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.
Quick and Easy Marinade
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/3 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.
Stephanie @ Plain Chicken says
Can’t wait to try this! Looks great.
Stacey says
Thanks, Stephanie!
un happy cook says
you can not mix oil and ingredients do not fall for this
Stacey says
Actually you can. It’s called an emulsion. But that’s not what we’re doing here.
Judith Hilton says
Can I bake my chicken
Stacey says
Sure!
Karen Garza says
Yes you can! It works perfectly!
Janet Arango says
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.
Darron Garcia says
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
Gayle V. says
This sounds perfectly delicious. I can’t wait to get my grill on with this!!! Yummy!!
Stacey says
It really is my favorite marinade! I hope you’ll enjoy it!
Nana says
This appeals to me because there are no exotic, unobtainable ingredients and it fits my budget and time schedule.
Stacey says
You know that’s the name of my game! 🙂
KikilovestocookinSC says
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)!
Stacey says
You are SO welcome!
Beverly says
great recipe! I am definitely going to try this one! Thanks Stacey for your wonderful recipes!
Stacey says
You are so welcome! I hope you’ll enjoy it!
Jackie says
Do you have to refrigerate this while its marinating
Stacey says
If anything is going to marinate for more than 30 minutes, I would recommend refrigerating it.
Judy Uhl says
I can’t use regular sugar, do you think I could use splenda?
Stacey says
Of course!
Bob Apjok says
I made it with splenda. very good
Stacey says
Glad to hear!
Kelly says
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!!
Stacey says
Wonderful, Kelly! So glad you liked it!
janice says
Do you use all three oils or is it a choice of these three. Sounds great and I want to try it.
Stacey says
No, you just pick which one you want to use (or whichever one you already have in the pantry). 🙂
Bill says
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.
Stacey says
I’m so glad it turned out so well for you, Bill!
andrea says
I have been looking for an easy to make marinade and this looks delicious, I can’t wait to try it!
Stacey says
Hope it turns out great for you!
robyn says
Well, I made it anyways, and it turned out PERFECT!! Made a teriyaki sauce as well. My new favourite marinade. – Robyn
Stacey says
Wonderful! So glad it turned out great for you!
Robyn says
Will not having Worcestershire be a huge comprise? Any substitution recommendations?
kay hirsch says
if baking in oven how long and and what tenp?
Stacey says
It really depends on the size of chicken breasts – about 30 minutes.
Lina Bradshaw says
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!
Stacey says
Hi Lina! I actually don’t know much about canning, so I’m not the best equipped to answer that.
Vitina says
This is the only marinade I use for chicken. Everyone loves it!
Stacey says
So glad y’all have enjoyed it! It’s definitely my favorite too!
Maricon says
Thank you for sharing your recipe. I can not wait to try it.
Stacey says
Hope you enjoy!!
Debi says
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.
Stacey says
Hi Debi! You can certainly scale this up. I usually keep it in the fridge for a a week or two.
jhoy cameros says
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.
Stacey says
So glad y’all enjoyed it!
Sherry Smith says
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 !
Stacey says
Thanks so much for getting my book, Sherry! I hope y’all find lots and lots you enjoy!!
Mary Smith says
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!
Stacey says
I’m SO glad you’ve enjoyed this one! Hope it’s just as good on the sirloin!
Jennifer says
I am making this recipe with pork chops. How long would I bake them? And what temperature?
Stacey says
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.
jerry says
is this good for round steak?
Stacey says
I don’t see why not!
Shelley says
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.
Stacey says
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.
Linda Crider says
Trying today. Sure does smell good. Used minced onion instead of powder. Gonna cook on my George Foreman grill. Hoping for a little crunch.
Stacey says
Hope it turns out great for you!
Jenn F says
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!
Stacey says
So glad it turned out so great for you!
Deepa GV says
Tasty , easy wonderfull
Pem says
Can I deep fry the chicken instead of baking or grilling ?
Stacey says
I’ve not tried that, Pem.