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This Asian chicken marinade will infuse your chicken with so much flavor! You’ll find yourself coming back to this recipe time and time again.

A grilled chicken breast on a white plate with coleslaw and rice in the background.

One of the things I love most about summer is firing up the grill for a quick and easy dinner. I love the smell of the food cooking on the grill, and sitting in the sunshine while the food cooks, cold beverage in hand.

About this Asian Chicken Marinade

This easy marinade is made with pantry staples and requires minimal prep, making it perfect to maximize outdoor time. 

The ingredients include sesame oil and grated ginger, but if you don’t have them available, this will be great without them too. This chicken marinade has plenty of flavor with red pepper flakes, garlic, and soy sauce. 

How to serve: I garnished the chicken with parsley because it is what I had on hand the day I shot this, but ideally, these grilled chicken breasts would be served garnished with sliced green onions, fresh cilantro, and/or sesame seeds.

 

I like to serve Asian marinated chicken with jasmine rice topped with sliced almonds, and a side of Asian style slaw. It would also be great as a protein in this cabbage salad with honey lime dressing.

How to make this marinade your own:

Marinades are very forgiving and flexible! Here are some ideas:

  • Like it a little more spicy? Increase the fresh ginger or red pepper flakes, or both.
  • Really love garlic? Try using fresh garlic, or increasing the amount of garlic powder.
  • Try substituting honey for the granulated sugar. The flavor is great! 
  • If you have rice vinegar on hand, try substituting that for the white vinegar.
  • Try using this marinade on other types of chicken. It’s great on drumsticks! 

A white plate with a grilled chicken breast, coleslaw, and rice on it. Everything is sprinkled with fresh parsley.

More Great Marinade Recipes:

 

 

Image of a grilled chicken breast that's been marinated in an Asian style marinade.

Asian Chicken Marinade

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Additional Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes

This Asian chicken marinade will infuse your chicken with so much flavor! You'll find yourself coming back to this recipe time and time again.

Ingredients

  • 1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
  • 4 tablespoons soy sauce (reduced sodium)
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast

Instructions

  1. In a medium bow, combine chicken broth, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, sesame oil, ginger, and red pepper flakes.
  2. Place chicken in zip top bag or a shallow baking dish.
  3. Pour marinade in bag or over chicken in pan and cover dish, or seal bag.
  4. Place in refrigerator for at least four hours and up to 24 hours (I put my bag in a pan or bowl just in case of leakage).
  5. When ready to grill, let excess marinade drip off and grill chicken over medium direct heat until juices run clear and chicken is cooked through (165°F internal temperature).

Notes

  • Nutrition calculation may not be exact, due to much of the marinade being discarded.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 316Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 146mgSodium: 1234mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 0gSugar: 2gProtein: 55g

RachelCooks.com sometimes provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as they are not calculated by a registered dietitian. Please consult a medical professional for any specific nutrition, diet, or allergy advice.

Did you make this recipe?

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© Rachel Gurk
Cuisine: Asian / Category: Sauces & Marinades
Overhead view of a grilled chicken breast with Asian style coleslaw, and rice.

Verdict: I love this marinade. It has so much flavor. I also really like that all the ingredients are typically stocked in my pantry.
Husband’s take: Ben loves this grilled chicken! 
Changes I would make: None.
Difficulty: Easy. Especially if someone else does the grilling for you! Just another reason to love summer. Give a guy some raw meat, a big metal spatula and a cold beer, and he’s happy to cook.

Note: This post was updated in April, 2020. The recipe was developed before we had sesame and nut allergies in our home.