Easy Grilled Marinated Chicken

Psst. Save this recipe for Easy Grilled Marinated Chicken. It will definitely become a go to grilling recipe for you! If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you probably know how much I love my grill. I would grill absolutely everything if I could (and honestly, I’ve tried, including grilled guacamole, a grilled cocktail, and a grilled cheese plate.)

So, be prepared for plenty of grilling recipes this summer! I wanted to start off a bit simple – an easy grilled marinated chicken recipe.

This does involve some prep time, you want the chicken to sit in the marinade for a few hours at least. For the most flavor, add the chicken to the marinade the night before.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup peanut or canola oil
• 2 tablespoons sambal (such as Chabe Chili)
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 chicken breasts
• 2 drumsticks
• 2 chicken thighs

To make your easy grilled marinated chicken, start with the marinade. Add the oil, sambal, vinegar, salt, cumin, smoked paprika, and pepper to a small bowl, stirring to combine.

Pour into a large zip top bag. Add the garlic cloves and chopped onion to the bag. Add in the chicken pieces and seal, turning to evenly coat the chicken in the marinade.

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until ready to cook, turning the bag (if possible) half way through the marinating process.

When ready to grill, preheat your grill to medium-high heat, keeping one side for direct heat and one for indirect heat.

Add the chicken pieces to the direct heat side. Reserve the marinade. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the chicken easily releases from the grill. Turn and cook for another 3 minutes, or until the chicken once again releases easily from the grill.

Move to indirect heat. Baste the chicken with the reserved marinade, and close the grill. Cook for 5 minutes, turn the pieces, baste with the marinade, and close the grill again.

Cook for another 5 minutes, or until the center of each piece of chicken reads 160 degrees F on a thermometer (or 162 degrees F. Oops). The chicken breasts will be done cooking before the drumsticks and thighs.

Remove from heat and serve.

Yum! This recipe for Easy Grilled Marinated Chicken lives up to its name! The chicken stays so juicy and tender.

The charred pieces of the chicken really complement the flavors in the marinade – a touch of heat from the sambal and cumin, some acid from the vinegar, and some smokiness from the paprika.

There is a good amount of flavor in this marinade, but if you want to add some additional spices to make it your own, definitely experiment!

Easy Grilled Marinated Chicken

Kaitlin @ I Can Cook That

Juicy, flavorful chicken marinated in a smoky, slightly spicy sauce that is easy to make and to adjust

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Prep Time 3 hours hrs

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 cup peanut or canola oil
• 2 tablespoons sambal such as Chabe Chili
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 2 chicken breasts
• 2 drumsticks
• 2 chicken thighs

Instructions

 

• Add the oil, sambal, vinegar, salt, cumin, smoked paprika, and pepper to a small bowl, stirring to combine.
• Pour into a large zip top bag. Add the garlic cloves and chopped onion to the bag. Add in the chicken pieces and seal, turning to evenly coat the chicken in the marinade.
• Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until ready to cook, turning the bag (if possible) half way through the marinating process.
• When ready to grill, preheat your grill to medium-high heat, keeping one side for direct heat and one for indirect heat.
• Add the chicken pieces to the direct heat side. Reserve the marinade. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the chicken easily releases from the grill. Turn and cook for another 3 minutes, or until the chicken once again releases easily from the grill.
• Move to indirect heat. Baste the chicken with the reserved marinade, and close the grill. Cook for 5 minutes, turn the pieces, baste with the marinade, and close the grill again.
• Cook for another 5 minutes, or until the center of each piece of chicken reads 160 degrees F on a thermometer. The chicken breasts will be done cooking before the drumsticks and thighs.
• Remove from heat and serve.

Notes

If you make this recipe, share a photo on Instagram and tag me @icancookthat!

Keyword Chicken, Grilled, Marinade, Marinated