7 chicken marinade recipes you can freeze. This post shows you exactly how to marinate chicken breasts to get the BEST flavor, and how to freeze them for easy convenient dinners.
Boneless skinless chicken breasts are pretty much a staple in our weeknight dinner routine, and 90% of the time, we end up baking them in the oven.
We’ve been stuck in a chicken routine lately, and I’m getting a little sick of the same old flavors…so to shake things up, I’m sharing 7 chicken marinade recipes!
These chicken breast marinades are
- made with simple pantry staples
- freezer-freindly
- each prepped in a matter of minutes
NEW: Head over here for 7 Instant Pot Chicken Breast Recipes! And check out these 7 Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes!
Click here to download a free printable with all seven chicken marinades!
NEW: Find 7 MORE Freezer Chicken Marinades here!
How long to bake your chicken breasts
How long you bake your chicken breasts depends 100% on the size…and not all chicken breasts are created equal. The best bet is to weigh your chicken breasts to determine the perfect cook time.
- For small, 5 oz chicken breasts, 18-20 minutes at 425°F
- For 7 oz chicken breasts, 25 minutes at 425°F
- For 10.5 oz chicken breasts, 25-30 minutes at 425°F
If you are unsure if your chicken breast is cooked through, you can either cut your chicken breast in half and look for pink, or you can use a thermometer and check that it has reached an internal temperature of 165°F.
* A serving size of chicken is 3-4 oz, about the size of the palm of your hand. So splitting a chicken breast between two people is normally a good bet.
Chicken marinade equipment
All you really need for these recipes is a quart sized heavy-duty freezer bag
and a sharpie
. I am constantly looking for ways to reduce my kitchen waste, but I haven’t found a suitable alternative to freezer bags when it comes to marinades. Glass containers require substantially more marinade to coat the meat.
If you have a more environmentally-friendly alternative, let me know in the comments!
Advanced: check out my baggie holder
! They are totally unnecessary, but also totally fun. They make it a bit easier to get the chicken into the bags without getting raw chicken all over the seal.
Rules for marinating chicken
Marinating ‘rules’: OK, I’ve read up on chicken marinades quite a bit this month and there is quite a bit of contradictory advice out there. Some people say that marinating in citrus or acid-based marinades leads to mealy chicken but that was not the case for any of these marinades (possibly because they are balanced with oils and other ingredients).
Aside from that, I’ve tried to answer any questions you might have about these recipes below:
- Can I use these marinades without freezing them? Yes, absolutely. Pop them in the fridge for 2 hours all the way up to 24 hours. I don’t recommend marinating longer than that without freezing.
- How long can these be frozen? Up to 3 months. As everything freezes, the marinating process stops, and starts up again as the chicken thaws.
- What if my chicken is already frozen? Do not thaw your chicken if you are going to freeze again. Add the marinades to already frozen chicken, and you will still get a ton of flavor from marinating while it thaws.
- How to thaw the chicken? The safest bet is in the fridge overnight, but you can do a rapid-thaw process in cold water for a few hours. Just make sure your freezer bag is heavy duty so you don’t have any leakage!
- Can these marinades be used on other types of meat? Probably but I’ve only tested with chicken. I would not freeze fish in these marinades but they may be good for a quick 30 minute marinade.
- Can I grill or pan-fry the chicken? I have only tested these recipes in the oven but they should be transferable to the grill and frying pan. You may wish to shake off excess marinade prior to grilling to prevent flare-ups and/or brush more marinade on while grilling for extra flavor.
- One more thing- don’t forget to let your chicken rest after you bake it. Resting 5-10 minutes at room temperature before slicing will help seal in the juices.
7 chicken marinade recipes you can freeze:
1. Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade
GRAB THE CILANTRO LIME CHICKEN MARINADE RECIPE HERE!
Serve this Cilantro Lime Chicken with:
2. Sweet Chili Chicken Marinade
GRAB THE SWEET CHILI CHICKEN MARINADE RECIPE HERE!
