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Freezer Dinners · International

Freezer Chicken Marinades (4 Flavors)

These 4 freezer chicken marinades turn one prep session into four dinners. Bag the chicken in marinade, freeze it flat, then thaw it overnight and cook.

By The Freezer Cook KitchenUpdated

4.8 from 4 ratings

Prep
30 min
Cook
15 min
Yield
4 bags (4 servings each)
Difficulty
Easy
Four bags of freezer chicken marinades laid flat beside a plate of grilled sliced chickenSave

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These freezer chicken marinades are the easiest way we know to stock the freezer with real dinners. In about 30 minutes you whisk four marinades, add raw chicken and freeze four bags flat. Each bag thaws overnight in the fridge, marinating as it thaws, and cooks in 15 minutes on the grill, in a skillet or in the oven.

Freezing chicken in its marinade is a double win. The marinade protects the meat from freezer burn, and as the bag thaws the flavour works its way in, so the chicken is perfectly seasoned the moment it is ready to cook. The four flavours are deliberately different, so a week of chicken never feels like the same dinner: lemon herb, honey garlic, chili lime and a golden yogurt spice marinade.

We tested every marinade on boneless thighs and breasts, frozen and thawed, grilled, pan-seared and baked, to find the method below. Only fridge thawing is used, because raw chicken should never thaw on the counter. Once you have tried these, pair them with sides from the freezer, like our make-ahead freezer mashed potatoes.

Why You’ll Love These Freezer Chicken Marinades

  • Four dinners in 30 minutes. One prep session, four bags, four different flavours.
  • Marinates while it thaws. The chicken is fully seasoned by the time it is defrosted.
  • No freezer burn. The marinade coats the meat and keeps the air out.
  • Cooks any way you like. Grill, skillet or sheet pan in about 15 minutes.
  • Great for gifting. A bag of marinated chicken is an easy, welcome meal for a busy friend.
Grilled lemon herb chicken from freezer chicken marinades, sliced on a plateSave

What Readers Are Saying

Here is what people say after making these freezer chicken marinades at home:

One reader, Sample reader, commented: Four dinners in half an hour. The chili lime is our favourite. ★★★★★Example

One reader, Sample reader, commented: The yogurt one comes out so tender. I make a double bag of it now. ★★★★★Example

One reader, Sample reader, commented: The honey garlic bag is now a weekly request at our house. ★★★★★Example

Layout preview: example comments. Only real reader comments, with their source, go here at launch.

Can You Freeze Chicken in Marinade?

Yes, and it is one of the best ways to freeze raw chicken. The marinade surrounds the meat, so there are no air pockets to cause freezer burn, and the flavour soaks in as the chicken thaws. Raw chicken keeps safely in the freezer for many months, but marinated chicken tastes best within 3 months, before the acid in the marinade starts to soften the texture.

A few rules keep it safe and tasty: always use raw chicken that has not been frozen before, freeze the bags flat so they thaw evenly, and thaw only in the fridge. Once thawed, cook the chicken within 1 to 2 days, and throw away the used marinade rather than reusing it as a sauce. Yogurt marinades freeze well too; they may look slightly separated when thawed but cook up perfectly.

Bags of freezer chicken marinades frozen flat and stacked upright in a freezer drawerSave

Key Ingredients for Freezer Chicken Marinades

Each marinade has the same simple formula: fat, acid, salt and flavour. Here is what goes into these freezer chicken marinades:

  • Boneless chicken thighs or breasts: Thighs stay juiciest; breasts work if you do not overcook them. You need 6 lb in total, 1 1/2 lb per bag.
  • Olive oil: Carries the flavours and keeps the chicken moist on the grill.
  • Lemon and lime juice: The acid that tenderizes. We keep it moderate so the chicken does not turn mushy in the freezer.
  • Honey and coconut aminos: Sweet and savoury for the honey garlic bag. Coconut aminos taste like a milder, slightly sweet soy sauce.
  • Plain yogurt and garam masala: A tender, golden marinade with warm spice. Use full-fat yogurt; it freezes best.
  • Garlic, oregano and chili powder: The backbone of the lemon herb and chili lime bags.
Labelled top view of freezer chicken marinades ingredients: chicken thighs, lemon, garlic, olive oil, honey, coconut aminos, limes, chili powder, yogurt, garam masala and oreganoSave

Tools You’ll Need for This Recipe

Good bags and a way to label them are what make these freezer chicken marinades work. These are the tools we use (affiliate links):

See all the freezer gear we use.

