30 Chicken Legs Marinade Recipes That Will Elevate Your Meal!

November 21, 2024
Written by Kristy J. Norton

If you want your chicken legs to taste as good as they possibly can, then you have to find a good marinade. Well, luckily for you, you can find a whole lot of chicken legs marinade recipes in this post here. Check these out and then put them to the test! 

Chicken Legs Marinade

1. Spiced Marinade 

This is a dry marinade, perfect for when you want something quick and simple but that will also pack a flavor punch! Coat the chicken legs in a mix of seasoning salt, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, and pepper. Marinate the legs for 2 hours before cooking! 

Get the recipe here

Spiced Marinade

2. Herb and Spice Marinade 

This is a great marinade when you want to enjoy a whole host of flavors! The marinade is made up of minced garlic, onion powder, thyme, parsley, paprika, oil, and pepper. Toss the chicken in this and let it sit for up to 24 hours before cooking! 

Get the recipe here

Herb and Spice Marinade

3. Savory Marinade 

This is a zippier marinade, one that is going to add a bit of savoriness and liveliness to your chicken legs! For this marinade, you combine steak seasoning, sea salt, pepper, lemon pepper, cayenne, paprika, and soy sauce. Coat the legs in this mix and let sit for 2 hours and then cook! 

Get the recipe here

Savory Marinade

4. Lemon and Garlic Marinade 

This marinade doesn't pull any punches, with the lemon and garlic at the forefront of the flavors! Mix minced garlic, lemon juice, oil, spices, and thyme. Coat the chicken in this, making sure to turn the chicken every so often. You can cook the legs after 6 or 8 hours of marinating! 

Get the recipe here

Lemon and Garlic Marinade

5. Lemon Garlic Herb Marinade 

Add even more freshness to this zesty, earthy marinade with herbs! Here, you mix together minced garlic, oil, lemon juice, paprika, parsley, cilantro, and basil. Marinade the chicken in this for 6 to 8 hours in the refrigerator! 

Get the recipe here

Lemon Garlic Herb Marinade

6. Soy Marinade 

This is just the marinade for anyone looking for something quick and simple! Coat the chicken in a mix of soy sauce, salt, pepper, oil, granulated garlic and onion, and cayenne. You can marinate the legs until the grill is ready and then cook! 

Get the recipe here

Soy Marinade

7. Beer Spice Parsley Marinade 

Beer is great for tenderizing chicken as well as adding some serious flavor so this marinade is just what you need! Begin by mixing spices in spices, garlic, onions, and parsley in oil. Then, pour in the beer. Coat the chicken in the marinade and let it sit for anywhere between an hour to 12 hours! 

Get the recipe here

Beer Spice Parsley Marinade

8. Butter Lemon Herb Spice Marinade 

This recipe is the perfect mix of buttery and tangy, with a lovely flash of flavors from the spices and herbs! The chicken legs are tossed in a mix of melted butter, oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, and paprika. You can choose to marinate the legs for as little as 30 minutes or for as much as 24 hours. 

Get the recipe here

Butter Lemon Herb Spice Marinade

9. Balsamic Mustard Maple Marinade 

Tangy and sweet, this is a pretty delicious all purpose marinade that will take your legs from OK to wow! Simply whisk water, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, maple syrup, olive oil, garlic powder, and thyme together. Let the legs sit in this until the oven comes to the perfect temperature and then cook! 

Get the recipe here

Balsamic Mustard Maple Marinade

10. Sugar Apple Cider Vinegar Ketchup Marinade

This is another recipe that perfectly straddles the line between sweet and tangy! Whisk together brown sugar, water, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, salt, mustard, seasoning salt, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Marinate the legs for 30 minutes and then cook! 

Get the recipe here

Sugar Apple Cider Vinegar Ketchup Marinade

11. Mojo Marinade 

The flavors in this marinade are next level and are going to breathe new life into your dish! In a food processor, blend together orange juice and zest, lemon juice and zest, garlic, shallots, cilantro, and spices. Pour this over the chicken legs and marinate for 6 to 8 hours! 

Get the recipe here

Mojo Marinade

12. Balsamic Soy Marinade 

Savory and tangy with a bit of sweetness, this is a great way to really take the flavor of your chicken legs to a new level! Simply mix together soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and honey and marinate the chicken in this. Keep the legs in the marinade for as little as an hour or even overnight! 

Get the recipe here

Balsamic Soy Marinade

13. Teriyaki Marinade

In this recipe, the chicken legs are soaked in a homemade teriyaki sauce that is bursting with aromatic and delicious flavors! To make up the marinade, combine ginger, garlic, oil, soy sauce, sugar, paprika, ketchup, and vinegar. Coat the chicken in this and marinate for a couple of hours or overnight! 

Get the recipe here

Teriyaki Marinade

14. Balsamic Garlic Rosemary Marinade 

When you can't pick just one flavor and want to infuse your chicken legs with all of them, this is the marinade to try! Mix together balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, olive oil, brown sugar, rosemary, garlic, and spices. Marinate the chicken in this for 4 hours or overnight! 

Get the recipe here

Balsamic Garlic Rosemary Marinade

15. Tandoori Marinade 

This marinade is going to blow you away with all of its flavor! Here, the chicken legs are tossed in a marinade that is made from Greek yogurt, lemon juice, tandoori masala, garlic ginger paste, and spices like turmeric, cumin, coriander, and chili powder. You can marinate for 30 minutes to an hour if you are short on time or go all the way up to 24 hours! 