Serve this Sweet Chili Chicken with:
- this Crunchy Asian Peanut Salad
- rice and steamed veggies
- the sesame snap peas from this post How to Cook Sugar Snap Peas
3. Jerk Chicken Marinade
GRAB THE PRINTABLE JERK CHICKEN MARINADE RECIPE HERE.
Serve this Jerk Chicken with:
- this Coconut Lime Cauliflower Rice from Diethood
- the mango sauce from this post
4. Lemon Ginger Chicken Marinade
GRAB THE PRINTABLE LEMON GINGER CHICKEN MARINADE RECIPE HERE.
Serve this Lemon Ginger Chicken with:
- this Soba Noodle Salad
- roasted broccoli and snap peas
5. Soy Honey Garlic Chicken Marinade
GRAB THE PRINTABLE HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN MARINADE RECIPE HERE
Serve this Soy Honey Garlic Chicken with:
- rice and steamed veggies
- use it in this pasta salad
6. Yogurt Curry Chicken
GRAB THE PRINTABLE YOGURT CURRY CHICKEN MARINADE HERE
So…I was on the fence about whether I should post this recipe or not, because the fact is: yogurt is not freezer friendly. As the yogurt thaws, it breaks and becomes flaky.
HOWEVER. This chicken ended up so incredibly flavorful, and we weren’t bothered in the slightest by the appearance of the yogurt. The fact is, the yogurt gave so much flavor the the chicken that I had to include this recipe. If it bothers you, keep this one in your pocket as a great short-term (fridge-friendly) marinade.
Serve this Yogurt Curry Chicken with:
- roasted potatoes and a cucumber tomato salad
- naan and carrot/parsnip slaw
7. Chipotle Lime Chicken Marinade
GRAB THE PRINTABLE CHIPOTLE LIME CHICKEN MARINADE RECIPE HERE!
Last but not least…this chipotle lime chicken marinade is a great blend of sweet, spicy, smoky and savory. Add a chopped chipotle pepper for a real spicy kick! This chicken goes great with all things Mexican.
Serve this Chipotle Lime Chicken with
- a batch of Mexican Brown Rice from Cookie + Kate
- this Mexican Chopped Salad from The Cafe Sucre Farine
Looking for easy meal ideas?
- Check out this round-up with 38+ Easy Lunch Meal Prep Ideas
- This post with 30+ Chicken Breast Recipes
- learn how to cook Perfect Baked Chicken Breast
- this Balsamic Salmon Marinade
7 Chicken Marinade Recipes You Can Freeze
Ingredients
* marinade recipes are for 1 large chicken breast (7 oz); hover over the portion size to increase the recipe portions
Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Sweet Chili Chicken Marinade
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast
- 3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce (reduced sodium recommended)
- 2 tablespoons water
Jerk Chicken Marinade
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Lemon Ginger Chicken Marinade
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Chipotle Lime Chicken Marinade
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers)
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Honey Garlic Chicken Marinade
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (I prefer reduced sodium)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons water
Yogurt Curry Chicken Marinade
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast
- 2 tablespoons yogurt
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a heavy duty freezer bag or reusable silicone bag. Add chicken breasts and turn to coat in marinade.
Fridge
- Marinate the chicken in the fridge for 2-24 hours.
Freezer
- If freezing, place in the freezer immediately. Thaw in the fridge overnight, or by immersing the bag in a bowl of cold water for a couple of hours.
To Bake
- Heat oven to 425°F.
- Pour chicken from the bag (including all marinade juices) into a baking dish (5x5 for a single chicken breast and 8x8 for 2+).
