Chicken Thigh Marinade (2024)

FAQs

How long should you marinate chicken thighs? ›

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

You can marinate chicken anywhere from 2 hours up to 24 hours, though marinating chicken for even 15 to 30 minutes can impart flavor and moisture into smaller pieces of meat. Generally, bone-in cuts of chicken, such as wings, drumsticks and breasts, will require a longer marinade time than their boneless counterparts.

While you can cook and eat chicken that has been marinating for more than 24 hours, you're risking exposing yourself to some strange textures. Chicken can get both mushy and tough when it's been left to marinate too long. If it's been more than 48 hours, the USDA recommends throwing it out.

The reason you do not want to marinate chicken for longer than 4 hours is that the acidic ingredients in the marinade (like vinegar, wine, or lemon juice) will begin to break down the structure of the meat too much and it will start to “cook” before ever touching a heat source.

Most recipes for marinating meat and poultry recommend six hours up to 24 hours. It is safe to keep the food in the marinade longer, but after two days it is possible that the marinade can start to break down the fibers of the meat, causing it to become mushy.

Low and slow cooking methods like braising, stewing, or smoking are most effective when trying to create tender, succulent chicken.

While poking holes in your chicken while marinating it can be helpful, it's not mandatory. Mostly, this method helps if you don't have several hours to spare when marinating your poultry. Poking holes in your chicken can allow the marinade to penetrate better in a shorter period.

Rather than leave it overnight, Bon Appétit recommends only 15 to 20 minutes, given that a marinade won't be able to penetrate into the meat any further after that point. It's especially counterproductive if your marinade includes salt, sugar, or acid, which can start to react with the proteins in your cut of meat.

The Bottom Line

Time in a marinade definitely matters as far as its brining effect is concerned. In general, longer marination results in deeper seasoning, better moisture retention, and increased levels of browning or char (provided that there is sugar in the marinade).

Just make sure that you don't marinate chicken for much longer than 24 hours, because the acid in the marinade will start to make the meat stringy and tough—no, thank you!

Do you wash chicken thighs before marinating? ›

"Washing can spread germs from the chicken to other food or utensils in the kitchen." We didn't mean to get you all hot about not washing your chicken! But it's true: kill germs by cooking chicken thoroughly, not washing it. You shouldn't wash any poultry, meat, or eggs before cooking.

Remove Marinade Before Cooking: To prevent flare-ups on the grill and ensure properly browned meat when sautéing or stir-frying, wipe off most of the excess marinade before cooking. Keep just a little marinade on the meat surface to maximize flavor.

How Much Marinade Should I Use? You want your meat to be completely immersed in the marinade. Generally, 1/2 cup of liquid marinade for every 1 pound of meat will do the trick. If you can't completely cover the meat, turn it over occasionally in the marinade.

Even on smaller pieces of meat, marinades really don't have much of an effect. Though marinating may be familiar and satisfying—you're getting ahead on prep and looking forward to a flavorful entrée to come—with just a few exceptions, the mixture won't do much more than coat the surface of the meat.

Give it 5-6 hours for the best flavour and texture – if you don't have that long, even 10 minutes of marinating will give flavour to the outside of chicken. Marinades without acid can be left longer but won't make them work any better, so stick to 24 hours as a maximum. Try one of our delicious marinade recipes.

Refrigerated Shelf Life and Safety

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends storing marinated meat in the refrigerator for no more than 3-5 days. This time frame accounts for the potential growth of harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning.

When marinating meat, longer is not always better. And in fact, depending on certain variables, there is a point at which the quality of that meat will start to deteriorate if you marinate it for too long before cooking. Instead of flavorful, tender meat, you could end up with a mushy mess.

So don't be afraid to use your fork to poke a few holes before marinating, as this method will help any herbs, oils, and acids create flavor on the outside and inside of each chicken piece.