This spicy bbq chicken marinade recipe will give you the most tender and juicy chicken on the grill, and you can make it as spicy as you want it. Let the author of "The Spicy Food Lovers' Cookbook" show you how to spice it up!
I've been loving grilled chicken lately. Sometimes chicken can be a bit boring. It can come out somewhat dry on the grill, but not so when we're treating it the right way. I'm talking about marinating.
Marinating your chicken before grilling it up is a smart way to ensure a juicy, tender and flavorful meal. There are many options for marinating, but I have a great spicy bbq chicken marinade that will REALLY spice it up for you.
This is my favorite way to marinate chicken and it has never failed me. And! Its is nice and spicy. Let's talk about that, shall we?
The "Spicy" Factor
You guys all know me by now. When I'm talking "spicy", I mean SPICY! However, you don't have to go as crazy as I do with the hot stuff. This spicy bbq chicken marinade is super adaptable, and you're free to adjust it to a heat and spice level that you personally prefer.
The real spice and heat comes from the choices of seasonings, as well as the inclusion of a fiery habanero hot sauce, which is one of my favorites.
Here is the seasoning blend.
About the Spice Blend
The spices include basil, paprika, onion, garlic, salt and pepper and, the real heat factor, ghost pepper powder. Oh baby!
If ghost peppers are too hot for you, you can omit it. Try using cayenne powder as an alternative. You'll get some good heat with cayenne chili powder, but it won't be quite so spicy-crazy. If you're looking for a very low heat version, go with extra paprika.
However! If you'd like to go even HOTTER, either include more of the ghost pepper powder, or go with a superhot chili powder. I LOVE my batch of homemade 7-Pot Chili Powder. I use my dehydrator to dry chilies from my garden and grind into my own powders for these sorts of recipes.
See - How to Dehydrate Chili Peppers and Make Homemade Chili Powders and Spice Blends.
For the Habanero Hot Sauce, I used this one:
The recipe for this is here - Homemade Cilantro-Habanero Hot Sauce Recipe.
There are MANY habanero hot sauces on the market today, so use your favorite, as long as it has a bit of a kick to it that you enjoy. Go for it!
About the Marinade
The marinade consists of olive oil, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and habanero hot sauce, along with the dried seasonings that are whisked together.
You can easily adjust the amounts of liquids and spices used to achieve your own desired heat level and consistency. I tend to like a bit more oil, as I find that translates to juicier chicken when cooking.
It's just so good. I love a good spicy chicken marinade. A MUST for spicy chicken!
You can also squeeze in a bit of lemon juice or lime juice if you'd like a pop of citrus. Some other flavorful additions include brown sugar (for a touch of sweetness), soy sauce, and/or balsamic vinegar.
How to Make BBQ Chicken Marinade - The Recipe Method
Whisk the Ingredients. Here comes the hard part, my friends. Add everything to a medium bowl and whisk! Easy, right? Look at all those spices. This is going to make some awesome chicken right here, let me tell you.
Marinate the Chicken. When the marinade is ready, just add your raw chicken to the marinade and cover it. Like so. Or use a plastic bag.
Cover and Refrigerate. Cover it and refrigerate it for a good 8 hours. You'll get even MORE flavor if you let the chicken marinate overnight. It gives the marinade more time to permeate the chicken.
You can use this marinade for any cut of chicken, with or without the bone. I tend to use this for chicken breasts, though it's great for chicken thighs, legs and wings, bone-in or boneless chicken. I love it with boneless skinless chicken breasts.
Cook the Chicken. When you're ready to prepare your chicken, just remove the chicken. Discard the marinade and cook them per your recipe or favorite cooking method. The marinade should not be saved.
Cooking the Chicken Note: You can cook your chicken any way you'd like - grilled chicken, sautéd chicken, fried chicken, oven baked chicken, broiled. However you cook it, be sure to cook the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F when measured with a meat thermometer. Don't forget the bbq sauce!
That's it, my friends! Let me know how this turns out for you! I hope you enjoy the marinade.
Some commonly asked questions.
Why Should I Use a Chicken Marinade?
There are many smart reasons for using a good chicken marinade, especially a nice and spicy chicken marinade for my spicy food loving friends.
The marinade is essentially a brine because of the salt. Brining opens the cell walls of the chicken, allowing more water to enter and remain during cooking. This results is juicier chicken and more flavor.
How Much Chicken Marinade Should I Use?
In general, 1/2 cup of marinade is good for 1 pound of chicken. Often, chicken can get rather dry when grilling or baking. A good chicken marinade can make all the difference in terms of flavor and juiciness.
Can I Use This Marinade on Other Meats?
Of course! This spicy marinade also works great for pork, fish or shrimp. I enjoy it with bone-in pork chops, and also with salmon fillets.
Marinating Chicken Overnight - is it Necessary?
You will get the most flavor penetration if you marinade your chicken overnight. Be sure to keep it in the refrigerator, covered. A ziplock bag works great for this.
However, if you simply do not have the to marinate your chicken for that long, you will still get very good flavor if you marinate for only 1 hour. 30 minutes can work if you chop up the chicken into very small pieces.
Longer is better if you can afford the time. It really is an easy chicken marinade. I prefer 24 hours. It is also freezer safe.
Try Some of My Other Popular Marinade Recipes
- Jacked Up Steak Marinade
- London Broil Marinade
- Sweet and Spicy Teriyaki Marinade
- Carne Asada Marinade
- Zingy Pork Chop Marinade
- Pork Tenderloin Marinade
- Salmon Marinade
- Fajita Marinade
- Grilled Chicken Marinade
Try Some of My Other Popular Chicken Recipes
- Nashville Hot Chicken
- Mango-Habanero BBQ Chicken
- Lemony Grilled Lemon-Pepper Chicken Wings
- Crispy Grilled Ghost Pepper Wings
- Grilled Harissa Chicken Legs
- Quick and Easy Chipotle Chicken
If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you'll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don't forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I'll be sure to share! Thanks! -- Mike H.
