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Chicken Marinade is the secret weapon that turns plain poultry into something worth bragging about, and this sweet ginger Asian version is my favorite of the whole bunch. I first whipped it up one early Sunday supper with grilled Cornish hens, and that ginger, honey, and soy combo had the whole family licking their fingers. If you love bold flavor like our beef and broccoli marinade, you are going to want this one on repeat.
This sweet ginger Asian chicken marinade comes together in about ten minutes and works on everything from Cornish hens to chicken thighs, wings, and breasts.
Chicken Marinade Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 0 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 10 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 2 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 237kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Sweet, savory, and gingery with a hint of heat
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our easy honey garlic chicken
Quick Answer
Whisk together Kikkoman soy sauce, honey, grated fresh ginger, minced garlic, sesame oil, vegetable oil, and green onions, plus a touch of dark soy and star anise if you like. Pour it over your chicken, cover, and marinate for two to four hours before grilling. The honey caramelizes on the grill while the ginger and soy keep the meat juicy and packed with flavor.
Jump to:
- Chicken Marinade Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Chicken Marinade
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Chicken Marinade FAQs
- Other Recommended Grilled Chicken Recipes
- Sweet Ginger Asian Chicken Marinade
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Soy sauce does double duty. It seasons deep into the meat and gives that savory umami backbone, so you do not need to add any extra salt.
- Honey balances the salt. A couple tablespoons of honey soften the soy and caramelize into a glossy, slightly sticky crust on the grill.
- Fresh ginger is non negotiable. Grated fresh ginger brings a bright, peppery warmth that ground ginger simply cannot match.
- Oil carries the flavor. A mix of vegetable and sesame oil helps the marinade cling and keeps lean poultry from drying out over the heat.
- Low and slow grilling locks in moisture. Basting every few minutes builds layers of flavor without scorching the sugars in the honey.
- It is endlessly flexible. The same marinade works on hens, thighs, wings, or breasts, so one recipe quietly covers a whole week of dinners.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Big, restaurant style flavor from pantry staples you probably already have on hand.
- It is completely hands off. Mix, pour, and let the fridge do all the work while you relax.
- One marinade, endless dinners. Use it for a quick weeknight grill or dress it up for date night like our slow cooker lemon chicken thighs.
Key Ingredients
Here is what makes this sweet ginger Asian chicken marinade sing. Every ingredient pulls its weight.
- Kikkoman soy sauce: the salty, savory base of the marinade. Grab the low sodium version if you want to control the salt, and skip adding any extra.
- Honey: brings the sweet and helps the marinade caramelize into a gorgeous glaze on the grill.
- Fresh ginger: grated or finely minced, this is the star that gives the marinade its signature warm, peppery bite.
- Garlic and green onions: the aromatic backbone that rounds out the whole Asian flavor profile.
- Sesame oil: just a teaspoon adds a deep, nutty aroma that makes the whole dish taste like takeout, much like in our Asian glazed air fryer salmon.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This marinade is a blank canvas. Here are some easy ways to make it your own.
- Swap the protein: use it on chicken thighs, wings, drumsticks, or breasts. It is fantastic on grilled chicken wings too.
- Add heat: stir in an extra squirt of sriracha or a pinch of red pepper flakes for a spicier kick.
- Make it gluten free: swap the soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos and the flavor stays just as rich.
- Go citrusy: a squeeze of fresh lime or orange juice brightens the whole marinade up.
- Bump the ginger: love that warm zing? Double the fresh ginger for an extra punchy marinade.
How to Make Chicken Marinade
- Make the marinade. In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, minced garlic, vegetable oil, sesame oil, grated ginger, green onions, and the optional dark soy and star anise until fully combined.
- Mix the dipping sauce. In a separate small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, sriracha, soy sauce, sesame oil, white vinegar, and sliced green onion. Set it in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
- Marinate the chicken. Pour half the marinade into a dish, lay your chicken or spatchcocked Cornish hens on top, and pour the rest over evenly. Cover and refrigerate for two to four hours.
- Fire up the grill. Cook over medium heat on oiled grates, basting every five to ten minutes with the remaining marinade. Stop basting for the last ten minutes.
- Check the temperature. The chicken is done when it reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the breast.
- Serve and enjoy. Let it rest a few minutes, then serve with that sweet and spicy dipping sauce on the side.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Never reuse raw marinade. Any marinade that touched raw chicken should be discarded, not served. That is exactly why we make a separate dipping sauce for the table.
- Marinate at least two hours. Anything less and the flavor only sits on the surface. Two to four hours is the real sweet spot.