How to Make Freezer Chicken Marinades

The full recipe with all four marinades is in the card below. Here is the method at a glance:

  1. Whisk the marinades. Mix each of the four marinades in its own bowl or straight in its labelled bag.
    Four chicken marinades whisked in bowls: lemon herb, honey garlic, chili lime and yogurtSave
  2. Add the chicken. Put 1 1/2 lb of raw chicken into each bag and massage to coat.
    Adding raw chicken thighs to a bag of marinade for freezer chicken marinadesSave
  3. Freeze flat. Press out the air, seal, label and freeze the bags flat on a sheet pan.
    Sealed bags of marinated chicken laid flat on a sheet pan to freezeSave
  4. Thaw and cook. Thaw a bag in the fridge overnight, then grill, sear or bake the chicken until it reaches 165°F (74°C).
    Marinated chicken thighs searing in a grill pan after thawingSave

How to Tell When Marinated Chicken Is Cooked

Chicken is safe at 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part; check with an instant-read thermometer. Thighs are juiciest taken to about 175°F (79°C). The juices should run clear and the meat should no longer be pink in the centre.

Sugary marinades like honey garlic brown quickly, so cook those over medium rather than high heat, and move them to a cooler part of the grill if the outside darkens before the inside is done.

How to Freeze, Thaw and Cook Freezer Chicken Marinades

These bags hold raw chicken, so they are thawed and then cooked, not reheated. Keep them on the bottom shelf of the freezer and fridge so nothing can drip onto other food.

Freezes for
Up to 3 months
Best container
Gallon freezer bags, frozen flat
Thaw
Overnight in the fridge (about 24 hours), in a bowl on the bottom shelf. Never on the counter.

To freeze

  1. Use fresh raw chicken that has not been frozen before.
  2. Coat the chicken in marinade in a labelled gallon bag.
  3. Press out all the air, seal and freeze flat on a sheet pan.
  4. Once solid, stand the bags upright like files.

To reheat

Grill or grill pan
Medium-high heat, 5 to 7 minutes per side, to 165°F (74°C).
Skillet
1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat, 6 to 7 minutes per side.
Oven
Sheet pan at 425°F (220°C) for 18 to 22 minutes.
Bag of freezer chicken marinade thawing in a bowl in the fridgeSave

In Short: The Secrets to the Best Freezer Chicken Marinades

  • Use fresh raw chicken that has not been frozen before.
  • Keep the acid moderate so the chicken does not turn soft.
  • Press out the air and freeze the bags flat.
  • Thaw only in the fridge, overnight.
  • Cook to 165°F (74°C) and discard the used marinade.
  • Use within 3 months for the best texture.

Keep your freezer stocked with more freezer dinners, a batch of freezer meatballs, or every recipe with chicken.

Dinner table with grilled chicken from freezer chicken marinades, rice and saladSave

Freezer Chicken Marinades (4 Flavors) FAQ

Can you freeze chicken in a yogurt marinade?

Yes. Full-fat yogurt marinades freeze well and keep the chicken very tender. The marinade may look slightly separated after thawing, but it cooks up normally. Use within 3 months.

How long can chicken marinate in the freezer?

For the best texture, cook marinated chicken within 3 months of freezing. Frozen chicken stays safe longer, but acidic marinades slowly soften the meat. Once thawed in the fridge, cook it within 1 to 2 days.

Can you refreeze chicken in marinade?

