Underwhelmed by poultry? Your chicken dinner doesn’t have to be the same night after night. In fact, it shouldn’t have to be ever again after you scroll through this post!
From classic garlic and lemon to asian flavors, we’ve listed 16 of our favorite ways to marinate chicken on Whole30. Never underestimate the power of some good seasoning and a bit of patience!
1) Jalapeno Lime Chicken Marinade
Craving some spice? Farmstead Chic brings us a chicken marinade with jalapeno, cilantro, lime and a pinch of red pepper flakes for an added kick.
2) Paleo Teriyaki Chicken
Coconut aminos saves the day here with a soy-free version of a teriyaki marinade from the The Nourishing Gourmet. Paired with ginger, sesame oil, garlic and cayenne, this recipe packs tons of flavor.
3) Garlic Lemon Chicken Marinade
Boasting a tiny little prep time of 10 minutes, Healthy Seasonal Recipes basically insists that you make this recipe, it makes your chicken that much better. Lots of garlic, lemon, oregano and the surprise ingredient of pickled jalapeno make up this staple marinade.
4) Paprika Lemon Marinade
Paleo Leap’s chicken marinade uses paprika, cumin, oregano, cayenne and plenty of fresh parsley for some herby, spicy magic to transform your main protein.
5) Japanese Roasted Lemon Chicken Legs
I Heart Umami’s roasted chicken legs are marinated in a savory combo of lemon, ginger, garlic and coconut aminos for…you guessed it! Lots of umami flavor. Yum!
6) Paleo Greek Chicken
Lemon, oregano and red wine vinegar add some flavor to chicken breast in Holistically Engineered’s Greek chicken recipe. Serve over a salad with kalamata olives, fresh tomatoes and fresh red onion!
7) Crispy Chicken Wings
Not only are these wings marinated in shallot, garlic, fish sauce, lime and coconut aminos, but I Heart Umami even adds a dipping sauce to the mix for after cooking. Perfect game day meal or for entertaining and keeping true to Whole30!
8) Easy No-Fail Chicken Marinade
Inspired Taste’s no-fail marinade combines some super classic flavors like Dijon (make sure it’s compliant!), lemon, garlic and red pepper flakes with an optional selection of fresh herbs to keep things highly customizable. In the mood for dill? Throw some in! With this recipe, you can try a different variation each time.
9) Asian Chicken Thighs
There’s nothing quite like some super flavorful chicken thighs…and Nom Nom Paleo has just the recipe! Throw together some ground ginger, rice wine vinegar, coconut aminos, fish sauce and apple for sweetness for a tangy, delicious marinade.
10) Mojo Marinated Grilled Chicken
Fire up your grill! Orange juice, lime juice, garlic and spices comprise this Laughing Spatula recipe for an awesome grilled chicken marinade. The recipe lists wine as an option–in order to keep this Whole30-friendly, make sure to omit it!
11) Orange Dijon Chicken
Nom Nom Paleo’s orange dijon chicken uses the obvious orange juice and Dijon mustard paired with a whole bunch of garlic for some savory, tangy deliciousness. Top your finished product with parsley or fresh chives for some added freshness!
12) Juicy Balsamic Grilled Chicken
Balsamic adds some sweetness to this marinade from Unsophisticook–paired with Italian herbs, olive oil and plenty of garlic, this classic recipe may just become a staple in your rotation.
13) Mustard Balsamic Baked Chicken
Mix some mustard with balsamic vinegar and plenty of fresh rosemary for this Paleo Leap recipe for sweet and tangy baked chicken thighs. This recipe couldn’t be simpler and goes great with a side of roasted veggies!
14) Grilled Chicken Drumsticks with Garlic Marinade
Garlic loves, this one’s for you. Paleo Flourish’s marinade does not mess around–an entire head of garlic, lemon juice and olive oil add some amazing flavor to these chicken drumsticks. Throw them on the grill and serve with a Whole30 compliant salad for a warm summer evening.
15) The Best Grilled Chicken Recipe
While this is not technically a marinade, we couldn’t leave this spice rub from Joyful Healthy Eats off of our list…it is “the best” after all! Garlic, cumin, coriander and paprika mix with classic salt and pepper for an awesome dry rub for your grilled chicken.
16) Homemade Barbecue Seasoning Mix
Combine this tasty seasoning mix of paprika, mustard powder, chili powder, cumin, garlic, cayenne and onion powder from The Pinning Mama with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil for an instant barbecue-style marinade. Keep the dry mix on hand in your pantry to use in a pinch!
That concludes our chicken marinade roundup of our Whole30 favorites. Do you have a to-die-for recipe that we missed? Let us know in the comments!
