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This Buttermilk Chicken Marinade is the secret to unbelievably juicy, tender chicken every single time. Made with simple pantry ingredients, this easy marinade works for grilled, baked, air-fried, or fried chicken and adds flavor while naturally tenderizing the meat.
Whether you’re prepping dinner for a busy weeknight or planning ahead, this marinade delivers big results with minimal effort.
Why You’ll Love this Buttermilk Chicken Marinade!
Easy Grilled Chicken Recipes are always on the menu. Being a mom of 8, we tend to cook a lot of chicken. Marinating your chicken changes the taste and flavor and this Buttermilk Marinade is one of our favorites.
The simple ingredients keeps it budget friendly and my go-to marinade recipe. We usually use chicken breast but you can use this marinade for chicken thighs, chicken drumsticks, chicken tenders and more.
If you are looking for another delicious marinade to try, make this Balsamic Chicken Marinade, Chicken Curry Marinade, Best BBQ Chicken Marinade Recipe, Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade or Fajita Chicken Marinade.
Ingredients
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts – You can also use bone-in chicken thighs, drumsticks, or tenders
- Buttermilk – Makes the chicken juicy and so tender
- Simple Spices – Onion Powder, garlic powder, Italian Seasoning
- Honey – Substitute with maple syrup or brown sugar for a hint of sweetness
- Olive Oil – Use oil of your choice
- Cayenne Pepper – Adds a kick of spice to the marinade
Scroll to the recipe card for the full recipe details.
How to Make Buttermilk Chicken Marinade
Step 1 – Stir together the buttermilk, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, honey, olive oil and cayenne pepper in a large bowl.
Step 2 – Place the buttermilk marinated chicken in a ziplock bag and pour the buttermilk mixture on top then seal bag. Allow the chicken pieces to marinade for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
Step 3 – Preheat the grill to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush the grill grates with oil to prevent the chicken from sticking.
Step 4 – Once the grill is hot, place chicken on the grill.
Step 5 – Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and is golden brown. Use a instant-read thermometer to ensure chicken is fully cooked. You can even cook chicken in the oven or on a grilled pan.
Step 6 – Move the chicken from the grill to a separate plate or wire rack, let the chicken sit for 5 minutes. Then it’s ready to slice and enjoy!
Buttermilk Chicken Marinade
Ingredients
- 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 1 ½ cups Buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
Instructions
- Stir together the buttermilk, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, honey, olive oil and cayenne pepper in a bowl.
- Place the chicken in a ziplock bag and pour the buttermilk mixture on top.
- Allow the chicken to marinade for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
- Preheat the grill to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush the grill grates with oil to prevent the chicken from sticking.
- Once the grill is hot, place the chicken on the grill.
- Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Move the chicken from the grill to a separate plate, let the chicken sit for 5 minutes. Then it’s ready to slice and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Cooking Time – The cook times will vary based on the size of the chicken. Make sure to use a meat thermometer to ensure that the chicken is cooked to the correct temperature.
- Heat Grill – If you are grilling the chicken, make sure to preheat the grill so your chicken is cooked with the perfect texture but still juicy on the inside.
- Marinade – After marinating chicken, make sure to discard any marinade that has come in contact with the chicken. Make sure to not to reuse any marinade.
- Chicken – When cooking chicken, pound chicken to about the same size so it grills evenly.
- Fried Chicken Recipe – This buttermilk marinade is even delicious when frying chicken or making a roast chicken.
- Lemon Juice
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Black Pepper
- Paprika
- Sea Salt
Nutrition Facts
How Long to Marinate Chicken
We recommend marinating chicken for at least an hour. But for the best flavor, you can marinate chicken up to 24 hours. Place the chicken in a zip lock bag or in a pan and place in the fridge to marinate.
Serving Suggestions
This chicken can be served with many easy side dish recipes. We love to make mashed potatoes with a side of air fryer broccoli. We have even served with mac and cheese which is my kids favorite sides.
It also makes a delicious topping on a salad or your favorite pasta dishes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store any leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
Yes, you can freeze this chicken in a freezer safe container. Freeze the chicken for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw the chicken in the refrigerator overnight. You can even freeze the chicken in the marinade if you prefer.
Do you rinse chicken after buttermilk marinade?
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We love to hear from you. If you make this Buttermilk Chicken Marinade Recipe, please leave us a comment.
The recipe is for Skinless chicken however in the instructions it says to grill skin side down ? Please clarify
Sorry for the confusion. That was a typo in the recipe and has been corrected. I use boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe.
Can this buttermilk chicken marinade be baked instead of grilled if so what temperature and from how long using skinless chicken breast thank you very much God bless
Yes, you can bake this chicken instead of grilling it Tina. Bake at 400 degrees F on a baking sheet or in a baking dish for 35-40 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Let me know how it turns out!
Really fragrant and flavorful! Marinated a whole chicken and guests thought it was tender and moist. The real test will be to try it on breast meat alone. Excellent!