Get ready to see your neighbours’ faces popping over the fence when the chicken hits the grill!
BEST Grilled Chicken Marinades
There’s several hundred chicken recipes on my website. And here are my picks for the BEST Grilled Chicken Marinades for your BBQ, the marinades that are especially good for chicken cooked on the BBQ! Are you ready?? Here we go!
Everyday Marinades
I call these my Everyday Grilled Chicken Marinades because these are the ones I make over and over again! This one’s a guaranteed hit with everyone! It tastes a bit like BBQ Sauce, a bit country style, and a whole lot of YUM! You’ll love how it’s made with pantry staples.
Ingredients: ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, sugar, olive oil Ideal for: Skinless boneless chicken thighs are my first preference, followed by chicken breast.
2. Honey Soy Chicken
Everybody’s favourite Honey Soy Chicken marinade! It does everything you expect from a marinade (tenderises, adds flavour), and gives it a lovely lacquered finish PLUS you get a glossy honey garlic sauce to smother the chicken and everything else on your plate.
Ingredients: Honey, soy, garlic (lots!), vinegar, Chinese cooking wine / sherry (secret ingredient), sesame. Ideal for: Skinless boneless chicken thighs, breast Make this marinade »
3. My Back Pocket Chicken Marinade
This is the chicken marinade I make the most often because it’s made with pantry standbys. It tenderises, adds savoury flavour with a touch of sweet, and it’s quick to make. It’s my emergency marinade!
Ingredients: brown sugar, olive oil, soy sauce*, lemon, Worcestershire, garlic, oregano, pepper * The secret ingredient, acts as brine and adds flavour but does not make this taste Asiany at all! Ideal for: Brilliant for chicken breast, also great for any cut of chicken.
4. Lime Marinated Chicken
The lime flavour in this is really terrific! The key is using lime ZEST as well as juice – the zest is where most of the flavour is. Ingredients: Fresh lime (zest and juice), garlic, soy sauce, olive oil Great for: Especially great for breast, but will work for any cut of chicken.
Asian Chicken Marinades
Cooking over charcoal is huge all across Asia! So it’s no surprise that I have a a handful of really great Asian BBQ chicken marinades. Here are my favourites!
5. Asian Chicken Marinade
This will always be remembered as the chicken that rendered my group of girlfriends silent…. It’s sticky, sweet, savoury, garlicky, gingery and totally delicious!
Ingredients: garlic, ginger, soy sauce, ketchup (secret!), oyster sauce, Chinese cooking wine or mirin, sriracha, sesame Ideal for: Chicken breast and boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
6. Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken
Long time personal favourite, the marinade I make over and over again for gatherings with friends! The Lemongrass Marinade is so good, I guarantee you will fall in love with it too!
Ingredients: Lemongrass, lime juice, lots of garlic, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar. Ideal for: Chicken breast and boneless thigh if making noodle bowls. Can also use for bone in chicken.
7. Thai Satay Chicken with Peanut Sauce
A satay coconut marinade infuses the chicken with flavour before cooking on the BBQ then served with the most UNBELIEVABLE Thai Peanut Sauce! Skewering is optional, the peanut sauce is not.😂 This is a fairly new recipe that’s quickly become a firm favourite among readers!
Ingredients: coconut milk, red curry paste, peanut butter, curry powder, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar Ideal for: Boneless chicken thighs (breast also ok), bone in thighs
8. Thai Grilled Chicken (Gai Yang)
9. Southern Thai Tumeric Chicken
Mediterranean & Middle Eastern
Heavily spiced marinades smell amaaaaazing when cooked on the BBQ!
Ingredients: lemongrass, garlic, lime, chilli, fish sauce, Chinese cooking wine, sesame, sugar, honey, pepper Ideal for: Skinless boneless chicken thighs are my first preference, followed by chicken breast.
Ingredients: garlic, fish sauce, oyster sauce, turmeric, fresh coriander/cilantro, sugar, pepper Ideal for: Bone in thighs, also skinless boneless chicken thighs and chicken breast.
Ingredients: garlic, ginger, chilli, lemongrass, coriander powder, tumeric, curry, sugar, fish sauce, coconut milk Ideal for: Skinless boneless chicken thighs are my first preference, followed by chicken breast. Can also use bone-in thigh.
Ingredients: yogurt, lemon, ginger, garlic, coriander, cumin, tumeric, kashmiri, chilli powder, garam masala spice mix (subs available) Ideal for: Bone in skin on chicken (drumsticks, thighs, Marylands, butterflied / spatchcock chicken) – longer cook time required to get that gorgeous Tandoori crust.
