Everyone knows that marinating for 18 hours adds great flavor and tenderness to meat...right?
3 Surprising Things You Need to Know About Marinating
Updated on Dec. 15, 2023
Some cooks swear by marinades, claiming that they flavor any cut of meat inside and out. You might be surprised to know that science is not exactly on their side! It’s been proven over and over again that marinating meat does add flavor and tenderness, but only to a certain degree. Before you start working on Linda’s Best Marinated Chicken or that Grilled Asian Flank Steak, here’s what you need to know:
1. It’s Not More Than Skin-Deep
It’s a good idea to use marinades on meat, especially tough cuts like a flank steak, as they do add flavor and tenderness. But what many people don’t know is that this action only happens to the very outer edge of the meat! We’ve seen tests that show marinades only reach 1-3 millimeters beneath the meat’s surface. Don’t think about marinades as flavoring a chicken breast or pork chop all the way through; instead, keep in mind that a marinade should be the first thing that cooks when meat hits the heat.
Psst… To make sure you’re asking for the right cut of meat at your butcher, check out our guide.
2. Marinades Don’t Really Need Herbs
The best ingredients for your marinade are actually salt, sugar, oil and an acid like lemon or vinegar. Learn the secret to creating a great marinade using items in your pantry. The salt is important, as it can penetrate and season meat more deeply than other ingredients. Sugar is useful for helping achieve browning while cooking. You need oil to keep the meat from sticking to your grill or pan. And acid helps break down muscle fibers, leading to a perfectly tender meat. (This Teriyaki Beef Marinade is a perfect example of the right ingredients.)
3. You Can Marinate for Too Long!
Your best bet for achieving marination magic is to soak your chicken, pork chops or loins and steak at least 30 minutes, but never longer than overnight. The risk of a lengthy bath in the marinade comes back to acid. It tenderizes by breaking down the proteins in the meat, but since a marinade only seeps in so far, the acid can turn the outside layer mealy and mushy without softening the interior part of the meat at all.
Because marinades never really get to the center of thick cuts of meat, it can be very effective to marinate them for just half an hour. Your best bet for getting the flavors in the marinade all over is to reserve some before adding the raw meat. Just add it to the cooked meat as a sauce or glaze shortly before or after you take it off the grill. Another method is to pound the meat to a thinner starting point–the marinade won’t have to travel as far to penetrate the whole cut.
To really get your tough meat tender, one former restaurant chef has eight simple ideas.
The best case scenario is to have the outside of the meat properly flavored and tender without ever taking a not-so-appealing mushy bite!
Our Most Flavorful Marinated Chicken Recipes
Grilled Glazed DrummiesMy family prefers these mild-tasting chicken wings more than the traditional hot wings. They are great for any gathering. —Laura Mahaffey, Annapolis, Maryland
These chicken wings are more mild than traditional hot wings, but still bring layers of flavor with a sweet and sour ginger, honey and soy sauce blend. Give yourself at least four hours for the drumettes to marinate. If you enjoyed this recipe, then you must try sweet and sour chicken.
Roasted Honey Mustard ChickenI love a good roasted chicken, and this one is easy and delicious. The marinade does its magic in the fridge until time for roasting. It’s fun to dress the dish up by season based on whatever vegetables are fresh at the market. —Kara Brook, Owings Mills, Maryland
You can't go wrong with honey mustard. This roasted chicken only needs to marinate for three hours. Toss any leftovers into what'll easily become your new favorite chicken salad.
Sticky Chicken WingsYou'll want to keep an extra stack of napkins nearby once people start reaching for these sweet and sticky wings. The brown sugar marinade makes every bite finger-lickin' good! —Laura Mahaffey, Annapolis, Maryland
Sweet and sticky chicken wings are always a crowd-pleaser. The brown sugar marinade makes every bite worth the stack of napkins you'll need to get through them!
Sheet-Pan Lemon Garlic ChickenEveryone needs an easy meal. Try this sheet-pan chicken with roasted potatoes for a simple and tasty meal guaranteed to please the whole family. If you use fresh lemon juice, garnish each serving with a little lemon zest for bright flavor. —Andrea Potischman, Menlo Park, California
This sheet-pan chicken with roasted potatoes and a bright pop of lemon is so easy to make. No need to plan too far ahead: You only need to marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.
Sheet-Pan Tandoori ChickenThis tandoori chicken recipe is easy for weeknights since it bakes in one pan, but it is also special enough for guests. The best part? There isn’t much to clean up when dinner is over! —Anwar Khan, Iriving, Texas
This sheet-pan marinated chicken recipe is easy to put together but tastes like a special occasion dinner. The chicken marinates all day in an aromatic blend of spices and yogurt. You can adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to make it milder or hotter.
