This Grilled Chicken Marinade has a mouthwateringly fresh flavor thanks to the Italian herbs with a zesty kick from cayenne pepper! Whip up this homemade marinade in just 10 minutes!
Love chicken that has a bit of heat? Then I think you’ll also enjoy my Baked Cajun Chicken Skewers that’s served with a creamy, cool mint yogurt sauce and Air Fryer Nashville Hot Chicken that you can adjust to taste!
Grilled Chicken Marinade (Italian) packs your favorite cut of chicken with the most delicious punch of zesty flavor that will instantly be a crowd-pleaser! This easy-to-make marinade will have you making grilled chicken year-round!
Serve it up with corn on the cob and Best Mashed Potatoes for an incredibly satisfying meal! Maybe even go the extra mile with some Classic Parker House Dinner Rolls, because who doesn’t love warm buttery carbs?!
What I Love About This Recipe!
- Fresh Or Dry Ingredients! While fresh ingredients are always best with this marinade, feel free to also use dried herbs!
- Meal Prepping! I think at least 12 hours of marinating is best! So throw this together the night before and you just meal prepped a day or even two in advance!
- Homemade Flavor! Store-bought marinades may be tempting to grab for the convivence, but you can’t beat homemade taste! Especially with this marinade!
- Delicious Variations! Like trying new flavors? Scroll down for ideas on how to give this recipe a tasty twist!
Ingredient Notes
This easy Chicken Marinade Recipe will have you running to your home-grown herbs to cut pieces off just to use for this marinade! Don’t grow your own herbs? No worries, I don’t either! However, if you’re still wanting that fresh herb flavor most produce sections of the grocery store do carry cut fresh herbs!
Quickly mix together this marinade with herbs such as parsley, basil, sage, thyme, and rosemary. To complete the marinade you’ll also need olive oil, dry red wine, garlic cloves, salt, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.
Once the food processor has mixed it all together into a creamy, delicious marinade you just cover your chicken with it! SO easy, right? This recipe is easier to whip up than running to the store for a bottle of pre-made marinade!
Throw a delicious twist onto this recipe by adding some sundried tomatoes, olives, or fennel seeds to the marinade! If you’re feeling super adventurous you could also play around with brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice!
I’d just recommend you taste a bit first before covering your chicken with it to be sure you’ll enjoy the taste!
How To Make Italian Chicken Marinade
- Add all of the ingredients into a food processor.
- Mix them together until creamy.
- Add the chicken and marinade to a covered dish or large Ziploc bag.
- Marinate the chicken for an hour in the refrigerator. Then remove the chicken and cook!
Grilled Chicken Marinade Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Make This Non-Alcoholic?
Absolutely! Just swap out the dry red wine with part wine vinegar and chicken broth!
How Do I Cook The Chicken Once It’s Marinated?
This depends largely on the cut of chicken you’re using (chicken breast, chicken thighs, a whole chicken, etc.) as well as the cooking method (grilled, baked, stove-top, etc.). Just keep in mind that the internal temperature of chicken should be 165 degrees F to be safe for eating regardless of cut or method.
Can I Make This Marinade A Little Less Zesty?
Yes, you can! Just reduce or omit the cayenne pepper altogether if you want to get rid of the slight kick this recipe has!
I’m willing to bet this Grilled Chicken Marinade will be a family favorite in no time! Check out more chicken recipes that I think you’ll love just as much!
- Ranch Chicken – This easy-to-make recipe uses just 2 ingredients to pack chicken full of ranch flavor!
- Oven Fried Chicken – A healthy version of everyone’s favorite comfort food!
- Instant Pot Pulled BBQ Chicken – Shredded chicken paired with your favorite BBQ sauce for a satisfying dinner option ready in just 30 minutes!
- Garlic Chicken – Super juicy chicken that’s made with over 40 cloves of garlic!
- Baked Chicken Wings – Crispy chicken that doesn’t involve deep frying!
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Grilled Chicken Marinade
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup dry red wine 1
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley around 8-10 stems
- 8-10 basil leaves
- 3 sage leaves
- 1 sprig thyme
- ½ sprig rosemary just the needles
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients for the marinade in a food processor until creamy.
- Place the chicken in a covered dish or large ziploc bag with the marinade and marinate for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator, best if left overnight.
Notes
- You can also use white wine or substitute with part wine vinegar and chicken broth if you want a non-alcoholic version.
- Marinate for at least 1 hour to marinate – best overnight – so the salt and the flavors can truly infuse the meat.
- Variations:
- Add dried herbs instead of the fresh ones, if you don’t have them.
- You can also add some sundried tomatoes and/or olives to the marinade, some fennel seeds are also amazing with this.
Nutrition
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