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The Best Ever Grilled Chicken Marinade

The best ever grilled chicken marinade for juicy, tender chicken with balanced savory, tangy, and lightly sweet flavor. Whisk-and-marinade method helps the chicken stay moist and grill-ready, with reliable doneness at 165°F.
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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: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

chicken
  • 2 lb chicken Use any cut; adjust cook timing as thickness varies.
marinade
  • 0.33 cup olive oil
  • 0.25 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 4 garlic Minced.
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp dried herbs Thyme, oregano, or Italian seasoning.

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the marinade
  1. Whisk together olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, brown sugar, black pepper, and dried herbs until evenly combined; the mixture should look smooth and glossy.
  2. Add chicken to a large zip-top bag, then pour the marinade over the chicken so it’s well coated, pressing out excess air.
Marinate
  1. Refrigerate the bag of chicken for 4-24 hours for best results, turning the bag once halfway so the chicken absorbs the flavors evenly.
Grill the chicken
  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, and wait until it’s hot enough to sizzle when the chicken hits the grates.
  2. Grill chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, timing varies by cut and thickness; look for strong grill marks and juices that run clear when pierced.
  3. Rest the grilled chicken for 5-10 minutes before serving so the juices redistribute and the meat stays tender.

Notes

For the juiciest results, marinate toward the longer end of the 4-24 hour range, and remove chicken from the fridge while the grill preheats so it cooks more evenly. Refrigerate marinated chicken in the sealed bag for up to 1 day; freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). For a lighter option, swap half the olive oil for extra-lean olive-oil–based cooking spray or use low-sodium soy sauce to reduce overall sodium.