7 Easy Chicken Marinade Recipes for Freezer Meals (+ Make-Ahead Grilling Tips)
Make summer dinners easy with these 7 simple chicken marinade recipes you can prep ahead and freeze. Everything you need to know to make, freeze, and grill a bunch of delicious meals with minimal effort!
Note: This post includes affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you) if purchases are made through those links. Please see my full disclosure to learn more.
Happy Memorial Day weekend, everyone! What are your plans? Swimming? Camping? Family BBQ goodness? Maybe all three? Our plans involve minivan shopping (so festive, I know), and some kind of sunshine-filled activity yet to be determined. And good food on the grill…that’s a must.
I love me some good grilled food. I grew up in Central California where it’s commonly over 100 degrees in the summer…and August gets downright unbearable.
I have a distinct memory of laying on my parents’ bed one night watching TGIF (good times!), and during the commercial break (at 9:00 at night), there was a brief news/weather update that announced the temperature outside currently was 98 degrees. Yuck.
The hot weather never bothered me growing up, but I can see now why my mom hated turning on the oven–or even the stove–to make dinner during those toasty months. Consequently, we grilled A LOT in the summertime.
Now that I’m the mom planning meals for my own family, I totally get it. Grilling means:
- Less mess
- Fewer dishes
- Easy cleanup
- Flavorful meals everyone actually eats
Basically, I’m a fan of anything that cuts down on the number of dishes I have to wash.
And, if that wasn’t already good enough for a tired mom, I’ve discovered a simple meal prep trick that makes summer dinners even easier:
Freezer Chicken Marinades
Instead of scrambling to remember to marinate chicken before dinner, I prep large batches of marinated chicken ahead of time and freeze them in meal-sized portions.
It has completely changed weeknight grilling for us.
Now, whenever I need a quick dinner, I can simply:
- Pull a bag from the freezer
- Let it thaw overnight in the fridge
- Grill and serve
That’s it! The chicken marinates as it freezes, so by the time it’s thawed, it’s packed with flavor and ready to cook. It’s one of my favorite easy freezer meal hacks.
So, if you’ve been wanting to simplify summer meals, stock your freezer, or make grilling easier on busy nights, these make-ahead chicken marinades are such an easy place to start.
Oh, and be sure to download your free printable cheat sheet that has ALL the marinade recipes on one easy-to-use page. Scroll to the bottom of the post to get it!
How to Make Freezer Chicken Marinades
Freezer marinades are super simple to prep. Here’s the basic process:
Step 1: Choose Your Marinade
Pick one recipe, or make several at once so you have a stockpile in the freezer for the whole summer!
Here are some of my favorite marinades (recipes included below):
Whisk the marinade ingredients together in a bowl or large measuring cup. Pro tip: Mix your marinade directly in a liquid measuring cup! It makes it easy to measure and cuts down on dishes.
Step 2: Prep the Chicken
Trim and cut the chicken based on how you plan to use it later. For example:
- Cutlets for sandwiches
- Tender-sized strips for kids
- Cubes for kabobs
- Thin slices for stir fry
- Whole breasts for simple grilled chicken
Try to keep the pieces similar in thickness so they cook evenly.
Step 3: Combine Chicken + Marinade
Place the chicken in a heavy-duty freezer bag and pour the marinade over the top. Seal tightly and massage the marinade around the chicken so everything is evenly coated.
Step 4: Freeze Flat
Put the bag of marinating chicken in the freezer and wait for the magic to happen! Make sure you lay it on a flat surface as it freezes. This will make it easier to stack, and it makes it defrost more quickly later.
How to Grill Marinated Chicken
Step 1: Thaw Overnight
Move the chicken from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before cooking. I know this requires a little bit of planning ahead, but you’ll be thanking yourself when dinner rolls around the next day!
Step 2: Preheat the Grill
For perfectly juicy grilled chicken, aim for medium-high heat (about 375–450°F).
Step 3: Get cookin’!
Grill chicken breasts 3-5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reads 160 degrees. Chicken is supposed to be 165 degrees for safe consumption, but if you remove it at 160, tent the plate with foil, and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving, it will finish cooking off the grill and you’ll get a juicier chicken breast. Say no to dried out chicken.
Tips for the Best Chicken Marinades
- Use fresh raw chicken, not frozen. Fresh chicken absorbs marinade more effectively and maintains a better texture after freezing.
