If you’ve ever wondered what to do with leftover pickle juice, this recipe is just the thing. This pickle juice chicken marinade add tons of flavor just by using an ingredients you’d normally throw away. Your chicken will be tender and delicious, whether you fry it or grill it. It’s an easy, summer dinner recipe that you’ll turn to over and over.

Prep Time:5

Marinating time:2

Total Time:2 5

Equipment

Large bag or dish

Ingredients

2 cups dill pickle juice
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon hot sauce (I used Franks Red Hot)
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

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Instructions

Make the marinade. Mix the dill pickle juice, light brown sugar, sea salt, black pepper, hot sauce, and cayenne pepper in a medium-sized mixing bowl until fully combined. Set the marinade aside.
Soak the chicken. Place the chicken thighs in a 2-inch deep baking dish. Then, pour the prepared pickle juice marinade over the chicken, making sure it’s fully submerged. Cover the dish and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or up to 4 hours.
Remove from fridge. Take the marinated chicken out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
Cook. Preheat your grill or cast iron skillet to high heat. Lightly brush with olive oil to prevent sticking. Remove the chicken from the marinade and shake off any excess. Grill for 4-5 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 165℉ using an instant-read thermometer. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve. Serve hot or cold, with sides on in a sandwich.

Notes

You can use bones or thighs, but I prefer thighs because they don’t dry out. Use a meat thermometer if you use breasts to make sure they don’t over cook. You can also use wings or drumsticks.

You can store any leftover marinade in the fridge for 1 week.

Nutrition

Servings: servings

Calories: 301kcal

Author: Katie

If you’re bored with the same old grilled chicken, you’ll love this recipe. It comes together in minutes but you’ll be amazed by the flavor.

The best part? You probably already have everything you need in your kitchen.

grilled chicken on plate with pickles and garnish.

I hope you’ll love this dish as much as I do!

Chicken Marinade Tips

Make sure your Zip-lock bag is big enough. 2 gallon size is perfect if you can find it.
Always marinate your chicken in the fridge, not on the counter.
It’s best to marinate for 1 to 4 hours. Marinating too long will cause the meat to break down.
Whether you’re using a grill or a pan, make sure it’s hot before you put the chicken on.
If you’re using a grill, turn the chicken a quarter through cooking on each side to get those neat grill lines.
Use a meat thermometer to check if your chicken is fully cooked but still juicy. Chicken is good to go when it hits 165°F in the thickest part.
After cooking, let your chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing into it.

Key Ingredients and Tools

Dill Pickle Juice: You can get this juice from any dill pickles you buy at the store or from any you’ve made yourself. Dill pickle juice is traditional and gives that classic flavor, but if you rather have a sweeter taste, bread-and-butter pickle juice can be a fun twist. If you love the flavor of dill pickles and want to make your own at home, check out this Small Batch Refrigerator Dill Pickles recipe. It’s simple, quick, and perfect for having fresh pickles on hand for this marinade.

Hot sauce: A little bit of hot sauce can give the marinade a nice spicy kick. Frank’s Red Hot is a good option, but any vinegar-based hot sauce works.

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs: These are better than chicken breasts for this because they stay moist and juicy, even if you cook them a bit too long. If unavailable, go for boneless, skinless chicken breast or drumsticks instead; just remember to adjust how long you cook them.

Serving Suggestions

This pairs well with simple sides like creamy coleslaw, old fashioned cucumber salad, or corn on the cob.

If you’re making this for sandwiches, try my homemade bread machine burger buns.

I hope this becomes a summertime staple for you.

Pickle Juice Chicken Marinade Recipe