Ingredients: garlic, soy sauce, hoisin, oyster sauce, honey, sugar, five spice powder, sesame Ideal for: Skinless boneless chicken thighs are my first preference, followed by chicken breast.
13. Chicken Shawarma
One of my signature recipes, I love making this heavily spiced Middle Eastern chicken for BBQ gatherings! Easy to make spreads with flatbreads, lettuce, yogurt sauce and/or hummus, tomato, onion and spiced rice pilaf to let everyone make their own wraps or plates.
Ingredients: coriander, cumin, cardamom, cayenne, paprika, garlic, lemon Ideal for: Chicken breast and boneless thigh
15. Nando’s Copycat Peri Peri Chicken
I thought I was so clever making a copycat of Nando’s Peri Peri Sauce but it turns out, many people think they’ve cracked it too! I’m still loyal to mine though. 😂 One of my personal favourites. Make burgers or serve chicken as is!
Ingredients: yogurt, garlic (LOTS!), oregano, lemon, olive oil, vinegar Ideal for: Chicken breast and boneless thigh
Ingredients: fresh chilli, capsicum/bell peppers, garlic, vinegar, paprika, oregano, onion powder, sugar Ideal for: Any cut of chicken suited to the marinade, but for burgers, skinless boneless chicken thighs are my first preference, followed by chicken breast. You’ve done the post-pub midnight run to the kebab shop. Now – make it at home! Use this to make Kebab Rolls OR plates with spiced rice.
Ingredients: yogurt, tomato paste, lemon, oil, garlic, coriander, cumin, paprika, cayenne, onion powder Ideal for: Bones skinless chicken thighs
17. Italian Marinated Chicken
It’s basically your favourite Italian Dressing used as a Marinade to infuse and tenderise chicken with fabulous Italian flavours!
Ingredients: white wine vinegar, garlic, olive oil, mustard, sugar Ideal for: Skinless boneless chicken thighs are my first preference, followed by chicken breast. Loaded with classic Greek flavours of lemon, garlic and dried oregano, this one is fabulous for an outdoor BBQ! Skewering not essential – try it with whole breast or thighs!
Ingredients: Lemon, garlic, oregano, olive oil Ideal for: Skinless boneless chicken thighs are my first preference, followed by chicken breast.
Mexican
19. Chicken Fajita Marinade
The secret ingredient that makes this simple Fajita marinade so good is orange juice. It injects flavour as well as brining, makes the chicken caramelise beautifully. And it doesn’t taste like oranges at all once cooked!
Ingredients: lime, orange juice (secret ingredient!), garlic, cumin, olive oil Ideal for: Skinless boneless chicken thighs are my first preference, followed by chicken breast.
TROPICAL!!
21. Coconut Marinated Chicken
22. Pineapple Coconut Hawaiian Chicken Skewers
One bite of these Pineapple Coconut Hawaiian Chicken Skewers, and you’ll be doing the hula dance! The Hawaiian coconut and pineapple marinade infuses the chicken with tropical flavour as well as tenderising. Skewering not mandatory!
Ingredients: lime, orange juice (secret ingredient!), vinegar, garlic, chipotle, oregano, paprika, all spice, cinnamon, cayenne Ideal for: Skinless boneless chicken thighs are my first preference, followed by chicken breast.
Ingredients: coconut milk, lime, curry powder, paprika, ginger, garlic, hot sauce Ideal for: Skinless boneless chicken thighs are my first preference, followed by chicken breast.
Ingredients: Canned pineapple, coconut milk, sugar, ketchup, lime, soy sauce, garlic, onion powder, cumin, paprika, ginger powder, cayenne Ideal for: Skinless boneless chicken thighs are my first preference, followed by chicken breast.
23. Huli Huli Chicken Marinade (Tropical Hawaiian Chicken)
There’s just no chance you don’t do a little Hula dance as you’re grilling these….
Ingredients: Pineapple juice, ginger, garlic, ketchup, soy, brown sugar, vinegar, sherry (secret ingredient!), sesame oil Get the recipe »
My Favourite Everyday Grilled Chicken Marinade
Here’s the recipe for my Everyday Chicken Marinade – full post is with glowing reader reviews here! It’s the chicken marinade I use the most because it does exactly what it promises – infuses chicken with flavour and tenderises – using ingredients I always have on hand. And it’s excellent grilled or cooked on the stove. Enjoy! – Nagi x
Life of Dozer
Dozer getting waaaay too close to the BBQ for my comfort! He was promptly shooed away after taking a photo 😂 PS To Aussies reading this, I don’t recommend the BBQ brand pictured below…. very uneven heat distribution. I don’t invest in BBQs because the salty air destroys them within 2 – 3 years, even though I keep them covered, wipe them down etc etc #FirstWorldProblems
