BBQ Chicken Marinade – Five Great Recipes

One of the many reasons we love chicken is how versatile it is. Whether you cook it on the stove, grill it, roast it, or barbecue it – chicken just seems to absorb different flavours and ties them all together for a delish meal.

Having an arsenal of easy barbecue chicken recipes up your sleeve means that you can try something new every time you decide to fire up the grill. Even the smallest changes in the ingredients you use for your chicken marinade can turn a tried and tested marinade recipe into something new and exciting.

Easy Homemade BBQ Marinade
BBQ Chicken Marinade with Mustard and Rosemary
BBQ Marinade On-The-Go
Lemony Chicken Marinade
Teriyaki Chicken Marinade

How long should you marinate chicken?

Marinating chicken isn’t rocket science – the longer you leave it in the marinade, the better it will taste. We suggest a minimum of 30 minutes and a maximum of 24 hours in the refrigerator.  If you’re pressed for time, prick the chicken with a fork to help it absorb the marinade better. If the marinade is heavily acid based (have lots of lemon or strong vinegars) then its best to marinate the chicken for less than 8 hours as it can start to dry out.

When it comes to actually making the marinade itself, the simplest recipes are often the tastiest and most can be made with ingredients you already have in your kitchen and pantry. So, without further ado – read on for some easy, barbeque chicken marinade recipes that you’ll revisit time and again.

1.     Easy Homemade BBQ Marinade

Ingredients:

·       Approximately 1.5 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. (Western Canadian – Chicken Breast, Boneless Skinless, Fresh, 1 Each)

For the marinade:

·       2/3 cups ketchup

·       1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

·       1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

·       1 tbsp light brown sugar

·       1 tsp paprika

·       1 tsp ground cumin

·       1 clove garlic

·       Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Combine all the ingredients for the marinade and mix well. Marinate chicken in a large resealable plastic bag for up to 24 hours.

2.     BBQ Chicken Marinade with Mustard and Rosemary

Ingredients:

·       Approximately 3.5 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs.

For the marinade:

·       2 tsp garlic powder

·       1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

·       Salt to taste

·       2 tsp dried rosemary

·       ¾ cup brown sugar

·       2 tbsp Western Family Dijon mustard

·       2 tbsp lemon juice

·       ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

·       ¼ cup light soy sauce

·       ½ cup balsamic vinegar

·       ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

Whisk together all the ingredients for the marinade in a large bowl. Reserve half a cup of marinade to make a sauce. Marinate chicken in a large resealable plastic bag for up to 24 hours. Baste chicken lightly with reserved marinade while cooking. Simmer remaining reserved marinade until slightly reduced for a delicious sauce.

3.     BBQ Marinade On-The-Go

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts (bone in and skin on)

For the marinade

·       1 tsp onion powder

·       1 tsp paprika

·       ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

·       Salt to taste

·       1 tbsp minced garlic

·       ½ cup olive oil

·       ¼ cup bottled BBQ sauce

·       ¼ cup apple cider vinegar

Instructions:

Mix all the ingredients for the marinade thoroughly. Marinate chicken in a large resealable plastic bag for at least 2 hours up to 24 hours keeping it skin side down.

4.     Lemony Chicken Marinade

Ingredients:

·       Approximately 2.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

·       Parsley and lemon wedges for garnish

For the marinade:

·       2 tsp oregano

·       4 garlic cloves crushed

·       ¼ cup lemon juice

·       ¼ cup olive oil

·       Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Mix all the ingredients for the marinade thoroughly. Marinate chicken in a large resealable plastic bag for about 30 minutes and no more than 6 hours.

5.     Teriyaki Chicken Marinade

Ingredients:

·       Approximately 2.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

·       1 ½ tsp cornstarch

·       3 tbsp water

·       Sliced green onions and sesame seeds for garnish

For the Marinade:

·       1 tbsp garlic minced

·       3 tbsp light brown sugar

·       1 tbsp minced fresh ginger

·       2 tbsp honey

·       ½ cup light soy sauce

·       ½ tsp toasted sesame oil

·       2 tbsp rice vinegar

·      ½ cup mirin

·       Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Whisk together all the ingredients for the marinade in a large bowl. Strain and reserve half a cup of marinade to make a sauce later. Marinate chicken in a large resealable plastic bag from about one to eight hours.

Heat the reserved marinade with 2 tbsp of water on the stove and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and let simmer for a couple of minutes. In another bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and remaining water to form a smooth paste and whisk into the sauce on the stove. Let it cook together for about 30 seconds. Serve teriyaki sauce brushed over cooked chicken.

How long to BBQ the marinated chicken?

Cooking times can vary depending on what cut of chicken you have marinated and whether it has the skin and bone as well. For skinless, boneless chicken breasts and thighs, cook it on direct heat for about five minutes on each side or on indirect heat for about 8 – 10 minutes per side. With the bone and skin on, grill with the bone side down on indirect heat for 3 – 5 minutes and then flip and cook for another 35 – 40 minutes, turning periodically. Whole chicken legs take about a similar amount of time. Check the internal temperature. Once it reaches 170°F (77°C), let the chicken rest for about five minutes and you’re good to go!