- Pat the chicken dry first. A dry surface helps the marinade cling and gives you much better browning on the grill.
- Watch the sugar. Honey burns fast, so keep the grill at medium and move pieces around if they start to char too quickly.
- Grate ginger from frozen. Keep a knob of ginger in the freezer and grate it straight from frozen. It is easier and far less stringy.
- Double the batch. This marinade keeps in the fridge for up to five days, so make extra for quick weeknight meals like our honey garlic chicken.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These sweet ginger marinated hens are made for a cozy Sunday supper. I love serving them over a bed of steamed white rice so every drop of that glaze and dipping sauce has somewhere to land. Grilled zucchini or a quick stir fried vegetable rounds out the plate beautifully.
For a bigger spread, pair the chicken with our quick snow peas with garlic and ginger or a cool, crunchy cucumber salad. The bright, fresh sides balance the rich, sticky marinade perfectly.
Hosting a date night or dinner party? Plate one Cornish hen per person for an impressive individual portion, drizzle with extra dipping sauce, and scatter sliced green onions over the top. It looks fancy but takes almost no effort, kind of like our bourbon chicken.
Chicken Marinade FAQs
Two to four hours is ideal for this sweet ginger Asian chicken marinade. That gives the soy, ginger, and honey time to penetrate without the soy turning the texture mushy. You can go up to overnight for boneless cuts, but do not exceed twenty four hours.
Absolutely. This chicken marinade works on thighs, wings, drumsticks, breasts, and even spatchcocked whole birds. Just adjust the time a little. Thinner cuts like wings only need about one to two hours.
Yes. You can mix this chicken marinade up to five days in advance and store it in a sealed jar in the fridge. Give it a good shake before using, since the oil and soy will separate as it sits.
Not as written, since regular soy sauce contains wheat. To make this chicken marinade gluten free, swap the Kikkoman soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos. The flavor stays just as rich and savory.
Definitely. While the grill adds a smoky char, this chicken marinade is delicious baked at 400 degrees Fahrenheit or cooked in the air fryer. Just cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
The dipping sauce is optional but highly recommended. It is a sweet and spicy companion to the savory chicken marinade and adds a fresh pop of flavor. Since you should never reuse raw marinade, the dipping sauce gives you that saucy element safely.
Looking for more bold, savory flavor? Try our bourbon chicken next for another sweet and savory weeknight win.
Sweet Ginger Asian Chicken Marinade
Ingredients
For the marinade:
- 1/4 Cup Kikkoman soy sauce
- 2 Tbls honey
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 Tbls vegetable oil
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 star anise optional
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce (optional
- 2 green onion sliced into big chunks
- 2 Tbls fresh ginger grated or fine minc
For the dipping sauce:
- 2 Tbls brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp sriracha
- 2 Tbls Kikkoman soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1 green onion green part only sliced thinly
Instructions
- Starting first by spatchcocking the Cornish hens by removing the backbone. This can be done with a sharp knife or kitchen shears. Then, gently snap the breast bone so they lay flat.
- Mix the marinade ingredients together until combined thoroughly. Place half of the marinade in a dish, place the hens on top and pour remaining marinaded over evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and marinade 2-4 hours.
- While hens are marinating, mix the ingredients for the dipping sauce until combined and set in fridge until ready to serve.
- Cook hens on grill over medium heat on oiled grates. Grilling tip: bring everything you need to grill outside at once. That way you don’t have to keep running in and out of the house if you forget something.
- Hens will cook 45 minutes to an hour. Baste them every 5-10 minutes with remaining marinade. Do not baste for the last 10 minutes. Hens are done when an internal temperature reads 165 degrees in the thickest part of the breast.
- Serve with dipping sauce and enjoy!
Nutrition
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Yes, so sorry there should be 2 Tbls fresh grated ginger. I’m updating the recipe now.
Shouldn’t there be ginger somewhere in the recipe? Did i over look this somehow? I am making it anyways just adding fresh grated ginger. It looks great!
Preheat oven to 375. Sear the hens on both sides in a skillet on the stove top for about 4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Transfer to the oven and let cook 30-45 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Hope this helps, let us know how they come out!
If I were to make this in the oven what temperature would you use and for how long to cook? Thank you.
Just wanted you to know that your recipe is being featured on Foodie Friday today.
This looks yummy and just the kind of recipe my family loves, pinning to my meal ideas board. Thanks for sharing on the Monday Funday Party, Rachel
That looks wonderful!
Gorgeous! Can’t wait to make this!