How to marinate chicken and 5 easy marinades

Learn how to marinate chicken for easy, tasty meals every time. You can use any cuts of chicken, such as drumsticks, thighs, breast fillets or wings. These marinade recipes are enough to flavour up to 1kg of chicken pieces.

How to marinate chicken

You will need large (1 litre) zip-lock bags or reusable silicon bags, a marker for labelling and a large bowl for the bags to stand in.

1. Prepare marinade – see five easy marinade recipes below.

2. Label bag before filling – it's easier to write on a flat, dry bag.

3. Position freezer bag in bowl – open the mouth of the bag to easily add chicken and marinade .

4. Add chicken and marinade and coat well – gently squish the bag to evenly disperse the marinade around the chicken.

5. Seal – expel as much air from the bag as possible .

6. Refrigerate or freeze immediately – see more information about how long you can marinate, freeze and refrigerate below.

How to freeze marinated chicken

All the chicken marinade recipes below are freezable. After following the instructions to marinate chicken, spread chicken pieces into a single layer in the bag. This will allow the chicken to freeze and defrost quickly. Place freezer bag into the freezer so that the chicken remains in a single layer. Freeze for up to 3 months.

How to defrost marinated chicken

Thaw chicken in the bag in the fridge overnight. To defrost your chicken faster, immerse the bag in a bowl of cold water for a couple of hours. Use your chicken as soon as possible after defrosting.

How long can you marinate chicken in the fridge

Follow the instructions for how to marinate chicken above. Refrigerate chicken immediately. For the best flavour, marinate chicken for at least 2 hours. The chicken can be marinated for up to 24 hours. Marinating chicken for more than 24 hours can sometimes lead to an unpleasant change in the texture of the chicken meat.

How to cook marinated chicken

To cook marinated chicken in the oven:

1. Heat oven to 200°C/180°C fan forced. Place chicken in a shallow baking dish and bake for 10 minutes, turn pieces, then bake for a further 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through

2. Allow chicken to rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before serving.

To cook marinated chicken on the stove:

1. In a frying pan, preheat 1-2 tablespoons of oil over medium high heat. Sear chicken for 2-3 minutes each side or until cooked through.

2. Stand chicken for 5-10 minutes partially covered to finish cooking through.