- Bake for 10 minutes, flip, and bake for 10-20 more minutes, depending on the size of your chicken breast (see *). Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Remove chicken from the oven and cover with a baking dish. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- For small, 5 oz chicken breasts, 18-20 minutes at 425°F
- For 7 oz chicken breasts, 25 minutes at 425°F
- For 10.5 oz chicken breasts, 25-30 minutes at 425°F
Nutrition
Be sure to also check out:
Jamie
May 8, 2019 at 9:14 pmHi Denise, you encouraged ideas about alternatives to plastic ziplocs for marinating. Have you tried Slatasher bags? They’re made of silicone and can be washed in dishwasher. I just made my first of your recipes – cilantro chicken and marinated in the freezer in a stasher bags. It was delish! (Stasherbag.com)
Denise
May 9, 2019 at 12:22 pmHi Jamie! I’ve been meaning to update this post because I am obsessed with silicone bags. I do have some Stasher ones and they work well but are pricey. I really like my cheaper silicone bags which are similar to these: https://amzn.to/3040XM5
S. John
March 13, 2019 at 6:36 pmIf I were to use bone in chicken pieces, how long should it be baked for?
Denise
March 18, 2019 at 8:57 pmHi! I haven’t actually tried that. This recipe calls for 35-45 min at 425. I would start checking at 35 minutes and check the internal temp!
Tegan
March 7, 2019 at 3:31 amCan I cut up the chicken then marinate in the freezer, would the cooking times change?
Denise
March 11, 2019 at 10:09 amHi Tegan! That should work just fine, but the cook time would be different. I would try 12-15 minutes.
Laura
January 14, 2019 at 4:20 amHi!
I love this. I have been cooking them in the air fryer. I just bought an instant pot and was wondering how the recipe change for it.
Thanks
Denise
January 15, 2019 at 5:11 pmHi Laura! I love that you’ve been making these in the air fryer! What time/temp did you use if you don’t mind me asking? These recipes are not suitable for the Instant Pot as they don’t have enough liquid to bring the pot to pressure. Luckily, I have 7 Instant Pot Chicken Recipes for you here: https://sweetpeasandsaffron.com/instant-pot-chicken-breast-recipes/
fitlum
December 11, 2018 at 5:23 amI tried this, it was amazing.
Denise
December 16, 2018 at 12:13 pmSo happy you enjoyed! Thanks for your review 🙂
Jess
December 3, 2018 at 2:03 amLOVE this idea, can’t wait to try!
Question: do you think it’s safe to add frozen vegetables to the chicken bag? I’m thinking big chunks of cauliflower or broccoli. They’d defrost with the chicken and of course get the chicken juices over them…but if I bake them in the oven with the chicken, do you think it would be hygienic to eat…?
Denise
December 3, 2018 at 10:31 pmHi Jess! They’d absolutely be safe to eat, since the heat kills any bacteria the same way it does on the chicken. I’m not sure if they would cook for the same amount of time as the chicken, though? Frozen veggies cook through quite quickly since they are cooked before freezing. You could try cutting the chicken into bite-sized chunks and baking for just 15 minutes?
Liz
November 28, 2018 at 12:48 amHi Denise! When cooking the chicken, do we dump all of the marinade into a baking dish and cook it with the chicken for the recommended time?
Denise
December 5, 2018 at 9:00 pmHi Liz! Yes, you bake the chicken in the marinade. I recommend a small baking dish rather than a baking sheet 🙂
Carol clingan
November 10, 2018 at 3:56 pmWhere can you buy these mariaids.
Erin
November 5, 2018 at 9:57 pmI tried the honey garlic marinade. It was easy to assemble and tasted great. Next time I will season with salt and pepper to cut the sweetness a little bit.
Denise
November 10, 2018 at 2:01 pmGlad you enjoyed, Erin! Thanks so much for your feedback!
David
September 29, 2018 at 12:37 pmhow long do these marinades last for if i wanted to make a lot at one time and use it over time?
Denise
October 4, 2018 at 9:06 amHi David! These marinades will keep in the fridge for about 4 days. You can freeze them, but it’s against food safety guidelines to freeze food more than once, so I’m not sure how you’d go about that, unless you portioned it out.
Jodi
September 10, 2018 at 6:30 pmI made a set of these to put in the freezer. So far I have made the yogurt curry and the jerk chicken. Tomorrow night I am making the lemon ginger chicken and I have very high expectations for it as well!! Thank you!
