Chicken Thigh Marinade (2024)

When it comes to easy, inexpensive, and healthy meals, chicken thighs are your BFF. This Chicken Thigh Marinade gives you juicy, fully flavored chicken that’s a little sweet and a little spicy (if you so choose), with a bright touch of citrus.

Chicken thighs are one of the simplest, most satisfying proteins to cook.

• They are forgiving and relatively foolproof. Since they have a slightly higher fat content, it is harder to overcook chicken thighs than it is Baked Chicken Breast or Grilled Chicken Breast.
• Chicken thighs are healthy. They do not deserve the negative reputation as being “less healthy” than chicken breasts. Chicken thighs are an excellent source of lean protein and iron. Plus, thighs contain more calcium, potassium, vitamin B, and vitamin E than chicken breasts.
• They take well to a wide range of seasonings. Chicken thigh meat is inherently richer in taste than chicken breasts, making it ideal for playing around with different flavor profiles. From Asian-inspired recipes (Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken; Sweet and Sour Chicken), to Crockpot Mexican Chicken, to Indian (Slow Cooker Chicken Curry), there’s variation available so you’ll never get bored.
• They are budget-friendly. At the grocery store, chicken thighs cost less per pound than chicken breasts.
• They cook fast. At medium-high heat (about 400 degrees F), boneless, skinless chicken thighs cook in about 8 to 12 minutes. Now that’s speedy!

Simplest, Best Chicken Thigh Marinade

Marinating chicken isn’t mandatory from a health and safety standpoint, but for the best-tasting results, it is best to marinate chicken for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours.

After 12 hours, the meat will start to break down, especially if you use citrus juice in the marinade.

A good marinade needs a combination of 5 key elements: salt, spice, sweet, acid, and umami.

Herbs are also a nice addition, but not strictly necessary.

This recipe is a go-to simple chicken thighs marinade when you want to serve chicken thighs as a main dish and want something more spice-forward.

(For those who are afraid of heat, fear not: it’s spiced, but not super spicy; for a less spiced chicken thigh marinade with lemon, check out my classic Chicken Marinade.)

• It hits all the key marinade elements.
• I usually have everything I need to make it on hand.
• The combination of sweet, spicy, and tangy ingredients gives the thighs impressive complexity.

To prepare chicken thighs, simply mix the marinade ingredients together, let the chicken rest in the marinade for 30 minutes or up to 12 hours, then follow my Grilled Chicken Thighs recipe or bake as you please. It’s that simple!

The Ingredients

• Chicken Thighs. The chicken thighs soak up the marinade beautifully, creating flavorful, tender, and mouthwateringly-juicy results.
• Garlic. I used a hefty amount of garlic to really give the chicken a punch of delicious garlic flavor.
• Honey. Naturally sweetens the marinade. The honey will also caramelize during cooking, resulting in a luscious, glaze-like finish.
• Soy Sauce. For that scrumptious umami goodness.
• Dijon. Adds a little tang to the marinade.
• Worcestershire. The perfect blend of sweet, savory, and tangy. (Also a key ingredient in BBQ Chicken Marinade.)
• Spices. I used a mix of cumin, salt, and cayenne (optional). The combination is rich, earthy, and a little spicy.
• Lime. Both the zest and juice are used in the marinade. It adds freshness, zip, and citrus flavor.

The Directions

1. Combine the marinade ingredients.

2. Add the chicken, tossing to coat. Marinate chicken for 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 12 hours in the refrigerator.
3. Cook the chicken on the grill, or bake it in the oven. Let rest for a few minutes. DIG IN!

Storage Tips

• To Store. Refrigerate thighs in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
• To Reheat. Rewarm leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F or in the microwave.
• To Freeze. Freeze chicken in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

More Ways to Use Cooked Marinated Chicken Thighs

• Pasta. Use this chicken thigh marinade for pasta dishes. It would be delicious paired with Cajun Shrimp Pasta or Avocado Pesto.
• Salad. Asian Cabbage Salad and Grilled Corn Salad are perfect with these chicken thighs.
• Pad Thai. Dice the cooked thighs and add them to Healthy Shrimp Pad Thai.
• Sandwich. Use this marinade and grill the thighs. Then, swap the grilled thighs for the grilled chicken in this Grilled Chicken Sandwich.

• Citrus Juicer. The easiest way to juice a lime.
• Baking Dish. This is ideal if you want to bake the chicken thighs.
• Grill Pan. Perfect for grilling the thighs on the stovetop.