- Use Heavy-Duty Freezer Bags. Trust me on this one. Thin bags + raw chicken juice = disaster. A quality freezer bag helps protect against leaks and freezer burn.
- Label Everything. Write the marinade name and date directly on the bag before freezing. Future-you will be very grateful.
- Give yourself time to thaw the chicken. This takes hardly any active prep time, but you need to remember to get the chicken out of the freezer the night before. If you need to speed up the process, you can use a cold water bath.
- Use a cooking thermometer! I NEVER cook without a thermometer to tell me the internal temp of my meat. They’re not that expensive, and it saves me from overcooking meat in an effort to make sure it’s cooked through. Here’s the thermometer I’m currently using.
Side note: If you’re in the market for a new grill, I LOVE my Weber. I’m not usually a “big brand” type of person, but after having a couple of bad experiences with cheaper grills, we finally invested in this wonderful grill last year (for Father’s Day)…and I’m never looking back. We chose the smaller, two-burner grill because we don’t host a ton of huge parties, and it works great for us.
Update: We are STILL using this same grill NINE years later, and I still love it just as much. Highly recommend this brand.
(This is not a sponsored post…I just really love my grill.)
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you freeze chicken in marinade?
Yes! In fact, freezing chicken in marinade works beautifully because the chicken marinates while thawing.
How long can marinated chicken stay in the freezer?
For best quality, use within 3 months.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?
Absolutely. These marinades work well with chicken thighs, drumsticks, tenders, or even pork.
Do I need to marinate chicken before freezing?
No extra marinating time is needed. Simply combine the chicken and marinade, then freeze immediately. They’ll marinate as they freeze and be ready to use once they thaw!
Now that you know HOW to make and use chicken marinades, you need some killer recipes to try out this easy cooking method. On to the recipes!
Favorite Make-Ahead Chicken Marinades
Below you’ll find our family’s favorite freezer-friendly chicken marinades. These are flavorful, easy to prep, and perfect for summer grilling season.
Lemon Rosemary Chicken Marinade
This is one of my all-time favorite marinades. It pairs perfectly with pasta and some fresh cherry tomatoes, or serve alongside a big salad and roasted red potatoes.
Ingredients
- 1 lemon, juice & zest
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Mix together all ingredients in a medium sized bowl (or liquid measuring cup).
- Place chicken in a heavy-duty sealable plastic bag. Add marinade, seal bag, and turn to coat chicken. Refrigerate for at least an hour, ideally overnight.
- To make ahead of time, place marinating chicken in freezer (lay bag flat), and store until needed. For best flavor, use within 6 months.
- When ready to grill, thaw chicken in the refrigerator overnight and then grill on medium-high heat until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees (3-5 minutes on each side).
- Remove from grill, tent with foil, and let rest 5-10 minutes, until internal temperature rises to 165 degrees.
Teriyaki Chicken Marinade
This simple Asian-inspired marinade is perfect for grilling, and it also makes a great stir fry!
Ingredients
- 1-2 pounds chicken breasts or tenders
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Mix together all ingredients in a medium sized bowl (or liquid measuring cup).
- Place chicken in a heavy-duty sealable plastic bag. Add marinade, seal bag, and turn to coat chicken. Refrigerate for at least an hour, ideally overnight.
- To make ahead of time, place marinating chicken in freezer (lay bag flat), and store until needed. For best flavor, use within 6 months.
- When ready to grill, thaw chicken in the refrigerator overnight and then grill on medium-high heat until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees (3-5 minutes on each side).
- Remove from grill, tent with foil, and let rest 5-10 minutes, until internal temperature rises to 165 degrees.
Greek Chicken Marinade
This simple chicken marinade combines classic Greek flavors like lemon and oregano along with creamy yogurt to create a flavorful, tender chicken that is sure to be a hit.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 1 lemon, zest & juice
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (or garlic powder)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Mix together all ingredients in a medium sized bowl (or liquid measuring cup.
- Place chicken in a heavy-duty sealable plastic bag. Add marinade, seal bag, and turn to coat chicken. Refrigerate for at least an hour, ideally overnight.
- To make ahead of time, place marinating chicken in freezer (lay bag flat), and store until needed. For best flavor, use within 6 months.
- When ready to grill, thaw chicken in the refrigerator overnight and then grill on medium-high heat until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.
- Remove from grill, tent with foil, and let rest 5-10 minutes, until internal temperature rises to 165 degrees.