Spicy BBQ Chicken Marinade Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup malt vinegar
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons habanero hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon ghost pepper powder SEE NOTES
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 pounds chicken approximately
Instructions
- Whisk all of the ingredients together until well combined.
- Marinate your chicken in a baggie or large bowl, sealed, at least 8 hours in the refrigerator, or overnight for even more flavor.
- Cook your chicken however you'd like. Discard the marinade before using. Be sure to cook the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F when measured with a meat thermometer.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Justin says
I make this all the time. Absolutely love it. A few small tweaks I make. I'm not big on vinegar, so I skip that. I substitute morita powder for the smoked paprika (much hotter). I've tried several different hot sauces but Tapatio is the best. I also add a teaspoon of liquid smoke. A few turns of the Trader Joe's ghost pepper grinder is all that is needed with the morita powder substitute.
Mike Hultquist says
Great tweaks, Justin!
Michele says
WOW! Best chicken marinade we have ever tasted.
Mike Hultquist says
Wonderful! Thanks, Michele!!
James says
Loved this. Didn't have any habenero hot sauce so used gochujang. Gave the chicken nice color. Definitely my go to marinade.
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent! Gochujang is one of my go-tos!
Themba Mdlalose says
Hi Mike.I haven't tried the bbq chicken marinate yet.Your chicken looks great!!.If you say "Don't forget the bbq sauce"- which one?.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hi, Themba. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. For the barbeque sauce, use your favorite! I have a few on the site. Here are some of my favorites:
Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/sauces/south-carolina-mustard-barbecue-sauce/
White BBQ Sauce: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/white-bbq-sauce/
Mango Habanero BBQ Sauce: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/mango-habanero-bbq-sauce/
I have others! I love them all. Enjoy.
craig johnson says
I like all the recipe's but the spicy bbq chicken has no cooking time or temp?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Craig, I made an adjustment to the post, but always cook chicken to 165 degrees F internally.
Pete Lawson says
I made this last night: my wife and I really enjoyed it. I found it easier to source Ghost Chilli sauce than powder, but the taste was great nonetheless. It's a recipe I will cook again. Thanks.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Pete.
Tracy O. says
Hi, Mike...
I made this on Memorial Day, substituting Cider Vinegar, Hungarian Paprika, and slice Habaneros for the hot sauce. What excellent flavor and juiciness!! And it was not an overwhelming heat! So, No Fear, fellow chili-heads!! Thank you for recipe!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent, Tracy! I'm super happy you enjoyed it! NICE!
Tracy O. says
This L@@Ks amazing!! Can another type of vinegar be substituted for this?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Tracy. Yes, you can use other vinegars. Try your favorite.
Oleksandr says
Hi
thanks for the recipe
I will try now
I would like to clarify, can I cook a larger amount of marinade so as not to cook it every time?
What is the shelf life or is it better to cook each time?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Oleksandr, you can make larger batches of marinade and keep it sealed in the refrigerator for a week or longer, depending on the ingredients, or freeze it for several months to use anytime you'd like.
Steve Krupnik says
Okay, I rarely leave comments and ratings for recipes on the web but was compelled to do so here. I used bone in skin on thighs marinated for 24 hours. The only things I changed in the recipe was to double the amount of smoked paprika (makes the wife happy!) and substitute 6 smoked habaneros, chopped with seeds, for the habanero hot sauce. This one's a keeper. The chicken was cookbook beautiful and very moist, and the mix of chili pepper heat and spice mix was outstanding! Thanks for sharing this work of art Michael!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent, Steve! I greatly appreciate it! Thanks for commenting, and I'm super happy you enjoyed it. LOVE the additions of the smoked habaneros. Awesome.
Dmitri says
Will it go bad if I throw the chicken in the marinade Friday morning and don’t grill it until Sunday night? Leaving town for the weekend and want some good chow when I return.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Dmitri, you CAN marinade chicken for 2 days, but really shouldn't go longer than that. However, after a day, the chicken starts to get tough sometimes, so I would be wary of that. FYI. Let me know how it turns out for you. You can always freeze it and thaw it later for cooking.
Jacob says
Is it possible to use this with Tofu? I’m not vegan and I love chicken but recently I’ve been experimenting with Tofu and want to heat it up a bit.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Jacob, absolutely! Let me know how it turns out for you. Super curious!
Richard Webb says
Used this for bone on chicken thighs and baked in the oven on a raised edge baking sheet for 45 minutes at 180c fan oven. Excellent. Recipe saved as a favourite.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Outstanding, Richard! Glad you enjoyed it! i appreciate the note.
james lemons says
Hi Mike, Have been a fan for a long while and enjoyed many of your delish recipes. I noticed that your in northern ILL, grew up in Rockton ILL, just south of Beloit Wisc. Every time I was in Chi-town had to stop in this spice store just off michcigan ave and stock up on Walkers Woods Jamacain jerk seasoning had scotch bonnets and many other seasonings in it. Alas now live in Montana and the jerk here is like sweet n sour not good at all. Have you tried any jerk recipes? you would be a savior if you would post one as have been longing for that taste mmmmm.
Thanks from a chillihead Jim
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hi, Jim! Yes, not far away at all. I do have some Jerk recipes on the site. Here are a few that might help. Let me know. -- Jamaican Jerk-Peach Hot Sauce, Jerk Chicken Wings with a Homemade Jerk Sauce, Homemade Jerk Seasoning, Jamaican Jerk Chicken. I hope you can find some good jerk blends in Montana.