These chicken breast marinades will add so much flavor to your chicken using simple pantry staples! Sharing 7 different flavors, plus tips on how to freeze chicken in a marinade for meal prep.
The sequel to the ultra popular 7 chicken marinades you can freeze is this post, with seven brand new chicken breast marinades. Made with simple pantry spices, these marinades infuse so much delicious flavor into your chicken!
Simple ingredients for great flavor
It’s amazing how much flavor you can build from simple pantry spices. My chicken breast marinade formula includes an oil or other liquid to help disperse flavors onto the chicken breast, an umami or savory component to enhance the ‘meaty’ flavors of the chicken, an acid to help break down the muscle fibres to give you an ultra-juicy chicken breast, a sweetener to balance out the umami and tangy acidic flavors, and optional spices or ingredients to build spice levels or other flavor dimensions into the marinade.
Marinate at least 2 hours
If you have been disappointed by a lack of flavor from a chicken breast marinade in the past, it could be that you did not give your chicken enough time to absorb the flavors. I recommend a minimum of 2 hours, but if possible, allow chicken to marinade a full 24 hours before cooking it up.
On the flip side, you do not want to marinate for more than 24 hours, as the acids in the marinade can start to break down too much of the chicken muscle fibres, leading to mealy and unappealing chicken.
If you are unable to cook your chicken within 24 hours, you can pop it into the freezer and freeze for up to 3 months.
*Note -if your marinade has a high acid content, you should avoid marinating overnight. The recipes in this post only contain a small amount of acids and are great marinated overnight and in the freezer.
How to marinate chicken
The best way to ensure complete coverage of the chicken breast with marinade is to marinate in a bag; a bowl or container just will not cover the chicken breast with the marinade evenly.
Over the years I have moved away from disposable freezer bags, and now prefer silicone Stasher bags.
- use the sandwich Stasher bags for 1 lb (2 chicken breasts)
- use the 1/2 gallon Stasher bags for 2 lbs (4 chicken breasts)
Use other proteins
These marinades work great for other proteins as well. The recipe as written works for a pound of chicken breasts, but you could swap for the following:
- boneless chicken thighs- 2-24 hours marinating time
- shrimp or fish- 30 minutes marinating time
- pork tenderloin- at least 24 hours to marinate
- tofu- press first, then marinate for 2-24 hours
How to cook chicken in a marinade
These recipes can be cooked in any number of ways including in the oven, a frying pan, a barbecue and even an air fryer!
For grill and air fryer
- pound the chicken flat before marinating
- shake off excess marinade before cooking to prevent flare ups or burns
- cook over high until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 155°F
- cover and let it rest for 5 minutes (carry over cooking will help it get to 165°F)
- find my perfect grilled chicken breast recipe here for more details
- find my favorite air fryer chicken breast recipe here with more details
Baking
The cook time of a boneless skinless chicken breast depends on its weight. I advise investing in a digital kitchen scale to determine the weight of your chicken before cooking. Over time, you will be able to tell the size/weight just from sight.
Estimated cook times at 425°F:
- 20 minutes for a 5 oz chicken breast
- 25 minutes for a 7 oz chicken breast
- 30 minutes for a 10.5 oz chicken breast
*Chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. I recommend using this digital thermometer to check.
Rest your chicken for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
Frying pan
Cook the chicken for around 7 minutes per side, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Rest your chicken for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
Freezing chicken breasts in a marinade
One of my favorite ways to meal prep chicken breasts is to freeze them in a marinade. As they thaw, they absorb so much delicious flavor!
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!
7 chicken breast marinade recipes
1. Thai Peanut Chicken Marinade
2. Peri Peri Chicken Marinade
3. Sriracha Maple Chicken Marinade
4. Miso Honey Chicken Marinade
5. Lemon Pepper Chicken Marinade
6. Brown Sugar Hoisin Chicken Marinade
7. Coconut 5-Spice Chicken Marinade
More chicken recipes
- 46+ Easy Lunch Meal Prep Ideas
- Perfect Baked Chicken Breast
- 7 No Sautee Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
- 7 Instant Pot Chicken Breast Recipes
- Greek Chicken Marinade
7 Chicken Breast Marinades (+freezer tips)
Ingredients
Thai Peanut Marinade
- 1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 lb chicken breast (roughly 2 breasts)
Peri Peri Marinade
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 lb chicken breast (roughly 2 breasts)
Sriracha Maple Marinade
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2-6 teaspoons sriracha (add to taste)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 lb chicken breasts (roughly 2 breasts)
Miso Honey Marinade
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons ginger (finely grated or chopped)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 lb chicken breast (roughly 2 breasts)
Lemon Pepper Marinade
- 4 teaspoons lemon pepper (I use McKormick brand)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb chicken breasts (roughly 2 breasts)
Brown Sugar Hoisin Marinade
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 lb chicken breasts (roughly 2 breasts)
Coconut Five Spice Marinade
- 13.5 oz coconut milk (400 mL)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 4 teaspoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 lb chicken breasts (roughly 2 breasts)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a heavy duty freezer bag. Squish up the bag to mix it all up. Add chicken breasts and turn to coat in marinade.
