The Simple Marinade Ratio That Works For Any Cut Of Chicken

Whether you decide to bake, grill, or roast chicken, there's a technique that has layers of benefits for even the best cuts of chicken. If you haven't guessed it, marinating the meat is what we're hinting at. Coating chicken in a blend of ingredients before cooking it might seem incredibly simple, but it's essential to get the ratio of the ingredients right when crafting a marinade — especially if you don't plan to follow a specific recipe. 

That magical equation for homemade marinade comes down to three parts fat, to one part acid, such as vinegar. This ratio works well because it gives just enough acid to tenderize the chicken without the risk of making the protein mushy or stringy. Both components also create a balance in flavors, so let's dig into how it works. 

An acidic ingredient in a marinade will break down the protein structures of the poultry, but doing so also allows your meat to soak up (and retain) more moisture. The fat, like your go-to oil, also helps chicken maintain moisture by protecting it from overcooking (while also helping it to brown). This means cuts like thighs will retain the delicious fat and stay juicy and flavorful during the cooking process, but even chicken breasts will have that barrier. Then there's the flavor; the fat, like full-fat yogurt, will allow the aromatics and spices to reach their full potential as they are non-soluble (aka don't dissolve in water but rather in fat). 

For the fat, some common choices are is avocado, canola, toasted sesame, or olive oils; a fatty nut milk, like coconut, almond, or cashew; just make sure the flavor profile of your fat fits the rest of the dish. Similarly, the acid is typically a citrus juice like lemon, lime, or orange; wine, whether white, red, or pink; and even dairy can do double-duty and act as an acid, such as buttermilk or even yogurt. It really is important to match your tastes, however. For example, you can use a neutral oil, lime juice, garlic, chipotle sauce, and cilantro if you want to use chicken for a Mexican-forward dish. Or try our or Mediterranean grilled chicken recipe, which uses olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic. For Asian-inspired dishes, combine sesame oil with ingredients like sriracha, soy sauce, or gochujang for heat. Or follow our easy baked chicken marinade to keep it simple, combining lemon with olive oil and mustard. 

Ready to cook? Whisk the ingredients together in a bowl, toss the chicken, then cover everything in a bowl.  You can also combine the ingredients directly in a large bag, shake it to combine everything, and then add the chicken. Don't forget to refrigerate the chicken while it marinates. Marinate the chicken for at least 15 minutes but up to two hours for boneless, skinless chicken, especially if it's an acidic marinade. When it comes to bone-in, skin-on cuts of poultry, four hours is the max you should let things sit, or you run the risk of things turning mushy.