Notes
This marinade is perfect for making Greek kabobs. Cube the chicken, and grill on skewers along with tomatoes, onion, and zucchini. Serve over a bed of lemon rice or couscous, and drizzle with a simple tzatziki sauce to make it a real jaw-dropping meal.
Balsamic Chicken Marinade
This sweet, tangy chicken is bursting with flavor. Serve over a bed of pasta with some cherry tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, and you'll have all the amazing flavors of your favorite bruschetta...but in a full meal!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (or 1 tsp. garlic powder)
Instructions
- Mix together all ingredients in a medium sized bowl (or liquid measuring cup.
- Place chicken in a heavy-duty sealable plastic bag. Add marinade, seal bag, and turn to coat chicken. Refrigerate for at least an hour, ideally overnight.
- To make ahead of time, place marinating chicken in freezer (lay bag flat), and store until needed. For best flavor, use within 6 months.
- When ready to grill, thaw chicken in the refrigerator overnight and then grill on medium-high heat until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.
- Remove from grill, tent with foil, and let rest 5-10 minutes, until internal temperature rises to 165 degrees.
Rosemary Ranch Chicken Marinade
This creamy, zesty marinade yields a juicy, flavor-packed chicken breast that can be used in so many ways! Serve it with pasta, potatoes, over a big salad, or next to a big pile of roasted veggies. You can't go wrong.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup ranch dressing
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Mix together all ingredients in a medium sized bowl (or liquid measuring cup.
- Place chicken in a heavy-duty sealable plastic bag. Add marinade, seal bag, and turn to coat chicken. Refrigerate for at least an hour, ideally overnight.
- To make ahead of time, place marinating chicken in freezer (lay bag flat), and store until needed. For best flavor, use within 6 months.
- When ready to grill, thaw chicken in the refrigerator overnight and then grill on medium-high heat until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.
- Remove from grill, tent with foil, and let rest 5-10 minutes, until internal temperature rises to 165 degrees.
Southwest Chicken Marinade
This spicy marinade packs a punch with classic southwest flavors like chili powder, lime, and cumin. Use it for burritos, taco salad, or any of your favorite Mexican-style recipes.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1 lime, zest & juice
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (or garlic powder)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Mix together all ingredients in a medium sized bowl (or liquid measuring cup.
- Place chicken in a heavy-duty sealable plastic bag. Add marinade, seal bag, and turn to coat chicken. Refrigerate for at least an hour, ideally overnight.
- To make ahead of time, place marinating chicken in freezer (lay bag flat), and store until needed. For best flavor, use within 6 months.
- When ready to grill, thaw chicken in the refrigerator overnight and then grill on medium-high heat until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.
- Remove from grill, tent with foil, and let rest 5-10 minutes, until internal temperature rises to 165 degrees.
Marvelous Chicken Marinade
This delicious marinade has amazing layers of flavor, and it's equally tasty when used with steak!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tablespoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (or 1 tsp. garlic powder)
- 1 teaspoon onion salt
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- Mix together all ingredients in a medium sized bowl (or liquid measuring cup.
- Place chicken in a heavy-duty sealable plastic bag. Add marinade, seal bag, and turn to coat chicken. Refrigerate for at least an hour, ideally overnight.
- To make ahead of time, place marinating chicken in freezer (lay bag flat), and store until needed. For best flavor, use within 6 months.
- When ready to grill, thaw chicken in the refrigerator overnight and then grill on medium-high heat until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.
- Remove from grill, tent with foil, and let rest 5-10 minutes, until internal temperature rises to 165 degrees.
There you have it! Seven awesome chicken marinades that you can use this summer for some awesome outdoor meals.
Free Printable Chicken Marinade Cheat Sheet
To make meal prep even easier, don’t forget to grab the free printable quick-reference sheet with all 7 chicken marinade recipes in one place.
Perfect for:
- Meal planning
- Batch freezer prep days
- Keeping inside a kitchen binder
- Easy summer dinner inspiration
I actually keep mine taped to the inside of one of my kitchen cupboards, and I use it ALL. THE. TIME. I’ve made each of these marinades dozens of times over the years, and they’re still loved by my whole family.
Pin to save these recipes for later:
Yum! I can’t decide which one looks like my favorite! Maybe the Rosemary Ranch…
I am currently pregnant, so all about the make-ahead meals! This is perfect! Looks delicious!
Brit, when are you due? Apparently, pregnant minds think alike!