- Marinate the chicken in the fridge for 2-24 hours.
- Heat oven to 425°F. Bake chicken in a shallow baking dish for 10 minutes, flip over, then bake for another 12-17 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Allow chicken to rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
Freezer
- After combining the marinade ingredients with the chicken, place the bag in the freezer immediately. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw in the fridge overnight, or by immersing the bag in a bowl of cold water for a couple of hours.
- Cook as directed above.
Notes
- grill- I recommend pounding the chicken flat before marinating to ensure it cooks through evenly. Cook over high heat 2 minutes per side until it reaches an internal temp of 155°F
- frying pan- cook in olive oil over medium heat in a nonstick skillet for 5-7 minutes per side
- air fryer- I recommend pounding the chicken before marinating. Cook at 390°F/ 200°C for 4 minutes + 2 minutes (flipping half way).
- boneless chicken thighs- 2-24 hours marinating time
- shrimp or fish- 30 minutes marinating time
- pork tenderloin- at least 24 hours to marinate
- tofu- press first, then marinate for 2-24 hours
Is the water in the sriracha maple and typo? It isn’t I. The pictured ingredients.
Hi Denise! I absolutely love your recipes, especially the coconut rice and curry chicken! I have a silly question about these chicken marinades!
When you say they have to bake for 18-20 minutes, is this all together, or is this the method where you cook for 10 minutes first and then flip? Should I cook for 10 mins, then flip and cook for 8-10 more? Of just a solid 18-20 without touching it?
Thank you so much! Looking forward to more yummy recipes!
Hi Susie, sorry for the confusion! Bake chicken for 10 minutes, flip over, then bake for another 10-20 minutes. 25 minute total works great for the average 7 oz sized chicken breast. Hope this helps 🙂
Tried the Thai Peanut marinade today and had a bit of a disaster. No matter how much I tossed them around in the bag, the peanut butter just sat in a clump. I think next time, I’ll need to combine all the ingredients then add them into the bag to avoid this issue. The result was somewhat tasteless, no hint of peanut at all, and my make aheads went in the bin. I say this, not to be a sour-puss, but to avoid anyone else having the same issue. I think I started with one of the more complicated mixed, but I’m still planning on adapting this and trying the others.
Hi Ali, I’m so sorry to hear this! What kind of PB did you use, was it natural (peanuts only) or did it have other additives in it? Thanks for your feedback.
Hi Denise –
I wanted to tell you that we made the Siracha Maple chicken last night for dinner. It was delicious and oh so quick! I typically don’t finish everything on my plate but last night I did! My husband had a second helping.
I served this with white rich and a vegetable medley of peas, corn and carrots.
The sauce had the perfect sweet and spicy zing.
This is definitely going into our menu rotation.
Thank you for sharing your recipes.
Hi Brooke! I’m so happy you enjoyed the marinade! Thank you so much for sharing your review with us 🙂
Hi there. Is it possible to store the chicken marinades in something like Tupperware to reduce plastic waste? I figured it would be okay to do that but I wanted to check with the experts just in case 🙂
Hi Simon! Yes, you can use tupperware, but you may need to increase the volume of the marinade to keep the chicken covered. I have recently found silicone freezer bags and they work pretty well for chicken marinades! The ones I own are out of stock but they are similar to these: https://amzn.to/2HAk1eM
Hi, just a question about the carb. count. “98g”for 1/2 a chicken breast, is that correct?Otherwise, sounds yummy
LOL yeah that definitely looks off. I’ll have a look! Thanks for pointing that out!
Can I air fry the chicken?
Hi Katherine! Good question, I haven’t actually tried with these recipes. If you try I’d love to hear how it turns out.
I’m a college student who’s been trying to juggle school, work, and making a healthy, affordable meal every night. These recipes are sooo helpful! I especially like the peri peri because it’s delicious and I always have the ingredients on hand. I would be so happy if you made up some recipe and freezing instructions for fish!
So happy the recipes have been helpful, Eva! I will have to experiment with fish; I’ve always been told you can’t marinate fish for more than 2 hours so I’m not sure it would work with a freezer marinade.
We tried the Coconut five spice nad the Thai Peanut this week, my family loved them.
Keep them coming.
So happy to hear this! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review, Steve!
