This grilled chicken marinade is sweet, tangy, garlicky, and made with simple pantry ingredients like apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, citrus, brown sugar, and olive oil. It helps keep chicken juicy on the grill and gives it the kind of flavor that works for cookouts, meal prep, or an easy summer dinner.
Why This Grilled Chicken Marinade Works
- Apple cider vinegar and citrus add tang and help brighten the flavor.
- Dijon mustard helps the marinade cling to the chicken.
- Brown sugar balances the acidity and helps with browning on the grill.
- Olive oil keeps the chicken moist.
- Garlic, salt, and pepper keep the flavor simple and savory.
Grilled Chicken Marinade Ingredients:
This marinade uses boneless chicken breasts, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, lemon juice, lime juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Chicken thighs, drumsticks, or bone-in pieces can also work, but cooking time will vary.
How to Make Grilled Chicken with Marinade
Prepare the chicken. Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise, then pound them to an even thickness. This helps the chicken cook evenly on the grill.
Make the marinade. Whisk the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl. If you want extra marinade for drizzling over the cooked chicken, set some aside in a clean container before adding the raw chicken.
Marinate the chicken. Add the chicken to the marinade and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Grill the chicken. Grill over medium-high heat until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
Important: Discard any marinade that has touched raw chicken.
How Long To Marinate Chicken
For boneless chicken breasts, marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. Because this marinade has apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and lime juice, I would not marinate thin chicken breasts overnight. Too much time in an acidic marinade can make the texture soft or gummy.
If you are using thicker pieces, thighs, drumsticks, or bone-in chicken, you may be able to marinate a little longer, but 1–2 hours is the sweet spot for this recipe.
Storage and Freezing
Store leftover grilled chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It is great sliced for sandwiches, salads, wraps, or quick lunches the next day.
You can also freeze the cooked chicken for up to 2 months. Let it cool completely, then store it in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
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Best Grilled Chicken Marinade Recipe
- Total Time: 50 min
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
A sweet, tangy grilled chicken marinade made with apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, citrus, garlic, brown sugar, and olive oil. Reserve a little before adding the chicken so you can drizzle it over the cooked chicken.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lime, juiced
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced in half lengthwise
Instructions
- Whisk together the apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, lime juice, lemon juice, brown sugar, salt, and pepper.
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking until the marinade is combined.
- Reserve ¼ cup of marinade in a separate clean container for serving. Do this before adding the raw chicken.
- Place the chicken in a glass dish or zip-top bag and pour the remaining marinade over the chicken. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- Let the chicken sit at room temperature for about 20–30 minutes before grilling.
- Grill over medium-high heat, turning once, until the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part.
- Rest for 5 minutes, then drizzle with the reserved clean marinade before serving.
Notes
- If you want extra marinade for serving, reserve it before adding the raw chicken. Discard any marinade that has touched raw chicken.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Marinate Time: 30 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
Looking for some side dishes to go with your chicken:
- Our infamous Potato salad pairs beautifully with this chicken.
- How about a side dish of perfectly cooked Rice Pilaf?
- The flavors and freshness in this Four Bean Salad are amazing!
I’ve been using this recipe for years! Love it’
The BEST chicken marinade recipe and I've tried a few. Everyone who has had this always asks for the recipe so I appreciate you sharing it 🙂
awww thanks Rachel!!
This chicken is amazing!! I have had people request the recipe multiple times 🙂
I’ve been making this recipe for several years and absolutely love it! Over time, I started adding red chili pepper flakes. Thanks for sharing such a great marinade!
Thanks for making this part of your rotation Mandi!