This delicious, easy-to-make herby whole chicken marinade will turn an ordinary chicken into an extraordinary meal that is sure to impress your dinner guests or family.
Whether you want to marinate your chicken for an hour, a few hours, or overnight, this chicken marinade will not let you down. It is a versatile marinade that can be used for any cut of chicken
This marinade is absolutely packed with deliciousness, it is literally the best! I used fresh herbs, sage, thyme, rosemary, and parsley, that said, you can substitute with dried herbs. Using these herbs alongside smoked paprika, lemon zest and juice, and olive oil ensures that your chicken will be infused with amazing flavor. Which makes the whole chicken really moist and juicy when roasted, grilled or deep fried, or air fried. The longer you let the chicken marinade the more flavorful it will be.
While this recipe is developed for poultry, it can also be used to marinade pork, beef steak and fish (salmon, trout, and the like).
Related recipes: pork steak marinade, jerk seasoning paste, and 4-ingredient chicken marinade
Why you will love this simple herb marinated chicken
- Quick and easy to make
- Less than 10 ingredients
- Wholesome ingredients
- Dairy-free, gluten-free and healthy
What is in this whole chicken marinade
You will need the following ingredients for your whole chicken marinade
Fresh herbs: sage, thyme, rosemary, and parsley
Smoked paprika
Fresh garlic
Lemon zest
Olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
How to make whole chicken marinade
This marinade recipe is as simple as it can get, all you need is a blender or a sharp knife
Add sage, thyme, rosemary, parsley, garlic, and olive oil to a small food processor or blender and pulse until finely chopped.
Transfer to a bowl, next, add lemon zest, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper and stir to combine.
If you don't have a food processor or a blender, simply chop the herbs as finely as possible and mix everything together in a bowl.
Place the chicken on a large plate and pat it dry with a kitchen paper towel. Carefully loosen the chicken skin on the breast (without tearing it) by sliding your fingers underneath or using the back of a spoon (preferred method). Once that is complete, season both the exterior and cavity of the chicken with salt and black pepper.
Rub the marinade on the chicken, under the skin of the chicken breast, and in the cavity, making sure to evenly coat the chicken.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours for maximum flavor. Bring it out of the fridge 30 minutes before you bake so that it comes to room temperature.
How to cook marinated chicken
There are 3 ways you can cook your chicken, it can be grilled, baked, or roasted.
The best temperature to cook chicken in the oven is between 180C-365F and 200C/400F. The internal temperature of cooked chicken is 165 F/74C.
How long to marinate a whole chicken
The length of time you marinate your food depends on personal circumstances, though for optimal results it is recommended that you marinate for 3 hours minimum or up to 24 hours. If time is an issue, 1 hour will suffice.
Can I inject this marinade into the chicken
Yes, you can use a marinade injector to get the flavor into the meat. In this case, I would probably add melted butter to the marinade so that you have more to inject. Follow the manufacturer's instructions on how to use the marinade injector.
Can I use this on spatchcock chicken
Yes, you can spatchcock the chicken, in fact, this is best if you are short on time. it cooks faster than a whole chicken.
More condiments recipes you should try next
More whole chicken recipe
Dutch oven roast chicken and vegetables
Whole Chicken Marinade
Ingredients
- 1 spring sage about 8 large leaves
- 2 Springs thyme
- 2 springs rosemary
- 2 Tablespoons parsley
- ½ Tablespoon smoked paprika
- 4 large garlic cloves
- Zest of 1 lemon a little less that 1 Tablespoon
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Whole chicken 3-4lb
Instructions
- Add fresh sage, thyme, rosemary, parsley, garlic, and olive oil to a small food processor or blender and pulse until finely chopped.If you don't have a food processor or a blender, simply chop the herbs as finely as possible and mix everything together in a bowl.
- Transfer to a bowl, next, add lemon zest, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper to taste, and stir to combine.
- Place the chicken on a large plate and pat it dry with a kitchen paper towel. Carefully loosen the chicken skin on the breast (without tearing it) by sliding your fingers underneath or using the back of a spoon (preferred method).
- Season both the exterior and cavity of the chicken with salt and black pepper.
- Rub the marinade on the chicken, under the skin of the chicken breast, and in the cavity, making sure to evenly coat the chicken.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours for maximum flavor. Bring it out of the fridge 30 minutes before you bake so that it comes to room temperature.
Nutrition
Nutritional data: Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients and brands you use. Under no circumstances will thedinnerbite.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.
And there you have it, a simple and easy simple whole chicken marinade recipe that you can make at home under 10 minutes. As always, if you made this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Kindly rate the recipe 5 star and leave me feedback in the comment section below. Tag me @thedinnerbite on Instagram and save it away to your Pinterest. Please subscribe to the blog if you haven’t for free new recipes in your inbox. Until next time, happy cooking!!!
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