Get the recipe here

Tandoori Marinade

16. Cilantro Lime Marinade 

With its zest and bright flavors, this is the perfect marinade for a summertime meal! Whisk together chopped cilantro leaves, lime juice and zest, olive oil, minced garlic, and spices. Marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours! 

Get the recipe here

Cilantro Lime Marinade

17. Spicy Greek Yogurt Marinade 

This marinade will ensure that your chicken turns out nice and juicy as well as super flavorful! Make the marinade with Greek yogurt, olive oil, minced garlic, chili paste, lime juice, herbs, and spices. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, although a couple of hours is probably better! 

Get the recipe here

Spicy Greek Yogurt Marinade

18. Mustard Vinegar Herb Marinade 

This Provencal inspired marinade is just bursting with yummy flavors that are perfect for infusing your chicken legs! Mix together dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, Provencal herbs, garlic, red pepper flakes, and oil. Toss the chicken in this and refrigerate for up to 4 hours! 

Get the recipe here

Mustard Vinegar Herb Marinade

19. Greek Marinade

Infuse your chicken legs with your favorite Greek flavors with this marinade! Toss together lemon juice, white wine vinegar, garlic, olive oil, and Greek seasoning. Coat the chicken in this and let the legs sit in it for 2 hours or up to 8 hours! 

Get the recipe here

Greek Marinade

20. Garlic Harissa Marinade 

Spicy and smoky, this marinade is perfect for when you want a full bodied and delicious dish! Blend together garlic, harissa paste, nutmeg, sumac, thyme, olive oil and citrus juice. Rub this marinade into the chicken legs and then marinate for at least 4 hours! 

Get the recipe here

Garlic Harissa Marinade

21. Italian Dressing Marinade 

For this recipe, the chicken legs are marinated in a delicious, homemade Italian dressing - it is also low carb! For the marinade, mix together olive oil, white wine vinegar, dijon mustard, parmesan, herbs, spices, and sugar substitute. The legs can sit in this for a couple of hours or overnight! 

Get the recipe here

Italian Dressing Marinade

22. Cajun Marinade 

This is a simple marinade for really bumping up the flavor level of your chicken legs! All you have to do is coat the chicken in a mix of oil, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, herbs, Cajun seasoning, and spices. Then, marinade for 4 to 8 hours! 

Get the recipe here

Cajun Marinade

23. Spiced Buttermilk Marinade 

This marinade is just what you need for tender and tasty chicken legs! The marinade consists of buttermilk, sriracha, mustard powder, garlic, and paprika. Toss the chicken in this and marinade for as little as 2 hours or overnight! 

Get the recipe here

Spiced Buttermilk Marinade

24. Spiced White Wine Marinade 

If you want to get a little fancy with your marinades, give this one a try! Whisk together Chardonnay, mustard seed, herbs de provenance, spices, granulated garlic, minced garlic, and white wine vinegar. Coat the chicken in this for 4 to 8 hours and cook! 

Get the recipe here

Spiced White Wine Marinade

25. Spiced Peri Peri Marinade 

Amp up the flavor of your chicken legs with this minimal effort marinade! Simply mix together peri peri sauce, white pepper powder, garlic powder, thyme, and oregano. Once the legs are coated in this, let them sit for at least an hour although you can marinade them for up to 2 days! 

Get the recipe here

Spiced Peri Peri Marinade

26. Sweet Chili Honey Marinade 

Infuse your chicken legs with the perfect amount of sweetness and spiciness with this marinade! Mix together BBQ seasoning, sweet chili sauce, honey, peach chutney, and beer. Marinade the chicken legs in this overnight, in the refrigerator, and then grill! 

Get the recipe here

Sweet Chili Honey Marinade

27. Balsamic Soy Worcestershire Marinade 

This marinade has a little bit of everything, ensuring a well balanced end result with your chicken legs! Whisk together canola oil, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, honey, lime juice, garlic, and parsley. Marinade for 4 to 6 hours or overnight! 

Get the recipe here

Balsamic Soy Worcestershire Marinade

28. Mayo Pickle Brine Marinade

Yes, this can sound like a rather odd marinade but it is perfect for getting juicy and delicious chicken legs! Mix together mayonnaise, pickle brine, garlic powder, sugar, and paprika. Let the chicken legs sit in this for 12 to 24 hours before cooking! 

Get the recipe here

Mayo Pickle Brine Marinade

29. Mayo Mustard Marinade 

This is another marinade that will add tenderness and flavor to your chicken legs! All you have to do is combine mayo with mustard, salt, garlic powder, and chicken seasoning. Coat the legs in this and then marinade for a couple of hours in the refrigerator! 

Get the recipe here

Mayo Mustard Marinade

30. Caesar Marinade 

This is a great marinade for when you need something quick and easy! Just coat the chicken in a mix of lite caesar seasoning, lemon juice, and minced garlic. Marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours, although you can leave it overnight! 

Get the recipe here

Caesar Marinade

There are so many different recipes for you to choose from when it comes to marinading your chicken legs. From classic recipes to ones that combine a whole lot of fun flavors, you are spoilt for choice. Go ahead and give some of these a try - you will be pleasantly surprised! 

By Kristy J. Norton
I'm Kristy – a chef and connoisseur of all things BBQ! You can find me either in my kitchen (or someone else's) or at a big outdoor barbecue surrounded by friends and family. In both my professional and personal life I’ve picked up more than a few tips and tricks for turning out delicious food. I consider it a privilege to share it with others!
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