I love that they marinate while they freeze! I didn’t know that! I’ll definitely be trying these out!
And then they marinate more while they thaw in the fridge. Wahoo!
These sound delicious! And marinating before freezing will save so much time and thought when I plan my meals for the week!
I’m not gonna lie…it makes me happy to look in my freezer and see so many yummy meals ready to go. I hope your family loves them!
These all look so delicious! Pinning for future reference 🙂
Thanks, Clair!
These sound so good! I can’t wait to try them! Thanks!
Yum! This is so perfect for summer! SAving this post!
These all look delicious! Always looking for easy summer marinades 🙂
All of these look amazing! I love to grill in the summer time (I know me and everyone else). I will definitely be giving these marinades a try.
Love this! I’ve done freezer marinades before, but you have some super yummy sounding ones that I can’t wait to try.
Thanks, Jennifer. We do a lot of grilling, so I have quite the recipe box of marinades, and these are my very favorites!
These all sound absolutely amazing! We are big time marinaders here. I think the Balsamic will be the first we try then definately the southwest!
How much weight would you say your chicken breast average per marinade? I’m making a bunch of these today and I have roughly 40 pounds of chicken that I’ll be breaking down into smaller portions (I KNOW, I order it in bulk, it’s awesome but a ton of work when it first comes in). I know you said you put 1-2 breasts in per bag, is that butterflied? Just trying to think because I have a family of 5 I feed and that seems sparse. How many pounds of chicken would each marinade feed is what I’m asking, basically. Thanks!
Good question, Judy. Each bag ended up weighing between 1.5-2 lbs (mine were HUGE chicken breasts), and there was plenty of marinade. I think you could comfortably marinate 2-3 lbs of chicken with each batch of marinade, depending on how saturated you want it. Hope that helps!
If I where to bake these instead at what temperature and for how long??
I haven’t done most of these in the oven because I can’t bear to turn on the oven in summer, but as a general rule I bake chicken at between 350-400 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until whenever my thermometer reads 160 degrees. Hope that helps!
Love this post. I am having difficulty finding a printer friendly button on it though. I would love to print these off and make notes when I make the recipes. Can you advise please?
Jennifer, I’m working on making my recipes more printer friendly, but for now your best bet is to just copy and paste into word and print from there. Sorry it’s not simpler at this point. I promise it’s on the to do list!
Whoa, this is awesome. I never thought to freeze chicken that’s “in process of marinating” – that is a genius!
Thank you!
I just started doing it, but all the ones I’ve cooked have been super successful!
I found a great deal on chicken breasts at the store today so I’m giving a few of these a try. Thank you for posting; having these in my freezer will make the impending school year much easier!
Probably a stupid question. But can you cook these inside. As I am from England and our weather isn’t half as nice as yours. Also if you can how would you suggest doing so? X
You could definitely bake these…try between 350-400 degrees F for 20-30 minutes, or until whenever your cooking thermometer reads 160 degrees F. You could probably cook them in a pan on the stove, too, but I don’t have specific times as such for that. Good luck!
How long should I leave the marinated chicken before I put it in the freezer.?
You can actually put in the freezer right away. By the time the meat is frozen, the marinade will have had time to work its magic. Plus, when you thaw it, it will have more time to soak up the flavor.
Can I use a food processor instead of whisking the ingredients?
I haven’t tried it because I don’t have a food processor, but I imagine it would be just fine!
These all look so yummy! Do you have a printable version available?
I don’t, but that’s a great idea. I’ll work on that!
For the “Marvelous’ marinade, just to confirm, are you using teaspoons or Tablespoons with respect to the red wine vinegar? I ask because the T is capitalized in keeping with your Tablespoon measurements given elsewhere, but it obviously reads Teaspoons. Is there a typo in that recipe?
Yikes! Thanks for catching that, Valerie. I’ve fixed the error now…it should be 2 Tablespoons.
Love the Marvelous Meat Marinade & Southwest Chicken Marinade. Can’t wait to try the others! Thanks for sharing
Thanks, Shelley!
When I opened the cheat sheet list, it appears that the southwest and the marvelous got confused/swapped in the print out – as in the ingredients you list in the marvelous (on the cheat sheet) are all of the ingredients in the southwest (comparing to the post itself), plus the remaining 6 ingredients of the marvelous and the ingredients under the southwest are the first 6 ingredients of the marvelous -like maybe a pagination/computer error, like I make all the time, so hope see as constructive and just thought I would point out when I looked at it, the ingredients didn’t match what I had read in the blog itself. While the combo will likely still be delish, just did not want folks to rely on print out. The recipes look great and cannot wait to try them.