Tropical Island ChickenThe marinade makes a savory statement in this all-time-favorite chicken recipe that I served at our son's pirate-themed birthday party. It smelled so good on the grill that guests could hardly wait to try a piece! —Sharon Hanson, Franklin, Tennessee
This overnight marinated chicken is perfect for summer. The ginger, garlic and soy sauce aroma alone will have you drooling! Sesame seeds add a satisfying texture.
Grilled Basil Chicken and TomatoesRelax after work with a cold drink while this savory chicken marinates in an herby tomato blend for an hour, then toss it on the grill. It tastes just like summer. —Laura Lunardi, West Chester, Pennsylvania
Tomato and basil is a classic combination for a reason. Serve this marinated chicken dish with pasta, potatoes or a green salad.
Filipino Chicken AdoboFilipino adobo is an easy-to-make weeknight staple. Its versatility and ease of cooking is one of the reasons chicken adobo is considered the unofficial national dish of the Philippines.
The chicken only needs to sit for 20 to 30 minutes to soak up all the flavors of the mildly sweet and tangy sauce. The vinegar helps make this marinated chicken extra tender.
Five-Spice Chicken WingsThese baked Asian chicken wings are tender, juicy and irresistible. They soak up complex flavors from an Asian-inspired marinade made with sweet chili sauce, fish sauce, garlic and Chinese five-spice powder.
The overnight marinade is the key to these crispy five-spice wings. We recommend making extra sauce for dipping.
Slow-Cooked Mandarin ChickenOranges and olives are elegantly paired in this different but delicious dish. The chicken is marinated, then cooked slowly in a flavorful sauce, so it stays moist. —Aney Chatterson, Soda Springs, Idaho
This orange and olive chicken requires planning ahead, but most of the work is hands-off. Let the chicken marinate overnight, then cook it on low in the slow cooker all day. The end result is saucy and moist. It's perfect over rice.
Caribbean ChickenThis Caribbean chicken dish is a very simple recipe that uses easy-to-find ingredients, but its flavor profile is quite complex.
Flavorful Chicken FajitasSizzling chicken fajitas are super easy to make and full of flavor. The secret is in the skillet, which can go from stove to table for restaurant-quality presentation.
Need a meal in hurry? These one-hour marinated chicken fajitas are beautifully seasoned with just the right amount of zing. Serve them with a selection of toppings, like shredded cheese, sliced red onions and salsa.
Chicken SkewersNothing says summertime like a grill full of chicken skewers. Our grilled chicken kabob recipe uses a garlicky, lemony marinade to ensure the chicken turns out juicy, tender and flavorful.
Roasted Lime ChickenThe subtle citrus flavor infused throughout this moist and baked lime chicken makes the most-requested dish for family dinners. It's the ideal way to use fresh herbs such as rosemary, sage, thyme and parsley. —Kathy Lewis-Martinez, Spring Valley, California
This roasted chicken is sub-lime! You'll impress your guests but more importantly your tastebuds with this herby marinade.
Apple-Marinated Chicken & VegetablesI actually invented this chicken with vegetables dish at a campground, so you know it's easy. Using the same marinade for the meat and veggies keeps it simple so we can spend more time outside and less time making dinner. —Jayme Schertz, Clintonville, Wisconsin
Apple juice and chicken? Sign us up! This marinade goes on both the chicken and the vegetables, so all you have to do is grill and enjoy.
Oven-Fried Chicken DrumsticksCrispy, crunchy and perfectly tender, this oven fried chicken legs recipe is an easy, mess-free way to make delicious fried chicken every time.
With a Greek yogurt, mustard and garlic marinade, you won't even be able to tell the chicken isn't actually fried. You can make the marinade and coat the chicken the night before, so everything is ready when it's time to cook.
Ranch-Marinated Chicken BreastsThe pub favorite pairing of ranch dressing and chicken comes home to your kitchen. With just a little prep time the night before, you can have these savory breasts ready in about half an hour! —Barbee Decker, Whispering Pines, North Carolina
Ranch and chicken is one of our favorite combinations. Use the leftover sour cream marinade for a zesty wrap—it packs more of a punch than you'd expect.
Grilled Basil ChickenThis cinch of a marinade gives the chicken lots of Italian flavor. Serve the chicken with a tossed green salad and garlic breadsticks, or put slices on a ciabatta roll along with lettuce, tomato and mozzarella cheese for a zesty handheld meal. —Lisa Moriarty, Wilton, New Hampshire
This light summer meal is perfect with grilled romaine. Make it the night before so it's ready for dinner.
Next Up: Make the best steak marinade.
