Pickle Juice Chicken Marinade Recipe
If you’ve ever wondered what to do with leftover pickle juice, this recipe is just the thing. This pickle juice chicken marinade adds tons of flavor just by using 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.
“Chicken, again?!” Sound familiar? I’ve heard this more than I care to count. But chicken doesn’t have to be boring.
Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need
You can use any leftover pickle juice, even if it’s bread and butter, but remember that it will be sweeter. And you can leave the hot sauce and cayenne pepper out if you don’t like heat.
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- 2 cups dill pickle juice (if you make your own pickles, all the better!)
- 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 (or any type of chicken)
How to Make Pickle Juice Chicken Marinade
Step 1: 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.
Step 2: 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 covered. Cover the dish and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or up to 4 hours.
Step 3: Remove From Fridge
Take the marinated chicken out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
Step 4: 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.
Step 5: Serve
Serve hot or cold, with sides or in a sandwich.
Serving And Storing Your Marinated Chicken
This pairs well with simple sides like rice, 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.
Your leftover chicken should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
For the best texture, reheat it in the oven or in a skillet over medium heat.
Questions and Troubleshooting
Feel free to use what you have on hand. Just remember, the flavor of your pickle juice will affect the marinade flavor. Bread and butter pickle juice, for example, is sweeter and will result in a sweeter marinade.
While these ingredients add a kick, they aren’t essential. The pickle juice will give the chicken lots of flavor even without these.
You can bake the chicken in an oven preheated to 400℉ for about 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165℉. You could also cook it in a regular skillet over medium-high heat. The cooking method is flexible!
You can whisk it up and store it in the fridge a day or two ahead of time. When you’re ready to use it, give it another good whisk to ensure everything’s combined, and you’re good to go!
More Easy Chicken Recipes
- This soy chicken thighs recipe is another great marinade to try for a weeknight.
- Make these chicken breasts in a cast iron skillet with a rub instead of a marinade.
- Try this Hawaiian-inspired Huli Huli grilled chicken for a sweet and savory marinade.
Printable Recipe
Pickle Juice Chicken Marinade
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 covered. 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 or in a sandwich.
Notes
Nutrition
By Katie Shaw
Katie shares simple, reliable recipes from her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens.
