This Thai Chicken Marinade recipe makes the most tender, juicy chicken that is full of authentic sweet and spicy Thai flavor. We’ve included instructions on how to marinate and grill your chicken breasts, along with our recipe for a simple peanut sauce to serve alongside.
If you're looking for some more chicken dinner ideas, try our homemade orange chicken, teriyaki chicken and our amazing basil chicken stir fry.
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Easy Thai Marinade Recipe
This simple Thai Marinade for chicken recipe is a great way to turn ordinary chicken breasts into a unique and flavorful meal. The sweet and spicy marinade is made up of fresh lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, green onions, and a touch of red pepper flakes. Just toss together with your chicken, place in the fridge overnight, and you’ll be ready to grill or bake your tender, juicy chicken the next day.
I like to serve Thai chicken over fluffy coconut rice or quinoa with fresh lime wedges and the quick and easy peanut sauce included in this recipe. If you have any leftovers, serve sliced or diced over your favorite green salad. Pro tip: the peanut sauce can be thinned down and made into a delicious dressing.
Ingredients in Marinade for Thai Chicken
- Chicken Breasts - this recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken breasts but you could absolutely substitute bone-in or boneless chicken thighs, chicken tenders, or chicken wings.
- Avocado Oil - you can also use olive oil or vegetable oil for the marinade ingredients.
- Soy Sauce - any soy sauce will work, including regular, low salt, or even tamari.
- Lime Juice - fresh lime juice tastes the best.
- Garlic - it’s best to use fresh minced garlic, but the jarred minced garlic will work in a pinch.
- Ginger Powder has a great ginger flavor and makes things easy, but you could also use 2 teaspoons of fresh minced ginger instead.
- Water - this is to thin down the marinade a touch.
- Green Onions - you’ll want these to be thinly sliced.
- Red Pepper Flakes - these add just a touch of heat to the marinade. You could also substitute a dash or two of Thai sweet chili sauce.
Peanut Sauce
- Peanut Butter - while I usually use creamy peanut butter, you can definitely use crunchy if you don’t mind a sauce that isn’t completely smooth.
- Water - instead of water you could substitute coconut milk.
- Sugar - this recipe calls for granulated sugar, but brown sugar would make a tasty substitute, as would palm sugar.
- Soy Sauce - again, you can use regular soy sauce, low salt, or even tamari.
- White Wine Vinegar - this helps round out the flavors. You could substitute a bit of rice wine vinegar.
- Red Pepper Flakes - if you like things spicy, I recommend adding a pinch to this sauce.
How to Make This Thai Marinade Chicken Recipe
- Marinate the chicken. In a medium bowl or other container, add the chicken and marinade ingredients. Stir until combined, cover with plastic wrap, and marinate overnight in the fridge, or for at least 20 minutes.
- Remove from the marinade and preheat the grill. Once you have marinated the chicken, remove the chicken from the marinade, discard the remaining marinade, and let the chicken come to room temperature while preheating the grill.
- Cook the chicken. Place the chicken on a preheated 350 degree grill and cook chicken on the grill for 4-7 minutes per side, or until golden on each side and the internal temperature reads 165 degrees F on a digital thermometer.
- Rest and serve. Remove chicken from the heat and place on a serving tray. Cover with foil and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Serve over rice with peanut sauce and fresh lime wedges. Enjoy!
- Optional: How to make the peanut sauce. In a small pan, add the peanut butter, water, sugar, soy sauce, white wine vinegar, and crushed red pepper flakes. Heat over medium high heat while whisking and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature before stirring in the lime juice. Serve as a dipping sauce for the chicken or thin a little with water and use as a salad dressing.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are in a pinch, you can marinate the chicken for as little as 20 minutes. However, for the juiciest, most flavorful chicken, we recommend that you marinate chicken for at least 12 hours, or overnight. The longest that we recommend marinating would be 48 hours in the fridge.
If you want, you can mix together the Chicken Thai Marinade ingredients the day before and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Absolutely! You can use this marinade recipe for any of your favorite grilled or baked chicken recipes.
Storing
- Refrigerator: store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make sure to discard any leftover marinade after you have used it.
- To reheat: reheat chicken on a baking sheet in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until heated through. You can also reheat a small portion in the microwave, for about 1-2 minutes on high, or until warmed through.
- Peanut Sauce: you can store leftover peanut sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Grilled Thai Chicken Marinade Recipe
Ingredients
Thai Marinade for Chicken
- 2 pounds Chicken Breasts or 6 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 Tablespoon Avocado Oil
- ¼ cup Soy Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Lime Juice
- 2 teaspoon Garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon Ginger Powder or 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 3 Tablespoons Water
- 4 large Green Onions sliced
- ½ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
Peanut Sauce
- ¼ cup Peanut Butter
- 2 Tablespoons Water
- 2 Tablespoons Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
- ½ teaspoon White Wine Vinegar
- 1 pinch Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
Instructions
Thai Chicken Marinade Recipe
- In a medium bowl or other container, add the chicken, 1 tablespoon of avocado oil, soy sauce, lime juice, minced garlic, ginger, water, thinly sliced green onions, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir until combined, cover with plastic wrap, and let marinate for 20 minutes-24 hours in the fridge.
- Once you have marinated the chicken, remove the chicken from the marinade, discard the remaining marinade, and let the chicken come to room temperature while preheating the grill.
- Place the chicken on a preheated 350 degree grill and cook for 4-7 minutes per side, or until golden on each side and the internal temperature reads 165 degrees F on a digital thermometer.
- Remove chicken from the heat and place on a serving tray. Cover with foil and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Serve over rice with peanut sauce. Enjoy!
Peanut Sauce Recipe
- In a small pan, add the peanut butter, water, sugar, soy sauce, white wine vinegar, and crushed red pepper flakes. Heat over medium high heat while whisking and bring to a boil.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature before stirring in the lime juice. Serve as a dip for the chicken or thin a little with water and use as a salad dressing.
Nutrition
More Asian-Inspired Chicken Recipes
- Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Thai Chicken Salad
- Crockpot Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Basil Chicken Stir Fry
- Baked Lemon Ginger Chicken
- Baked Lemon Chicken
- Cilantro Lime Chicken with Quinoa
- Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
- Simple Oven Baked Chicken Breast
- Honey Soy Chicken Thighs
- More Chicken Recipes
- More Easy Dinner Recipes
This Thai Chicken Marinade recipe is a simple way to turn ordinary chicken into a delicious Asian-inspired meal. It makes the most tender, juicy, and flavorful chicken using just a few simple ingredients.
Kristen
This really dressed my chicken up! So simple to make and so flavorful.
Shadi Hasanzadenemati
This recipe has quickly become a family favorite in our household, and I can't wait to share it with friends at our next barbecue. Thank you for sharing this delicious taste of Thailand with us!