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Mary Berry Chicken Marinade Recipe

Mary Berry Chicken Marinade Recipe

Mary Berry's chicken marinade is a brilliant all-purpose herb and lemon marinade that works for grilling, roasting, and barbecuing — and it genuinely transforms any chicken.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Marinating Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 6 chicken pieces
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: British
Calories: 65
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • The Marinade:
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Juice and zest of 1 large unwaxed lemon
  • 3 garlic cloves crushed
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tsp fresh rosemary finely chopped
  • 1 tsp fresh oregano or ½ tsp dried
  • 1 tsp clear honey
  • ½ tsp sweet paprika
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp fine salt
  • The Chicken:
  • 4 –6 bone-in skin-on chicken pieces or whatever cut you are using

Method
 

  1. Combine all marinade ingredients. Whisk until emulsified. Taste and adjust.
  2. Score chicken pieces deeply — 2–3 cuts per piece down to the bone.
  3. Place in a bowl or zip-lock bag. Pour over marinade. Coat every surface — massage into score marks. Refrigerate 2–4 hours (30 minutes minimum, 8 hours maximum).
  4. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Shake off excess marinade.
  5. Cook by your preferred method — grill, barbecue, roast, or pan fry.

Notes

Score the chicken before marinating — without scoring, the marinade only coats the surface.
2 to 4 hours is the ideal marinating time — longer than 8 hours can make the surface slightly mushy.
Remove from fridge 30 minutes before cooking — cold chicken cooks unevenly.
Shake off excess marinade before cooking — prevents steaming and burning.
Save 2 tbsp before chicken goes in for basting — never use marinade that has touched raw chicken.
Freeze chicken in the marinade — it marinates as it defrosts.
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