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Best Grilled Chicken Marinade

This bold and easy marinade produces tender, juicy grilled chicken with deep flavor and beautiful color. It’s perfect for backyard barbecues or quick weeknight cookouts—marinate for at least an hour for best results.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Main Dish, Marinade
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
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Equipment

  • mixing bowl
  • whisk
  • Gallon-sized plastic storage bag
  • Grill
  • meat thermometer

Ingredients
  

Marinade:

  • 2/3 cup olive oil
  • 2/3 cup less sodium soy sauce
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
  • 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce optional

Chicken:

  • 2 to 3 pounds assorted chicken pieces

Instructions
 

For the Marinade:

  • Combine the olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, brown sugar, spicy brown mustard, black pepper, garlic powder, liquid smoke and chili garlic sauce in a mixing bowl; whisk until the mixture is smooth and uniform.
  • Place the chicken pieces into a gallon-sized resealable bag (use two bags if needed). Pour the prepared marinade over the chicken, seal the bag, and move it around to coat every piece evenly.
  • Refrigerate the bagged chicken for a minimum of 1 hour and up to 8 hours to let the flavors penetrate.

Grilling Instructions:

  • Grill the marinated chicken over medium-high heat just until it develops a good sear, then move to indirect heat to finish cooking. Continue until the thickest part registers 165°F on a meat thermometer and the juices run clear.