Thanks for the heads up, Carolyn! I appreciate you being my proofreader. Yikes! It’s all fixed now, so now each title should have the correct ingredients listed underneath.
Wow. These marinades look amazing! I can’t wait to try them all. If you’re trying to eat more healthy but love Ranch, try making dressing and dip with yogurt or even kefir. Penzeys Spices sells a ranch dressing mix without preservatives. Mix with yogurt, sour cream, etc. and add to the marinade. I add to plain kefir and eat on fresh vegetables as a way to get more probiotics when I don’t feel like something fruity or want less sugar. Penzeys is actually cheaper than grocery store herbs and spices, and the bags are easier to store than the jars. They also give you freebies with your order. The stores have a larger variety of freebies, and if you’re really nice, they might let you pick.
I am not affiliated with Penzey’s, I just really like their products. Try their different kinds of cinnamon. Real cinnamon, not the fake kind from the cassia tree (large quantities aren’t good for your liver and won’t help with blood sugar). I first went to a Penzeys store to get cinnamon for my husband’s birthday because he’s not easy to buy for but loves cinnamon toast. I walked out with 4 different kinds. He loved making his own blends. Real cinnamon is actually a little sweet, so it doesn’t require a lot of sugar. He adds a little brown sugar as well and lets the cinnamon sugar brown on the bread to caramelize. These cinnamons also make the best cinnamon rolls. Penzeys also makes the best cheesy garlic sprinkle for garlic bread, Brady Street.
I haven’t used Penzey’s a lot, but I’ve heard fabulous things!
I’m trying yo make the teriyaki chicken recipe but theingredient list seems to stop st 1/4teaspoon of peppereach time. are you able to send me the rest by chance? thank you!
Those actually ARE all the ingredients, Kristy. It’s a super simple list, but really flavorful. Because of the saltiness of the soy sauce, you don’t have to include extra salt. Are there specific ingredients you’re surprised not to see on the list?
I use coconut aminos instead of soy, and it seems to be much saltier. Also use coconut crystals instead of sugar. These are paleo and whole30 approved options.
Thanks for the info on making alterations!
Would the chicken turn out alright if we baked it instead of grilled it? We don’t have a grill right now and curious minds need to know if we can try these delicious marinades without a grill.
You can definitely bake the chicken. Try 400 degrees for 20 minutes and then check the temperature. Add more time as needed to be sure to cook to 165.
Hello,
What would be a substitute for the red wine vinegar?
Thanks
Balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or rice vinegar can all be substituted for red wine vinegar. They each have their own flavors (balsamic being the strongest in my opinion), so if you want something that won’t alter the flavor too much, I’d recommend apple cider or rice vinegar. Good luck!
Still working my way through these delicious marinades, but YUM! I was skeptical of the Marvelous Marinade, because in my experience with online recipes, if it says marvelous in the title, it never seems to deliver. However, this one does! Out of the 4 recipes we’ve tried, this is by far our favorite, though the others are not far behind. Thanks so much! You’re helping to keep two busy retirees eating good and on their diet.
I’m so happy to hear you are enjoying these recipes. And, I’m also usually really skeptical of recipes that claim to be “marvelous” or “the best”, so I understand your doubt, but I’m glad this one delivered!
I have a question, how many pieces of chicken do you put in the bag for the recipe?
It depends on how big the pieces are. I usually do 1.5 to 2 lbs (3-4 largish chicken breasts).
Thanks for all the marinade recipes! My favorite one is the Teriyaki Chicken Marinade. I added Kikkoman Teriyaki Marinade And Sauce that I bought at Karman Foods, to make my chicken more flavorful. Love it!
Made the Marvelous Chicken marinade over the weekend and it literally was the best marinade I have ever made for chicken – My family and I loved it – THANK YOU! Can’t wait to try the other marinades and recipes from your site.
I’m so glad to hear it!
Have you ever cooked these recipes in an air fryer? If so, what would you recommend for the cooking instructions?
I don’t have an air fryer, so I haven’t tried these recipes in one; however, a little research told me that you can totally cook marinated chicken in the air fryer! Preheat it to 390 degrees and cook in a single layer for 18-20 minutes (flip halfway through), or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165. Give it a try!
How much chicken is each marinade enough for? Doesn’t say