When it comes to cooking and grilling flavorful, juicy chicken, a good marinade is absolutely key. Whether you’re using chicken in a recipe or enjoying it as a side to your fav side dishes, get ready to try the best chicken marinades that are easy, healthy and full of flavor.
I have over 15 chicken marinade recipes because, in my opinion, there’s no reason to go through life without making chicken that tastes AMAZING. I’ve broken them down into a few flavor categories so that you can choose your favorite, bake or grill your chicken (notes on this below!) and add it to salads, grain bowls, or as your main dish. Remember to head to the bottom of the post for plenty of recipe inspo, too!
How to make healthy chicken marinades
A great chicken marinade requires three key ingredients
- Fat from oil or even full fat yogurt or buttermilk
- Acid from vinegar or citrus fruit
- Plenty of seasonings like spices and fresh or dried herbs
With the chicken marinade recipes below, you’ll simply whisk the ingredients together and add them to a resealable bag with 1 pound of chicken (I love Stasher bags!)
Organic chicken breast tends to have more moisture and better flavor, so if you are able, I always suggest purchasing organic chicken breast. The longer you marinate your chicken the better, but be sure to let it marinate for at least 2-4 hours.
Cozy spices
Bright & herby
The classics (that double as dressings!)
BONUS: Healthy Salad Dressings (that double as marinades!)
How to bake & grill different cuts of chicken
These healthy chicken marinades are great for chicken breasts, drumsticks, and thighs. You’ll marinate each cut of chicken the same way – just use 1 pound of chicken per marinade before cooking.
For boneless skinless chicken breasts:
- To grill: preheat the grill to medium high (about 400 degrees F) and lightly oil the grate. Cook chicken breast 6-8 minutes per side, until juices run clear and chicken is no longer pink. Check out my full guide for how to grill chicken breast that’s perfectly juicy here!
- To bake: I typically bake my chicken breast at 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes, but this also depends on the thickness of your chicken breast. Be sure to check the internal temp with a meat thermometer so that it reads 165 degrees F.
For chicken drumsticks:
- To grill: preheat your grill to medium high and lightly oil the grate. Place the chicken on the grill and cook for 8 minutes, then flip, brush with the reserved marinade, and grill for an additional 8 minutes. Turn the chicken over one last time, brush again with the remaining marinade, and cook for 5 more minutes, or until no pink remains in the center of the chicken.
- To bake: preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place an oven-safe rack on a large baking sheet and grease with nonstick cooking spray so that the chicken doesn’t stick to the pan. Place the drumsticks on the pan with the thicker part of the drumstick to the outside. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until cooked through.
For boneless skinless chicken thighs:
- To grill: preheat your grill to medium high and lightly oil the grates. Cook your chicken thighs for 6-8 minutes per side, flipping once. When the internal temp reaches 165 degrees F your chicken is done.
- To bake: preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and bake your chicken thighs for about 25-30 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 165.
For skin-on chicken thighs:
- To grill: preheat your grill to medium high and lightly oil the grates. Place chicken skin-side down and grill for 5-6 minutes until grill marks appear. Flip your chicken and cook for another 6-8 minutes more until the internal temp reaches 165 degrees F.
- To bake: preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and bake your chicken thighs for 30-40 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 165 F and juices run clear.
Ways to use these healthy chicken marinades
After marinating your chicken with one of these chicken marinades, grill or bake your chicken and add it to salads, pastas, grain bowls, and more! If you’re looking for tips on how to grill the perfect chicken breast, I have the ultimate guide here. You can also try adding your cooked chicken to these recipes for a delicious, complete meal:
Get all of my chicken recipes here!
I hope you love these easy chicken marinades! If you try them be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked them. Enjoy, xo!
