Go Back

The Best Ever Grilled Chicken Marinade

The best ever grilled chicken marinade for juicy, tender meat with balanced savory-sweet flavor. A classic marinade made with olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, Dijon, and garlic for foolproof grilling.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
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
  • 2.5 lb chicken Use any cut; bone-in and thighs may take longer than breasts.
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 clove 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 olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard together until smooth and fully combined, with no visible streaks.
  2. Whisk in minced garlic, brown sugar, black pepper, and dried herbs until evenly distributed, with the marinade looking uniform.
Marinate the chicken
  1. Place the chicken in a large zip-top bag and pour the marinade over it, making sure the pieces are coated.
  2. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4-24 hours, keeping the bag flat so the liquid can contact the chicken on all sides.
Grill
  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, aiming for steady heat across the grates before cooking.
  2. Grill the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, timing varies by cut, and turn or flip as needed for even grill marks.
  3. Rest the grilled chicken for 5-10 minutes before serving, so the juices reabsorb and the texture stays tender.

Notes

For maximum juiciness, marinate at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours; discard any leftover marinade that touched raw chicken. Refrigerate cooked chicken in a covered container up to 3-4 days; freeze cooked chicken up to 2-3 months. For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free soy sauce while keeping the rest of the marinade the same.