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The Best Ever Grilled Chicken Marinade

The best ever grilled chicken marinade delivers juicy, tender chicken with balanced savory-sweet flavor from olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, Worcestershire, and Dijon. Marinate for 4+ hours, then grill to 165°F for consistent doneness and clean grill marks.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
marinating 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

chicken
  • 3 lb chicken Use any cut; aim for even thickness where possible.
olive oil
  • 0.3333333333 cup olive oil Helps keep the chicken moist on the grill.
soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup soy sauce
lemon juice
  • 0.25 cup lemon juice
Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
garlic
  • 4 garlic Use minced cloves.
brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
black pepper
  • 1 tsp black pepper
dried herbs
  • 1 tsp dried herbs (thyme, oregano, or Italian seasoning)

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the marinade
  1. Whisk together olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, brown sugar, black pepper, and dried herbs until smooth and fully combined; the mixture should look uniform with no sugar clumps.
Marinate the chicken
  1. Place the chicken in a large zip-top bag and pour the marinade over it, then press out excess air so the chicken is coated.
  2. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 4-24 hours for best results; keep it cold so the flavor soaks in evenly.
Grill
  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, keeping the lid closed so the grates reach a steady temperature for clean grill marks.
  2. Grill the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, timing varying by cut; flip and adjust heat as needed until the outside is browned and the center is fully cooked.
  3. Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before serving so the juices redistribute and the meat stays tender.

Notes

Pro tip: for the most even grilling, choose cuts of similar thickness so they reach 165°F around the same time. Refrigerate marinated chicken (in the bag) up to 24 hours; discard any leftover marinade that touched raw chicken. Freezing is not recommended after marinating for best texture. Dietary swap: use gluten-free soy sauce (or tamari) to keep the marinade gluten-free.