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Grilled marinated chicken skewers with herbs on a black grill rack alongside charred corn and onions

The Best Chicken Marinade for Grilling (+ Grilled Chicken Thigh Skewers)

The best chicken marinade for grilling — a universal formula built on Tony Chachere's Creole-Style Chicken Marinade with honey, lemon, garlic, and smoked paprika. Works on every cut of chicken, demonstrated here on juicy boneless chicken thigh skewers.
Servings 6 people
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Marinating Time 3 hours
Total Time 22 minutes

Equipment

  • Charcoal or Gas Grill
  • Flat Metal Skewers or Wooden Skewers
  • Instant-Read Thermometer
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Whisk

Ingredients
  

For the Marinade

  • 1 cup Tony Chachere's Creole-Style Chicken Marinade
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons honey raw preferred
  • 1 lemon, juiced about 3 tablespoons
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika Spanish pimentón preferred
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper fresh cracked
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley optional, for garnish

For the Chicken Thigh Skewers

  • 2.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 to 1½-inch cubes
  • 1 large onion cut into chunks for anchoring skewers
  • wooden or flat metal skewers soak wooden skewers 30 minutes in cold water

Instructions
 

  • Whisk the Tony Chachere's Chicken Marinade, olive oil, honey, lemon juice, minced garlic, smoked paprika, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in a bowl until combined. Reserve 2 tablespoons of clean marinade separately for finishing.
  • Cut the chicken thighs into uniform 1 to 1½ inch cubes. Add to a large bowl or zip-top bag, pour the marinade over the chicken, and toss to coat.
  • Refrigerate for 2 to 6 hours. For faster marinade penetration, seal in a vacuum bag to cut effective marinade time in half.
  • Soak wooden skewers in cold water for at least 30 minutes. Preheat the grill to 450 to 500°F.
  • Thread marinated chicken onto skewers, capping each end with a chunk of onion to prevent spinning. Leave a small gap between cubes. Pat each cube dry as you thread.
  • Grill skewers for 10 to 14 minutes total, turning every 2 to 3 minutes. Brush with the reserved clean marinade during the final 2 minutes.
  • Pull the skewers when the internal temperature of the thickest cube hits 175°F. Rest 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Grill Master Tip: Anchor each end of the skewer with a chunk of onion. The chicken stops spinning when you flip the skewers, you get an even char on all four sides, and the cooked onion ends are perfect for tacos or rice bowls. Vacuum-sealing the chicken in marinade cuts marinade time in half. For breasts, pull at 160°F and rest to 165°F. For wings, marinate 4 to 8 hours and pull at 175 to 185°F.