For an exciting new dinner idea, give this Hot Honey Chicken Marinade Recipe a try! It combines honey for sweetness, cayenne pepper for heat, and other spices for depth, making your grilled chicken juicy and delicious. With just 10 minutes of hands-on time, this easy marinade is perfect for any meal.
For more ideas using this tasty flavor combination, check out our full collection of Hot Honey Recipes.
Grilling is my number one strategy for keeping the heat out of the house all summer long while still producing a tender and juicy chicken breasts. This sweet and spicy marinade is especially great because:
- Great Flavor: The combination of acid, oil, and spices makes the chicken taste amazing but also tenderizes it.
- Extra Moist: That's something unique to marinades-they lock in moisture like nothing else, keeping your chicken juicy and delicious.
- Make Ahead: You can make up and freeze marinade packets in advance, making weeknight dinners a no-brainer. Just grab a packet from the freezer, and you're ready to cook up a tasty meal with minimal effort.
For other tasty chicken breast marinades try our 4 Ingredient Marinade with bottled dressing, Best Ever Marinade with brown sugar, and Honey Soy Kebobs.
Ingredients for chicken marinade
This recipe only requires a few ingredients! Quantities are in the recipe card below, but here are a few noteworthy tips.
- Chicken breasts: You can use this recipe with chicken thighs, but we prefer thin-cut chicken breasts.
- Olive oil: Both regular and light olive oil work well.
- Honey: Adds natural sweetness and a great flavor.
- Garlic: Minced garlic is convenient and requires no chopping.
- Cayenne: Adds a perfect kick of heat, and you can adjust it to your taste.
- Salt: Kosher salt is used in all our recipes.
- Dijon mustard: Gives the best flavor without being overpowering.
- Smoked paprika: Our favorite spice - don't substitute this one!
- White wine vinegar: Adds tenderness and the enhances flavor.
How to make hot honey chicken marinade
This recipe is super easy. Just remember to measure the oil first, so the honey slides right out of the measuring cup. Start with chicken breasts that have been trimmed and cut in half horizontally forming very thin cutlets.
Measure the oil, honey, garlic, vinegar, and spices into a glass bowl or a large glass measuring cup. Whisk everything thoroughly until the honey is dissolved.
Place the chicken breasts in a large zip-top bag or large covered container. Pour the marinade over them and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, but overnight is best.
Hint: If you're prepping this ahead of time for the freezer, place the packets on a cookie sheet and freeze them until they're flat. Once frozen, you can stack them on a shelf until needed.
How long should you marinate chicken?
While 30 minutes is the minimum, marinating your chicken overnight or up to 24 hours will give it the most intense flavor. Just be sure to store the meat in the refrigerator until it's time to grill.
How to cook hot honey chicken breasts
Grill: This is definitely our favorite method. The marinade drips off as the chicken cooks, giving it those perfect grill marks. Grill for 4-5 minutes per side until they reach 165ºF. according to the USDA.
Stovetop Grill Pan: If you can't grill, this is your next best bet. Make sure the pan is really hot before you add the chicken breasts. To help them lift easily, oil the pan just before cooking.
Tips and tricks
- Be sure to mix the marinade ingredients until the honey is completely dissolved.
- If you measure the oil before the honey, the honey will slip right out without sticking.
- If using hot honey, use less cayenne pepper or skip all together.
What to serve with grilled chicken
- Classic Rice Pilaf
- Grilled Potatoes In Foil Recipe
- Gold Hasselback Potatoes
- Easy Green Beans Almandine
- Apple Coleslaw
- Side Salad with Hot Honey Ranch
- Cabbage tossed with Creamy Coleslaw Dressing
- Pan Roasted Corn
- Hot Honey Sauce
- How To Make Fried Potatoes
- Make Ahead Mac and Cheese
- Recipe for Scalloped Potatoes
- Green Beans with Bacon Recipe
- Your favorite dessert drizzled with Maple Glaze Recipe
More hot honey recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
- Hot Honey Mustard Recipe
- Hot Honey Popcorn Recipe
- Hot Honey Chicken Meatballs Recipe
- Hot Honey Chicken Wrap Recipe
- Hot Honey Chicken Salad Recipe
- Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich
- Hot Honey Chicken Sliders
- Hot Honey Chicken Wings
- Hot Honey Chicken Recipe
- Hot Honey Chicken Tenders Recipe
- Slow Cooker Hot Honey Chicken Sandwiches Recipe
Recipe
Easy Hot Honey Chicken Marinade Recipe (So flavorful!)
Equipment
- small bowl or glass measuring cup
- zip bag or other covered container
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breasts, trimmed and sliced in half horizontally approx. 3 chicken breasts cut in half for a total of 6 pieces
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup honey or hot honey
- 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Combine all marinade ingredients into a bowl or glass measuring cup. Whisk thoroughly.¼ cup olive oil, ¼ cup honey, 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 2 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Place chicken breasts in a zip bad or container and pour over the marinade. Allow to sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes but overnight is best.2 lbs chicken breasts, trimmed and sliced in half horizontally
- When it is time to cook, grill over medium to medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes per side until the inside reaches 165℉. Allow to rest for 5 minutes and serve.
Notes
- Be sure to mix the ingredients until the honey is completely dissolved.
- If you measure the oil before the honey, the honey will slip right out without sticking.
- If using hot honey, use less cayenne pepper or skip all together.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Samantha Lehner says
Excellent recipe, I was nervous it would be too spicy but it was so good (I added a bit of ranch seasoning while it was grilling).
Misty says
Yay, so glad you enjoyed it! Ranch seasoning was a good idea, thanks for the inspiration!
Julie says
Wow! This recipe surprised me. It was quite tasty and super easy!
Danielle says
So glad you like it!