Name: BBQ Chicken Marinade
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 12 h 5 min
Yield: 3
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/3 cup avocado oil (or other mild tasting high smoke point oil); 1/2 cup BBQ sauce - we like Stubb’s Sweet Heat; 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar; 1 teaspoon liquid smoke; 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon regular paprika; 1 teaspoon black pepper, to taste; 2 - 3 teaspoons salt, to taste

This simple BBQ Chicken Marinade tenderizes and flavors any cut of chicken from the inside out! It’s the perfect bbq marinade for grilling chicken, but can also be used to bake chicken. Slather this sweet and tangy marinade on chicken breasts, thighs, tenderloins, drumsticks, and more!

grilled chicken marinated in bbq chicken marinade

About this Simple BBQ Chicken Marinade

True bbq lovers will know that there’s more to making bbq chicken than simply rubbing store-bought bbq sauce over it.

To create the juiciest, most flavorful bbq chicken, you need to marinate it first. And although I’m heavily biased, I think our family’s bbq marinade is the best of the best!

It’s a semi-homemade bbq chicken marinade that starts with a quality store-bought BBQ sauce.

Apple cider vinegar is mixed in to add a fruity, tangy flavor and to help tenderize the chicken before it’s thrown on the grill.

A blend of dried herbs and spices add even more flavor, and the finishing touch is a dash of liquid smoke for that gorgeous smoky flavor you normally need a Traeger or pellet grill to achieve.

This simple bbq chicken marinade has proven to be a crowd-pleaser, and I love that it works well with any cut of chicken! We typically use it for grilling chicken breasts, but the marinade can also be used with chicken thighs, drumsticks, and tenderloins.

Coat your chicken in the marinade first thing in the morning to grill for dinner tonight, or pop the marinated chicken in the freezer to cook weeks from now!

Looking for a dry rub instead? My BBQ Chicken Rub has been a reader favorite for years and is what I use to season my Smoked Whole Chicken. It can be used for grilling or smoking any cut of chicken, though!

bowls of ingredients needed to make a simple bbq chicken marinade

Tools You’ll Need

I suggest having the following pieces of kitchen equipment on hand for preparing the bbq sauce chicken marinade:

Large Measuring Cup — I prefer combining the marinade directly in a measuring cup, but you can also make it in a bowl.
Measuring Cups and Spoons — For measuring out the ingredients.
Whisk — For combining the marinade.
Gallon Zip-Top Bag — I prefer marinating chicken in a zip-top bag, but you’re welcome to use an airtight container instead.
Plate — Optional but recommended if you’re marinating the chicken in a zip-top bag. The plate is added insurance against spills or seeping.

Ingredients in the Marinade

You’ll need the following basic ingredients to prepare the best bbq chicken marinade for grilling:

Avocado Oil (or other mild tasting high smoke point oil)
BBQ Sauce (our favorite is Stubb’s Sweet Heat)
Apple Cider Vinegar
Liquid Smoke
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Smoked Paprika
Regular Paprika
Ground Black Pepper
Salt

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions for this easy chicken marinade, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

How to Make BBQ Chicken Marinade

Marinating chicken in the bbq marinade is quick and easy!

Combine all of the ingredients in a large measuring cup. Whisk to combine.
Place the chicken into a gallon-sized storage bag. Pour the marinade over top, seal the bag, and place on a plate.
Marinate the chicken for 12 – 24 hours in the refrigerator, flipping the bag halfway through.

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions to make this simple bbq chicken marinade, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

woman adding spices to a bowl of bbq chicken marinade

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Use a good bbq sauce — The bbq sauce is the key ingredient, so choose one you love! We prefer the Stubb’s Sweet Heat bbq sauce but you can use any you like.
Use dried herbs and spices, not fresh — This recipe uses solely dried herbs and spices. The reason there are no fresh herbs or aromatics is because we typically use this bbq marinade for grilled chicken, and any fresh ingredients would burn on the hot grill grates.
Scale the recipe as needed — This recipe makes enough marinade to coat 3 pounds of chicken. If you don’t need that much bbq chicken right now, you can halve the recipe.
Allow the chicken plenty of time to marinate — 24 hours is best, but 12 hours or overnight works too. The chicken needs time to soak up the marinade, which adds flavor and also tenderizes the meat.

