The Ultimate Grilled Chicken Marinade (Paleo, Dairy Free, Gluten Free)
Aug 17, 2021, Updated Sep 18, 2024
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If there is one marinade you need for summer, it’s this one.
When I am having people over for a barbecue, this is one of the recipes I turn to. It’s quick to throw together, packed with tart, salty, sweet, COMPLEX flavor and does all the work of flavoring your main course while you go about your day. Without fail, someone always asks “what’s in this marinade?”
The best part is that it goes just as well with steak, pork, or salmon as it does chicken and has yet to fail me. I’ve even used it with portabello mushrooms that I’ve grilled up and served as meatless burgers and it was divine.
This, along with my Miso Teriyaki Chicken, are two favorite summer go-tos you will find at my table all season long.
👩🍳How to make my Ultimate Grilled Chicken marinade
Step 1. Cut chicken in half horizontally and open like a book, slicing in the middle to create two breast halves.
Step 2. Season chicken breasts with salt and set aside.
Step 3. Whisk all marinade ingredients in a large bowl and add chicken breast halves.
Step 4. Toss chicken to coat fully and submerge as much as possible in the marinade.
Step 5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4-6 hours, tossing halfway through to evenly marinate the chicken.
Step 6. Remove chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before you plan to cook.
Step 7. When ready to cook, preheat the grill and oil the grates.
Step 8. Grill chicken on medium high for 4-6 minutes per side or until cooked through.
Step 9. Let rest for 15 minutes, and serve.
🤲 Substitutions
- This marinade is incredibly versatile, as I noted earlier, so I encourage you to experiment using it on all sorts of proteins and vegetables.
- Coconut aminos are called for, but soy sauce is easily substituted and one I often use as well.
- No oranges? No problem. Use some lemon or lime juice and a teaspoon of maple syrup or honey instead.
- Red wine, white wine, or balsamic vinegar can be used in place of the apple cider vinegar.
😍Why you’ll love my Ultimate Chicken Marinade
It’s extremely versatile. This sauce is delicious on all sorts of proteins and vegetables!
It can be thrown together in minutes but will create stunning flavor that is sure to have people asking for the recipe at dinner!
Menu ideas for Summer Grilling Dinners
Sixty Second Coleslaw (Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
Creamed Corn Pasta with Zucchini + Basil (Gluten Free, Vegetarian)
Coconut Lime Sheet Cake with Lime Glaze (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
If you make this Ultimate Grilled Chicken Marinade, and I hope you do, I want to hear from you! send me a message on instagram, or post a photo to your stories and tag me so I can share your creations. enjoy!
The Ultimate Grilled Chicken Marinade
Equipment
- Gas or charcoal grill
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 orange, juiced
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Cut chicken in half horizontally and open like a book, slicing in the middle to create two breast halves.
- Season chicken breasts with salt and set aside.
- Whisk all marinade ingredients in a large bowl and add chicken breast halves.
- Toss chicken to coat fully and submerge as much as possible in the marinade.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4-6 hours, tossing halfway through to evenly marinate the chicken.
- Remove chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before you plan to cook.
- When ready to cook, preheat the grill and oil the grates.
- Grill chicken on medium high for 4-6 minutes per side or until cooked through.
- Let rest for 15 minutes, and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Kat was not kidding when she named this recipe – it really is the ultimate marinade! We’ve been making this recipe at least once a week all summer long. Everyone loves it. I decided to grill this chicken with burgers for a cookout and one of my guests said it was the best chicken sandwich she’d had in a long time. Not just delicious, not just easy, but also made up of things I usually stock in my kitchen, so no special trips to the grocery store needed – especially with the substitution options Kat provides! Stop reading this review and get cooking!
So good!
I’ve made this recipe so many times. It is my go to for the perfect juicy chicken. The only complaint I have is that it needs to be tripled because leftovers are a must!
My family loved this!
Hooray! So glad they loved it! xo, Kat
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
Hi Vera, Great to hear. Thanks for sharing 🙂
This chicken is so good. My entire family loves it, and that’s saying something given my four year old eats around 7 different foods. This chicken is the ONLY meat he will eat. If you have “selective eater”, maybe this will work for you.
A summer staple in our house – so easy and so good!
This marinade is outrageous! It is perfectly balanced and delicious. My picky 7 year old even had seconds! This will become a regular recipe for our family and guests! I liked it especially with thighs!
Hooray! Love to hear it, Lauren! xo, Kat
Great marinade! I made it twice, once exactly as it is listed and once with lemon instead of orange and added some honey but I liked it better with the orange. For sure going in the rotation as it is so easy and has so much flavor!
Great to hear! And yes, lemon is defiently a substitute, but I tend to also like the orange better as well. xo
I have been using this recipe ever since you first shared it in the beginning of the pandemic! It’s phenomenal. Every time I make chicken I tell them about it and you!!
Tender, juicy, full of flavor and consistent. I have subbed ginger for garlic and I switch up which citrus I use depending what I have fresh.
Hi Joanna! So glad you enjoy!! Love to hear how you customize and make it your own, depending on what you have in the house. You really cant go wrong! xo, Kat
Excellent! I marinaded chicken for a roasted eggplant orzo salad that needed protein…this didn’t disappoint. My company raved. Will use this all year long.
I’m thrilled, Mich! Enjoy!