5 Healthy and Easy Chicken Marinades

No one really likes bland, dry chicken, which is why marinades are a great option for infusing flavor and moisture. One of the easiest ways to make a great marinade is to start with a base of fat, acid, and salt. Using this technique, you can create healthy and easy marinades that pump up any chicken dish. 

Each marinade makes approximately ½ cup of liquid to cover four chicken breasts or six chicken thighs. Make sure to marinate your chicken in a sealed container. Ziplock baggies and sealable tupperware are great options. Chicken should be marinated for at least 30 minutes, and up to 24 hours.

Honey Sriracha

  • 3 Tablespoons Sriracha 
  • 3 Tablespoons honey 
  • 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 2 cloves crushed garlic
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Teriyaki

  • 3 Tablespoons soy sauce (or Tamari for GF)
  • 2 Tablespoons honey 
  • 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 2 cloves crushed garlic
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

Chipotle

  • Sauce from one can of chipotles in adobo
  • 1 Tablespoon avocado oil
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Lemon Garlic

  • ¼ cup olive oil 
  • Juice of 1 lemon (approximately 2–3 Tablespoons)
  • 4 cloves crushed garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon honey 
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 

Italian Herb

  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar 
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley 
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper