15 Best Marinade Recipes for Grilling All Summer Long
For meat that's tender, juicy, and flavorful, you need these easy marinades.
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If you cook out often, you know that the best marinade recipes for grilling can take just about any protein to the next level. While you can certainly throw a piece of chicken or a slab of steak right on the grill, taking an extra 30 minutes or so to marinate the raw meat will help ensure that the final result is tender, juicy, and flavorful. Need some inspiration? Keep reading for 15 great marinade recipes and how to make them from scratch.
A good marinade is all about balance, so you'll find that most of these recipes call for an acidic ingredient—such as vinegar or lime juice—to tenderize the meat, as well as oil, salt, sugar, and herbs or spices. The exact ingredients will vary depending on the type of protein you're marinating and the final flavor profile you want to achieve. This collection of the best marinade recipes for grilling includes delicious chicken marinades like honey-barbecue and cilantro-lime. Grilling steak? Check out the marinades for classic grilled flank steak, beef fajitas, or carne asada. For seafood fans, check out her shimp civiche marinade!
These amazing marinades will make you want to fire up the grill all summer long! For more outdoor cooking ideas, check out the best Fourth of July menu ideas, the best BBQ sides, and the best steak sauce recipes.
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Grilled Chicken Marinade
Take chicken dinners from bland to bold with this simple mix of olive oil, soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, lemon juice, and fresh thyme. You can also experiment with different herbs like rosemary, oregano, or parsley—whatever makes your mouth water!
Grilled Flank Steak Marinade
Flank steak doesn’t have a lot of fat, so use a marinade like this one to infuse the meat with flavor and tenderize it at the same time. It's perfectly balanced, thanks to the mix of savory Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, and brown sugar for a hint of sweetness.
Soy-Ginger Grilled Pork Tenderloin Marinade
With ingredients like mirin, sesame oil, scallions, and fresh ginger, this marinade is packed with flavor. And once you've used it to marinate the meat, you can reduce it into a delicious sauce.
Greek Chicken Kebab Marinade
If you're a fan of classic Greek flavors, you'll love this combination of lemon-pepper seasoning, crushed fennel seeds, and oregano. Serve the kebabs alongside a refreshing tzatziki and pita bread for a meal that can't be beat.
Beef Fajita Marinade
Savory Worcestershire sauce, zingy lime juice, and a hint of sugar balance out the heat from the cumin, chili powder, and red pepper flakes in this tasty marinade. You can use it for the meat as well as the vegetable mixture in these fajitas.
Grilled Peanut Chicken Marinade
Pantry staples like peanut butter, honey, and bottled barbecue sauce come together in this easy marinade. Reserve some and reduce it into a delicious sauce for noodles.
Soy Ginger Beef Marinade
This marinade combines oyster sauce, soy sauce, and lots of ginger to create a savory-sweet glaze. Use it on chicken or pork, too!
Carne Asada Marinade
While it's perfect for skirt steak, this olive oil, cumin, cilantro, lime, and oregano marinade would also work well for grilled chicken, pork, or seafood. The high acidity of the marinade makes it great for tenderizing meat.
Get the recipe from Meseidy Rivera.
Chicken Hoisin Sauce Marinade
This marinade is jam-packed with flavor, which makes it the perfect partner for lighter foods like lettuce-wrapped chicken. Hoisin, soy sauce, and sriracha give it a punch.
Grilled Shrimp Ceviche Marinade
Add some heat to grilled shrimp with this simple spice-infused marinade. It's bursting with flavor from habanero pepper and smoked paprika.
Get the recipe from Brenda Score.
Honey BBQ Chicken Marinade
Doctor your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce with ingredients like honey, dijon mustard, soy sauce, and ground ginger to make this sweet, tangy marinade. Use it for chicken kebabs that are juicy and tender—and be sure to make extra to serve on the side!
Get the recipe at Damn Delicious.
Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade
This bright, refreshing marinade calls for ingredients you may already have on hand, like cilantro, chicken broth, lime juice, and honey. Let chicken marinate in it overnight for maximum flavor.
Get the recipe at Isabel Eats.
Jamaican Jerk Chicken Marinade
This authentic marinade gets its complex flavor and heat from ingredients like anchovy sauce, tamarind paste, whole Jamaican allspice, and the super-hot Scotch Bonnet pepper. You can swap in other peppers, like serrano or jalapeño, to make it milder.
Get the recipe at Grandbaby Cakes.
Lamb Souvlaki Marinade
Marinate lamb for kebabs or gyros in this mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, and onion. The meat will melt in your mouth!
Get the recipe at Jo Cooks.
Korean Chicken Marinade
This marinade includes grated pear, fresh cilantro, gochujang, and toasted sesame oil to give chicken a juicy, flavorful boost. Try it in grilled chicken bowls topped with caramelized kimchi.
Get the recipe at Damn Delicious.
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