Only raw chicken that was thawed in the fridge can be refrozen, and the texture suffers. A better option is to cook the thawed chicken, cool it and freeze the cooked chicken instead. Never refreeze chicken thawed on the counter or in cold water.

Can you freeze chicken thighs in marinade?

Yes, boneless thighs are the best cut for freezer marinades. They stay juicy, tolerate a little extra cooking and soak up the marinade as they thaw. Bone-in thighs work too; allow a little longer to thaw and cook.

The recipe

Freezer Chicken Marinades (4 Flavors)

4.8 from 4 ratingsRate this recipe

These 4 freezer chicken marinades turn one prep session into four dinners. Bag the chicken in marinade, freeze it flat, then thaw it overnight and cook.

By The Freezer Cook Kitchen

Print recipeIngredientsMethod
Prep
30 min
Cook
15 min
Yield
4 bags (4 servings each)
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

Chicken (for all 4 bags)
Lemon herb
Honey garlic
Chili lime
Golden yogurt spice

Equipment

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Method

  1. Label four gallon freezer bags with the marinade name, the date and "thaw overnight, cook to 165°F".

  2. Whisk each marinade together in its own bowl, or directly in its bag set upright in a bowl.

    Four chicken marinades whisked in bowls: lemon herb, honey garlic, chili lime and yogurtSave

  3. Add 1 1/2 lb of raw chicken to each bag, seal, and massage the bag so every piece is coated.

    Adding raw chicken thighs to a bag of marinade for freezer chicken marinadesSave

  4. Freeze the bags flat on a sheet pan with the air pressed out, then stand them up once solid. Use within 3 months.

    Sealed bags of marinated chicken laid flat on a sheet pan to freezeSave

  5. Thaw a bag overnight in the fridge (about 24 hours), in a bowl on the bottom shelf.

  6. Cook the chicken on a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes per side, in a skillet for 6 to 7 minutes per side, or on a sheet pan at 425°F (220°C) for 18 to 22 minutes, until it reaches 165°F (74°C). Rest 5 minutes before slicing. Discard the used marinade.

    Marinated chicken thighs searing in a grill pan after thawingSave

Freezer instructions

  • Freeze: Gallon freezer bags, frozen flat, up to 3 months.
  • Thaw: Overnight in the fridge (about 24 hours), in a bowl on the bottom shelf. Never on the counter.
  • Reheat (grill or grill pan): Medium-high heat, 5 to 7 minutes per side, to 165°F (74°C).
  • Reheat (skillet): 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat, 6 to 7 minutes per side.
  • Reheat (oven): Sheet pan at 425°F (220°C) for 18 to 22 minutes.

Notes

  • Chicken breasts: Pound them to an even 3/4-inch thickness so they cook evenly and stay juicy.
  • Bone-in thighs: They work too. Allow a little longer to thaw, and cook them to 175°F (79°C).
  • Dairy free: The lemon herb, honey garlic and chili lime marinades are dairy free.
  • Serve with: Rice, flatbread, salad or our make-ahead freezer mashed potatoes.

Nutrition Per serving, estimated

Calories
260
Protein
28 g
Carbs
4 g
Fat
14 g
Fiber
0 g

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Comments & reviews (5)

4.8 out of 5 from 4 ratings

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  1. Sample reader

    Example

    Prepped all four bags on Sunday. Dinner is sorted for the month.

    The Freezer Cook Kitchen replied

    Love it! The chili lime is great on the grill too.

  2. Sample reader

    Example

    The yogurt marinade made the most tender chicken I have ever cooked.

  3. Anonymous

    Example

    Honey garlic burned a little on high heat, medium worked perfectly.

  4. Sample reader

    Example

    Can I use bone-in thighs?

    The Freezer Cook Kitchen replied

    Yes. Allow a little longer to thaw and cook them to 175°F (79°C).

  5. Sample reader

    Example

    Gave two bags to my sister after her baby arrived. Perfect gift.