Marinade FAQs

Got questions about how to make this grilled bbq chicken marinade? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.

How many pounds of chicken does this marinade make?

This bbq marinade will coat 3 pounds of chicken. You can halve or double if you’re making a different amount of chicken.

What’s the best cut of chicken for this BBQ chicken marinade?

I usually use boneless skinless chicken breasts with this marinade, but you can also use it with drumsticks, tenderloins, bone-in chicken breasts, or thighs.

Even chicken kebabs can work if you want to cut the chicken into large chunks! Just note that the marinade time won’t need to be as long for smaller pieces of chicken, such as tenderloins or pieces of chicken intended for kebabs.

How long does bbq chicken need to marinate?

I suggest letting chicken marinate for at least 12 hours for best results (i.e. the most flavorful and juiciest chicken). However, if you have more time the chicken can safely sit in the marinade for up to 24 hours.

And if you’re short on time and can only marinate the chicken for an hour or so, then do that! It’s better to marinate the chicken a little bit than not at all.

Is it possible to over-marinate bbq chicken?

Yes! You don’t want the chicken to sit in the bbq marinade for more than 24 hours. After that point, the chicken will start to break down in the marinade; instead of making juicy, tender grilled chicken, you’ll wind up with tough or mushy chicken.

Can chicken be frozen in the BBQ marinade?

For sure! I often make a large batch of this bbq marinade when we plan to have it for dinner so I can freeze bags of chicken in the marinade for future dinners.

Then, you just have to remove the bag from the freezer and let the chicken thaw in the fridge (marinade and all!) before grilling.

Can the bbq chicken be prepared without a grill?

Of course! We love using this marinade for grilled bbq chicken, but if you don’t have an outdoor grill you can also pan sear, bake, or grill the chicken using a stovetop grill pan.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate the cooked chicken in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Leftovers can be added to salads, wraps, sandwiches, and more.

You can also freeze the cooked bbq chicken for up to 3 months.

Try Making BBQ Marinade at Home!

Next time you’re looking for an easy bbq chicken marinade, give this one a try!

Did you love that the marinade used with store-bought bbq sauce? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought.

On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @good lifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of this bbq chicken marinade!

chicken marinating in bbq sauce chicken marinade

More Easy Chicken Marinades:

Tender, flavorful balsamic chicken is simple to make with this marinade! Balsamic chicken marinade comes together quickly with extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh basil, and a few more simple ingredients.

Grilled honey mustard chicken is one of our favorite easy chicken recipes. The chicken tenderloins are marinated in a sweet and savory honey mustard sauce with sprigs of fresh rosemary and lemon juice, then quickly cooked on a hot grill.

This cilantro lime chicken is one of my favorite marinades for making chicken tacos!

Juicy, flavorful Greek chicken is easy to achieve with this marinade! Greek chicken marinade comes together quickly with homemade Greek seasoning, yogurt, and a few more choice ingredients.

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BBQ Chicken Marinade

Yield: 3 pounds of chicken

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Marinating Time: 12 hours

Total Time: 12 hours 5 minutes

This simple yet flavorful BBQ Chicken Marinade tenderizes and flavors any cut of chicken from the inside out! It’s the perfect bbq marinade for grilling chicken, but can also be used to bake chicken. Slather this sweet and tangy marinade on chicken breasts, thighs, tenderloins, drumsticks, and more!

Ingredients

1/3 cup avocado oil (or other mild tasting high smoke point oil)
1/2 cup BBQ sauce - we like Stubb’s Sweet Heat
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon regular paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
2 - 3 teaspoons salt, to taste

Instructions

In a bowl or large measuring cup, combine the olive oil, BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, liquid smoke, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, paprika, black pepper, and salt.
Whisk until well combined.
Transfer 3 pounds of chicken to a gallon sized zip top storage bag. Pour the marinade over top.
Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible, and transfer the bag to a plate in the refrigerator.
Marinate for 12 - 24 hours, flipping the bag halfway through.

Notes

This marinade recipe makes enough for 3 lbs chicken. I usually use boneless skinless chicken breasts for this, but you can also use the marinade for drumsticks, tenderloins, bone-in chicken breasts, or thighs. Even kebabs can work if you want to cut the chicken into large chunks.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 158Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1303mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 1gSugar: 8gProtein: 1g

GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy. This provided information is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.