Hello! I just found your recipes through Buzzfeed, and I am exctited to try the recipes out! I have a question: can I substitute olive oil with normal vegetable oil? It’s not that I’m allergic, or have an aversion or something, just that I’ve never used olive oil and I wouldn’t be that confident to use the whole bottle if I did buy it 🙁 I’d be very grateful for your reply 🙂
Hi Ada! Absolutely. I use olive oil because that’s what I have on hand but veggie oil will work perfectly fine. I hope you enjoy the recipes 🙂
Hi! I have a question similar to one above. I like to make chicken in some type of sauce to serve over a bed of rice, noodles, etc. for a quick weekday meal. Often I double the sauce so there’s plenty for each person. Do you think if I doubled the marinade, it could serve as a nice sauce too? I’m wondering if I could just pour the whole bag into a baking dish (after thawing) and cook per the directions. Or would a different cooking method be better?
Hi Lina! Some of these have a sauce and some don’t. I can’t say for sure how it will work out with doubling the marinade. If you are looking for saucy recipes (he he), check out this one! It is for the Instant Pot but I believe some of them would also work in the oven? The cream based sauces I think you’d have to prepare on the stove top.
Thanks! Will check out the saucy recipes 😉
I was so excited to see new recipes! I’ve been using the older ones religiously for about a year.
I hope you enjoy the new batch as well, Brandy! Let me know 🙂
Hi! I was wondering if you have ever tried making the sauces, then pouring them over chicken breasts in a crockpot? Would there be any changes you would recommend? Thanks!
Hi Ashley! Unfortunately I don’t think there’s enough liquid in these recipes to cook in the crock pot. I do have a sweet chili chicken crock pot recipe here: https://sweetpeasandsaffron.com/slow-cooker-sweet-chili-chicken-3-ways/, and honey lime chicken: https://sweetpeasandsaffron.com/slow-cooker-honey-lime-chicken/. I am currently testing 7 freezer to Instant Pot chicken packs and I think they will be good for the slow cooker too, so I”m excited to share them soon!
That’s exciting! I’ll have to keep my eyes open for the new post. I was thinking about just making..like a BATCH of the sauce to make sure there’s enough liquid for the crockpot. Thanks!
Actually now that I’m thinking of it, I did cook the coconut 5 spice recipe in the Instant Pot and it worked great 🙂 It was 8 min high pressure with a quick pressure release 😀
Hello! Nice recipe, I’m gonna try them all!
Just a question about your olive oil, it seems that it’s quite a lot yellow instead of green no?
It really does look SO yellow! It might be the light I shot in, because it’s really more of a greeny yellow 😉
I made the Thai Peanut marinade this week and tripled it for three chicken breasts. I wound up stir frying them with broccoli rather than baking but it was delicious! I’ll definitely be trying the others. So helpful!
I’m so glad you liked it, Melissa! Thanks so much for reporting back!
For stir-fry, did you marinate the chicken whole, then slice before stir-frying? Or did you slice the chicken before putting it in the marinade.
I’m also planning on using some for stir-fry and wondered if the sauce would burn or get too thick on the stove-top versus baking them in the oven.
Hi! I sliced, then marinated. If I’d frozen it I would have done it whole like Denise suggests but it was late in the day and I wanted max flavour in a short time. I added a little bit of water gradually as I coooked whenever the sauce looked a bit two thick. I think in total I maybe added 2tbsp of water during the cooking. that’s a guess though! It wasn’t much.
I meant TOO thick, not TWO lol
Hi Denise, where can I find the yogurt Curry marinade recipe? I did not see it above. Thank you
Hey Erika! The yogurt curry marinade is in the first post, here’s the link: https://sweetpeasandsaffron.com/7-chicken-marinade-recipes-freezer-friendly/
This may seem like a silly question but if I put 2 chicken breasts in each bag I would double the marinade ingredients correct? Would it change cooking time? just have to watch the size of each breast? thanks for your help in advance!
Not silly! Yes, you would double everything, but the cook time would be the same 🙂 Yes, just check the size of the chicken breasts and you may need to cook less/more depending on the size. Once you do this a few times you’ll be able to tell just from looking at them!
Is there a downloadable PDF for these 7 recipes as well, like there was for the previous ones?
Thank you
Not yet! It’s on the to do list though 🙂
awesome! That was my question after reading this. I love that format and it is in handy favorite recipe binder by the fridge. Can’t wait to add these .
Could you cook these recipes in an Instant Pot instead of baking?
Hi Kim, I’ve cooked the coconut 5 spice recipe in the Instant pot, but none of the others have enough liquid to do that. I did 8 min High Pressure with a quick pressure release. It was great with the sauce spooned over rice! I am working on an Instant Pot chicken freezer packs post…hopefully it will be coming out in march 🙂
Thanks, Denise! That would be great! I look forward to it. 🙂
I’m really excited and can’t wait to get started, many thanks
I hope you enjoy them!