Denise
September 20, 2018 at 8:58 pmI hope you enjoy them all, Jodi!
Deb
August 22, 2018 at 10:45 amAll your marinades sound delicious! When you bake the chicken in the oven, do you also add the sauce the chicken has been marinading in or do you need to discard the extra marinade? I was concerned about food safety. Thanks so much! I love your website!!! I have tried your chicken marinades for the instant pot that turn into a sauce and they are amazing!!!
Denise
August 27, 2018 at 4:12 pmHi Deb! For these recipes the marinade cooks along with the chicken. If you are heating/cooking the sauce through, it will prevent any issues of food safety, same way it does when you cook the chicken through.
Tristin
July 17, 2018 at 11:32 amCan you use other types of chicken besides a chicken breast? Is there any precautions when making these with a different cut of meat?
Denise
July 17, 2018 at 3:59 pmHi Tristin! For sure! I’ve used them with boneless skinless chicken thighs as well. You could do any type of chicken really but the cooking instructions here are specific for chicken breasts 🙂
katherine
July 16, 2018 at 12:24 pmHi
Can i use apple cider vinegar instead lime juice?
Thank you ☺
Denise
July 17, 2018 at 4:04 pmHi Katherine, I haven’t tried this. Which recipe are you thinking of trying?
Kim Wankel
July 14, 2018 at 7:22 amQuestion 1: Is the sugar necessary in the marinades. I am trying to live sugar free/saccharin, splenda, free too.
Q2: Is there a substitute for soy. I need to stay away from peanut and tree nuts and many soy’s are in a facility that is uses nuts or has it in them.
Thanks! Love this variety.
Denise
July 17, 2018 at 4:11 pmHi Kim! 1. The sugar really balances out the savory/sour/spicy flavors. I have a feeling that if you are used to no sugar in your recipes, you probably wouldn’t miss it! If you do try, I’d love to hear how it goes! 2. Hmm that’s tough, because I guess coconut aminos would be out of the question? And tamari is also soy based, right? Let me think on this and hopefully someone can chime in and help!
Harley
July 4, 2018 at 10:06 pmHello,
Since you are baking your chicken, you could dice the breasts up into cubes, put them in a freezer safe container, and pour your marinades over them. It should require roughly the same amount of marinade while giving the chicken a greater marinade to chicken ratio!
Anabel
June 21, 2018 at 7:54 amHI Denise, have you heard of or tried Stasher bags?
Denise
June 26, 2018 at 8:29 pmI have, actually I own a couple! They are not bad, I do like them but find them too pricy. I have recently discovered some other silicone freezer bags that I’m testing out for freezing chicken in marinades. I plan to update this post with the info soon!
Kayla V
August 21, 2018 at 3:59 pmHey Denise, are there other reusable bags that you suggest other than Stasher bags?
Denise
August 22, 2018 at 9:39 amHi Kayla! Yes! I need to update this post…I have discovered these silicone freezer bags and they work PERFECTLY for these marinades. I do wish they were North American made, but love them and use them all the time. Here’s the link to the ones I use: https://amzn.to/2MONELs
Veronica
December 7, 2018 at 12:46 pmHello! I´m looking to buy this reusable silicone bags. There are bags for 1,00o mL and 1,500 mL… The link you posted is for the 1,000 mL… this is the correct size right?
Denise
December 10, 2018 at 11:11 pmHi Veronica! I have purchased both the 1000 and 1500 mL and I don’t recommend the larger ones (at least the ones I purchased), because the lids are impossible to get on! I would use the 1000mL for these marinades, you should be able to fit 2-4 chicken breasts in each one. I love mine so much!
Zakia
June 20, 2018 at 4:02 pmThank you so much for sharing this post, I been trying to find this on YouTube for a week and baam it’s in my email.
May God bless for this
Denise
June 20, 2018 at 9:17 pmGlad you found it! Hope you enjoy the recipes, Zakia 🙂