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My 7-ingredient chicken thigh marinade recipe has become a staple in our household. It’s savory, smokey, slightly sweet, and makes for mouthwatering chicken every time!
If you need chicken thigh recipes to use your new marinade on, try my cast iron chicken thighs, air fryer chicken thighs, or baked chicken thighs next.
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We love cooking chicken thighs at home because they’re juicy, flavorful, and frankly, they’re hard to mess up. When we want to infuse our chicken thighs with the most flavor (but with minimal effort), I break out this marinade.
Not only does it help to tenderize the chicken, but it infuses every bite with a savory, addictive flavor. While I prefer it on chicken thighs, it’s also a great all-around chicken marinade, whether we’re talking baked chicken breasts or grilled chicken tenders.
Why I love this recipe
- Made with pantry staples. This is a pretty forgiving recipe, so even if you don’t have all of the ingredients listed, there is room for substitutions.
- Easy to modify. Stick with my base recipe and doctor it up with whatever spices or herbs you see fit.
- Sweet, savory, and smokey. Like all good marinades should be.
- Works with other cuts. Like my 4-ingreient chicken marinade, you can get creative and use it on everything–even veggies!
Key ingredients
- Honey. I prefer honey because it has the ideal amount of sweetness, and it helps caramelize the chicken thighs while keeping the center juicy. You could also use agave or honey.
- Soy sauce. For umami flavor. I prefer low-sodium soy sauce so I can control the saltiness. Gluten free soy sauce or coconut aminos also work.
- Worcestershire sauce. This builds on the marinade’s sweet, savory, and tangy flavors.
- Garlic. Freshly minced garlic cloves are best.
- Ginger. To brighten up the marinade and give it a zesty, peppery aroma.
- Pepper. For a subtle spicy kick. Freshly ground black pepper is ideal.
- Smoked paprika. Improves the marinade with a smoky and subtly sweet flavor.
How to make chicken thigh marinade
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Mix. Whisk together all of the marinade ingredients in a small bowl.
Step 2- Marinade. Pour the marinade into a resealable plastic bag, add the chicken thighs, and marinate before cooking.
More ways to use this marinade
- Salad dressing. Drizzle it over a green salad or veggies, like sautéed potatoes, air fryer broccoli, or air fryer frozen green beans.
- Pasta or rice. Toss it in brown rice, basmati rice, or pasta.
- Marinade other types of meat. Try it with grilled chicken drumsticks, shaved steak, or air fryer pork chops.
- Veggies. Soak bell peppers, onions, or veggies in the marinade for 10 minutes before roasting or satutéeing.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Use fresh or frozen chicken thighs. Frozen thighs can be placed directly in the marinade and don’t need to be thawed first.
- Consider the type of chicken thighs. I prefer bone-in chicken thighs for roasting or grilling since they yield more flavorful results and keep the chicken moist. When time is of the essence, I prefer boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Don’t pat the chicken dry. When you’re ready to cook, you want to shake off the excess, but don’t pat the chicken to dry it. You want a light coating of the marinade to remain.
Frequently asked questions
It’s best not to reuse the marinade because it might have come in contact with harmful bacteria from the raw meat. However, if you want to repurpose the used marinade, the USDA recommends boiling it for 5 minutes first. This may thicken the consistency, making it better off as a baste or sauce.
This marinade doesn’t contain an intense acidic element (like lemon juice or vinegar), which means the thighs can be left to soak for a minimum of 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. But remember that marinating chicken thighs for too long can produce mushy meat with an overpowering flavor, so don’t overdo it!
Chicken Thigh Marinade
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 inch ginger minced
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, ginger, pepper, and smoked paprika.
- Add the marinade to a ziplock bag and add the chicken thigh fillets to it. Marinade the chicken for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
Notes
- Oven-baked chicken. Arrange the marinated chicken thighs in a lightly greased baking dish and bake at 220C/425F for 35-40 minutes or until cooked.
- Grilled chicken. Reserve ½ cup of unused marinade for basting. When the thighs are finished marinating, shake off the excess and place them on the grill grates over medium-high heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, brushing the reserved marinade on top as they cook.
- Pan-seared chicken. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken in an even layer, then sear for 3-5 minutes per side or until evenly browned and cooked through.
- Air-fried chicken. Place the marinated chicken thighs, skin side up, in a 190C/375F preheated air fryer basket. Cook for 13-17 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Sous vide chicken. Place the chicken thighs and the marinade in a vacuum bag, seal the bag closed, and submerge it in a 75C/165F tempered water bath for 1 hour. Finish the chicken thighs by quickly searing them on both sides in a hot skillet.
I want to try this and combination of honey and ginger must be amazing.
Could I substitute your Keto Honey for the honey in this recipe, and if so, how would that affect net carbs.
As a side note; I love your site and recipes, but wish you would include the serving size (T, tsp, etc.) you are using for your nutrition calculations.
Thanks!
Yes I think it should work!
This chicken thigh marinade is sensational!!
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