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The Only Chicken Marinade Recipe You'll Ever Need

Caramelized onion and garlic melt into a fragrant blend of soy sauce, red wine vinegar, and bright orange that carries warm notes of allspice, thyme, and clove. The marinade soaks deep into the chicken, yielding juicy meat with a glossy, sweet-spiced crust when it hits the grill.

Recipe and photo by EatingWell, shared here with credit. View the Original

The Only Chicken Marinade Recipe You'll Ever Need
Total
15 min
Prep
10 min
Cook
5 min
Serves
8

Nutrition per Serving

Calories
13
Carbs
1g
Fat
1g
Sugar
1g
Sodium
74mg

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
  • 1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground allspice
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 5 dashes hot sauce

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 chopped onion and 2 tablespoons chopped garlic; cook, stirring, until translucent, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl.
  2. Stir in ½ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup vinegar, ½ teaspoon orange zest, ¼ cup orange juice, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 teaspoons allspice, ¾ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon thyme, ½ teaspoon cloves, ½ teaspoon cinnamon and 5 dashes hot sauce. Let cool to room temperature.
  3. Pour the cooled marinade into a shallow dish or 1-gallon sealable plastic bag for marinating 1 to 2 pounds (4 to 8 servings) of chicken. Additional reporting by Carrie Myers, M.S. and Linda Frahm