need to start taking credit, anyone can read a recipe, but not everyone can actually make it taste good. It’s the truth, I say go with mom’s marinade :)
This looks outstanding, Karen! I love that gloss…. So hungry now!
Thank you Valerie!! I’m hungry too! :)
You mention “maybe Im a wierdo” -I know Im one. Does a person being a wierdo make it more likely they are also a reptile person?
This is seriously the kind of thing I stay up at night thinking about PJ.
YUM! Your food always looks so good.
Creepy that someone used your face without permission. I guess just consider it a compliment.
Thanks Kalyn!! Yes it is a little weird but at least I got a few laughs and a new conspiracy theory to make fun of out of it ;)
The Great Interwebs (today’s history book, dictionary, and newspaper) has noticed you and put you on a list of people that includes Mark Zuckerberg and Hillary Clinton? Two people that are known, for better or for worse, worldwide. I’d say you’ve made it. You can retire early and live off your fame.
But seriously, I think I’ll try this marinade. I know it’s not the same, but have you ever subbed honey or maple syrup for the brown sugar?
You know, now that I’ve made it, I think I will retire early. I’ll call up Hillary and Mark and maybe we could take a cruise together to pass through the golden years?
You definitely should try the marinade Alli! I haven’t tried honey or maple but that sounds amazing. Both of those would go great with balsamic. Let me know how it goes!
You are definitely my favorite lizard person! Haha that was so weird. I’m so glad you have a sense of humor about all this. :D
Haha! YES! Onward toward world domination! How would I ever have realized my potential without you Natasha?? ;)
If you are intent on taking over the world by flooding it with delicious recipes, I’m all for it. Karen for President!
Haha!! Yes that is my master plan, world domination through amazing recipes 😂 thanks Laura!
Can I use apple cider vinegar instead of Balsamic .
Hey Lee! I haven’t tried it, but generally oil-and-vinegar marinades are delicious no matter what type of vinegar you use. Try it out! I think it will taste great!