For most of us, grilling season is upon us and for those of us who are still braving some cooler temps, it won’t be long. Grilling some chicken this weekend, I realized I had never shared my super simple marinade with y’all.
This all-purpose marinade is probably one of the first recipes that I developed all by myself. I was probably 7 or 8 when I started mixing various liquids from various jar in the refrigerator to season my favorite grilled meat. The ingredients changed over the years as I learned more about marinades and the job of the various components in them. This is the final version that I’ve been using for years.
It’s great for nearly everything including chicken, pork, beef, veggies, even fish. We love it at our house and I know y’all will too.
Ingredients
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- â…“ cup olive/vegetable/canola oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Combine the ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake well to mix. Marinate for 30 minutes to overnight.
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
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Hi, how long does it keep for once I make it and can also be frozen and doesn’t need to be kept in the fridge before you use it?
Hi Richard! Yes, you’ll need to store it in the fridge. It should last for up to two weeks. I’ve never tried freezing it, so I’m not sure.
Thank you Stacey for the recipe, we will try this for sure 😀.
Happy to help!
I previously froze boneless chicken breasts in this marinade and got to grill a big batch yesterday. I cook for my 90 year old parents and yesterday also for a sister and her hubby who have Covid. We ALL said this chicken was fabulous!!! I had cut the breasts in half but didn’t have time to flatten the bigger parts but even those were super juicy and had flavor all the way through!! 😋
We used to raise broilers (6 chicken houses) so we have eaten a lot of chicken so when I say this was one of the best ways to cook it, I speak truth! Lol
Thanks, Stacy, for another winner, winner, chicken dinner!
Ha! Thanks so much! So glad to hear this chicken got the chicken experts’ approval! 🙂
I do not have any lemon juice or white vinegar, do u suggest any substitute or will it still turn out okay without it??? I’m going to cook pork chops with it….
Another acid – like another kind of vinegar – should work. But you’ll need some kind of acid in there.
Can I deep fry the chicken instead of baking or grilling ?
I’ve not tried that, Pem.
Can I freeze chicken with this marinade or will that be too long for it to be in the marinade? I love to put my chicken in the marinade and freeze for quick meals later.
I’ve not tried that, but it should work.
Tasty , easy wonderfull
INCREDIBLE. I have been brining chicken for years to get it moist which has worked, but I haven’t gotten any char on it when cooking in a pan. This recipe is GREAT! I subbed white wine vinegar for lemon juice because that’s all I had. I cooked chicken on both cast iron and non-stick pans and had fabulous char and moist chicken both ways. Highly recommend!
So glad it turned out so great for you!
Trying today. Sure does smell good. Used minced onion instead of powder. Gonna cook on my George Foreman grill. Hoping for a little crunch.
Hope it turns out great for you!
Hi! Novice griller/baker here! I found this on Pinterest and wonder how much meat this is designed to marinate? I usually only cook for two.
This makes less than 2 cups of marinade, but will marinate as many as 4 steaks. Use what you need and the rest will store in the fridge for a week or two.
is this good for round steak?
I don’t see why not!
I am making this recipe with pork chops. How long would I bake them? And what temperature?
Pork should be cooked to an internal temp of 145°F. It’s hard to say exactly at what oven temp and for how long depending on how thick your chops are or if they’re bone in or not.
Absolutely LOVE this recipe!!! Thank you so much for sharing it. I have made it several times with chicken but am going to try it on sirloin tonight! Can’t wait!
I’m SO glad you’ve enjoyed this one! Hope it’s just as good on the sirloin!
Got my cookbook this week !!! We marinaded chicken & roasted broccoli both on the grill , absolutely delicious !!! My husband is saying Stacey that your cookbook may kill us !!! This has been a delicious Saturday , thank you so much for these recipes !
Thanks so much for getting my book, Sherry! I hope y’all find lots and lots you enjoy!!
hi…i tried your recipe tonight and awesome,we love it so much,its so tasty.i just add more lemon in it,marinated for 30 minutes and boil for about 10-15 minutes to reduces the sauce then i put in oven together wirh the sauce for about 15 minutes both sides…my boss was so very happy.i serve with the spagetti.thank you for the recipe.
