Triple Citrus Chicken Marinade

A bright and flavorful chicken marinade made with a trio of fresh citrus! Because why just use one when you can use three? It includes orange, lemon and lime which is perfect for creating a vibrant grilled chicken marinade!

Chicken Marinade Recipe with Triple Citrus

Every summer it’s all about those chicken marinades right? Because who likes bland and boring chicken without some extra flavor?

This marinade is incredibly easy to make! Don’t be intimated by that list of ingredients, you can see in the ingredients photo below it’s actually not much and you probably have a lot of what you’ll need already.

Thanks to using all that fresh citrus, both juice and zest, you get a deliciously summery marinade you’ll want to make time and time again.

You’ll love that it’s not overwhelming like some of those vinegar based chicken marinades can be. The splash of citrus is a nice welcome touch that always enhances the flavors of chicken.

Another fun way to use this marinade is to make grilled chicken skewers, instead of using whole chicken pieces cut into 1-inch cubes, marinate then thread onto skewers and grill.

Just be sure to plan ahead with this recipe because you’ll want to let the chicken soak for at least one hour to absorb that flavor.

What Ingredients go into Triple Citrus Chicken Marinade?

• Oranges, lemon and limes – this is the perfect trio of flavor. Sweet orange and tart and tangy lemon and lime.
• Olive oil – this helps keep the exterior of the chicken from drying out.
• Shallot and garlic – these add fresh background flavor.
• Rosemary – I like to use fresh here but dried will work too if that’s what you have.
• Dijon mustard – this adds one more light hint of flavor, it also helps emulsify the marinade.
• Honey – I like to use just a little to balance out the tartness and also help brown the chicken.
• Salt and pepper – feel free to adjust the amounts to taste.

What Type of Chicken to Use?

• This recipe works great with boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Preferably around 6 oz. for breasts or 4 – 5 oz. for thighs.
• It makes enough marinade for up to 2 lbs of chicken.
• Preferably pound thicker parts of chicken breasts to even out there thickness so they cook more evenly.

How to Make This Easy Chicken Marinade:

• In a mixing bowl whisk together all ingredients (except chicken) until well blended.

• Place chicken in a gallon size resealable bag or dish (use glass, ceramic, plastic or nonreactive metal such as stainless steel).
• Pour marinade over chicken. Transfer to refrigerator and let rest at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.

How Long to Marinate Chicken?

Chicken should marinate, refrigerated, at least 1 hour to allow exterior of chicken to soak up those flavors, but don’t marinate longer than 6 hours or acidity in the marinade can make the chicken mushy.

How to Grill Marinated Chicken Breasts or Thighs:

• Preheat a gas grill over medium to medium-high heat. Clean grill grates.
• Grill chicken on preheated grill until cooked through, about 4 – 7 minutes per side. (Chicken breasts will be faster than thighs).

How to Tell When Chicken is Done Grilling?

• Chicken should have those nice char marks on the exterior and once done it will have shrunk in size. It should feel firm and no longer bouncy or rubbery.
• Always take the temperature with a digital food thermometer. Center of thickest portion should be 165 degrees and should no longer be pink. This is the most efficient and safest way to test chicken for doneness (be sure thermometer is accurate to begin with as well).

Can I Make this Marinade in Advance?

No. Since it has fresh unpasteurized juice it won’t keep long and it’s best to make it the day you’re going to use it.

Can I Reuse Chicken Marinade?

No, never. It can harbor bacteria and cause food born illness. Instead just double up on the recipe if you need more chicken marinated. Or if you would like some extra marinade to serve with the chicken then just set some of the marinade aside and refrigerate then serve with the chicken once cooked (you can also thicken marinades up with a little bit of cornstarch on the stovetop if using as a sauce).

What Should I Serve with Marinated Grilled Chicken?

• Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Honey Butter
• This Roasted Vegetables medley or this potato blend
• Baked Sweet Potato Fries
• Oven Baked French Fries
• Coconut Rice

More Delicious Chicken Recipes to Try!

• Grilled Greek Lemon Chicken
• Jerk Chicken
• Sticky Honey Orange Grilled Chicken
• Tandoori Chicken
• Grilled Moroccan Chicken