5 Best Chicken Thigh Marinade Recipes - The Girl on Bloor (2024)

FAQs

What is the maximum time to marinate chicken thighs? ›

The USDA recommends not keeping poultry in marinade for longer than two days, as it's possible that the marinade will start breaking down the meat's fibers and cause it to become mushy. A good rule of thumb is to keep marinating time under 24 hours.

Marinades are an easy way to add extra flavour to your chicken, but a good marinade will help prevent the meat from drying out. Making a chicken marinade at home is fast and simple. Marinades are usually 2 parts oil to 1 part acid (something like wine, lemon juice or vinegar), and some salt.

Brining: Brining the chicken thighs in a mixture of salt, sugar, and water for a few hours before cooking can help to retain moisture and add flavor. Marinating: Marinating the chicken thighs in a flavorful liquid such as lemon juice, olive oil, and herbs can help to tenderize the meat and add flavor.

To get more flavor into the meat, one option is to make shallow cuts in the chicken before marinating it. This will help the marinade penetrate deeper into the meat.

The reason you do not want to marinate chicken for longer than 4 hours is that the acidic ingredients in the marinade (like vinegar, wine, or lemon juice) will begin to break down the structure of the meat too much and it will start to “cook” before ever touching a heat source.

The safest way to marinate chicken while optimizing flavor and texture is 20 minutes to 4 hours in the fridge. This is enough time for the chicken to absorb the marinade flavors without breaking down. Using a marinade tray or bag is also a plus because it reduces the chances of cross-contamination.

A typical marinade is made up of three essential components: an acid (such as vinegar, wine, or citrus), an oil (such as olive oil or sesame oil), and a flavouring agent (such as herbs and spices).

Marinades typically feature an oil and an acid — but the sky's the limit for creativity: For your oil base, try olive, peanut, truffle, sesame, walnut, or chile oil. You can also use milk, coconut milk, buttermilk, or yogurt. For acids, experiment with different types of vinegar, wines, beers, lemon, or lime juice.

Restaurants use marinades made from a combination of acidic ingredients (such as vinegar, citrus juice, or yogurt) and flavorful herbs and spices. The acid in the marinade helps to break down the proteins in the chicken, making it more tender. Put it in a double boiler and steam it.

Should I poke holes in chicken when marinating? ›

While poking holes in your chicken while marinating it can be helpful, it's not mandatory. Mostly, this method helps if you don't have several hours to spare when marinating your poultry. Poking holes in your chicken can allow the marinade to penetrate better in a shorter period.

Don't Cover the Chicken.

Some chicken thighs in the oven recipes require covering with aluminum foil. This is not one of them. When baking chicken thighs with the skin on, you're trying to achieve crispy chicken thighs in the oven. Therefore, leaving them uncovered ensures a crispy skin that turns perfectly golden.

Soaking your meat in marinades helps add flavor while making your meat tender. However, depending on how thin you have cut your pieces of meat, the marinade may fail to penetrate all that deep. In such cases, poking holes in your meat will help all the ingredients fully absorb and not remain on the surface.

How Long Can I Marinate Chicken Thighs? You can marinate chicken for 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. It is OK to marinate chicken thighs overnight using this marinade. I don't recommend marinating the thighs any longer than 24 hours, as the meat will start to break down.

When marinating meat, longer is not always better. And in fact, depending on certain variables, there is a point at which the quality of that meat will start to deteriorate if you marinate it for too long before cooking. Instead of flavorful, tender meat, you could end up with a mushy mess.

Marinated chicken can last in the fridge for up to 2 days. However, it is recommended to cook and consume the chicken within 24 hours for optimal freshness and flavor.

Marinades otherwise are just a surface treatment, adding flavor and enhancing browning, though this is a benefit that does not improve over time as the marinade will not penetrate the meat in a significant way.