So glad y’all enjoyed it!
Hi Stacey,
This recipe looks so good and easy to make. I was wondering if the recipe could be doubled or tripled that way I can put it in the fridge for later use? And if so how long do you think you can last in the fridge? Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Hi Debi! You can certainly scale this up. I usually keep it in the fridge for a a week or two.
Thank you for sharing your recipe. I can not wait to try it.
Hope you enjoy!!
This is the only marinade I use for chicken. Everyone loves it!
So glad y’all have enjoyed it! It’s definitely my favorite too!
Can you use this recipe for canning so it doesn’t have to be refrigerated until opened and can be shelf stable for gift giving. If so, are any of the ingredients changed or extra ingredients added for that and how long do I process it for a water bath method? Thank you for sharing, sounds awesome!
Hi Lina! I actually don’t know much about canning, so I’m not the best equipped to answer that.
if baking in oven how long and and what tenp?
It really depends on the size of chicken breasts – about 30 minutes.
Will not having Worcestershire be a huge comprise? Any substitution recommendations?
I have been looking for an easy to make marinade and this looks delicious, I can’t wait to try it!
Hope it turns out great for you!
Well, I made it anyways, and it turned out PERFECT!! Made a teriyaki sauce as well. My new favourite marinade. – Robyn
Wonderful! So glad it turned out great for you!
I bought a big 2 1/2 lb flank steak, pounded it unmercifully to tenderize and stuck a fork in it a few hundred times. Then immersed it in a container with this marinade and put in the refrig for 24 hours. Grilled on a hot grille for 10 minutes on each side, until it was medium rare to medium. Let it set for five minutes and then carved diagonally into thin strips.
The marinade was perfect, and the meat had a flavor that was absolutely delicious. Served with grilled onions, French bread and a mild horseradish sauce and a cold tossed salad.
Our guest are still raving about the dinner. The marinade was the difference that turned a relatively inexpensive piece of beef into a tender, succulent meal. Thanks Stacy.
I’m so glad it turned out so well for you, Bill!
Do you use all three oils or is it a choice of these three. Sounds great and I want to try it.
No, you just pick which one you want to use (or whichever one you already have in the pantry). 🙂
I found this on Pinterest and tried it that night. Only word to describe…DELICIOUS! Was the best grilled chicken I have had in a long time. Thanks for the recipe!!
Wonderful, Kelly! So glad you liked it!
I can’t use regular sugar, do you think I could use splenda?
Of course!
I made it with splenda. very good
Glad to hear!
great recipe! I am definitely going to try this one! Thanks Stacey for your wonderful recipes!
You are so welcome! I hope you’ll enjoy it!
Do you have to refrigerate this while its marinating
If anything is going to marinate for more than 30 minutes, I would recommend refrigerating it.
Looking at a high temp of 82 degrees today in Beaufort,SC and the grill is calling. Thanks for a great go to marinade for the spring and summer (and fall and winter)!
You are SO welcome!
This appeals to me because there are no exotic, unobtainable ingredients and it fits my budget and time schedule.
You know that’s the name of my game! 🙂
This sounds perfectly delicious. I can’t wait to get my grill on with this!!! Yummy!!
It really is my favorite marinade! I hope you’ll enjoy it!
Can’t wait to try this! Looks great.
Thanks, Stephanie!
you can not mix oil and ingredients do not fall for this
Actually you can. It’s called an emulsion. But that’s not what we’re doing here.
Can I bake my chicken
Sure!
Yes you can! It works perfectly!
Here is a trick that works every time regarding oil and water. Believe it or not mustard is an emulsifier, meaning- mustard binds oil and water together. By putting a few drops (or maybe a bit more) of mustard into salad dressing and/or marinades the properties will come together. This is the secret behind creamy face cream, not mustard, but another chemical emulsifier is used that binds the two together.
Lol..I bet un happy cook will keep his FAT MOUTH shut when GROWN FOLKS are talking! I’m sorry.. But I really do HATE clowns like un happy cook.. Wait… What?? DUMB NAME.. go figure
What does this reside yield say 3-4 breasts average size?