This low-carb keto chicken marinade is quick and easy to make. Just whisk ingredients together then let meat marinate for an hour or more before grilling.
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I used to use commercial salad dressings to marinate meats for grilling. But then I discovered that they are made with cheaper oils like soybean oil.
That's why I came up with this basic marinade recipe to make keto grilled chicken. It's made with better ingredients like olive oil and apple cider vinegar.
I use this recipe for more than just grilling season. It's great for making marinated chicken in the air fryer too!
Ingredients
The great thing about this low carb recipe is that its quick and easy to make with ingredients you probably already have in the kitchen.
Oil
Olive oil is the best cooking oil to use for a marinade. It helps pull the flavors of the seasonings into the meat. But avocado oil works too if it's all you have.
Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is my vinegar of choice. However, other types like red wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar work well too. You can also use lemon juice or lime juice to change up the taste.
Liquid sweeteners
Most chicken marinades add sugar to offset the tartness of the vinegar. That's why I use keto-friendly liquid sweeteners instead. They balance out the flavor without adding any carbs.
Seasonings
I like to use a gluten-free soy sauce and keto-friendly Worcestershire sauce for flavor. Garlic powder, ground ginger, black pepper, and chili powder are also added.
Note: The full ingredient list with amounts used is in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Quick tips
- Marinate for at least an hour. If you have the time, it's best to marinate chicken for a minimum of four hours.
- Don't marinate for too long. You can prep things before and marinate overnight. But marinating meat longer than a day or two can make it soft and mushy.
Instructions
If you want an easy keto chicken dinner, this marinade recipe is for you. It comes together quickly with little prep time. You just need to give it a little time to soak in to your chicken breasts and chicken thighs before cooking.
Combine
In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients. That's it! It should take 2 minutes or less.
Marinate
I usually marinate meat using large gallon size Ziploc bag. Alternatively, you can use a large mixing bowl. I like to flip the bag or toss the meat in the bowl as the keto chicken marinade tends to settle at the bottom.
Cook marinated chicken
The final step is to cook your chicken. When it's warm outside, I throw it on the grill and cook until it reaches 165•F with a meat thermometer.
️ Serving Suggestions
This is the perfect recipe for adding delicious flavor to skinless chicken breasts as well as chicken legs with skin and bones. The marinade works well for pork too!
The marinated meat can be cooked in a variety of ways. If the weather is good, I like to throw it on the grill for easy cleanup. Otherwise, I'll put it in the air fryer. If I don't mind waiting, I'll cook it in the crock pot just like my slow cooker buffalo chicken.
Keto marinated chicken goes well with so many dishes, especially keto sides for BBQ. I love serving it with mock potato salad and cucumber mint water in the summer and mashed cauliflower in the cooler months.
It also goes well with sheepshead mushroom and Southern style green beans for an easy weeknight dinner. Sometimes, I even use it on top of my spinach strawberry salad to make it a complete meal.
FAQs
Before sharing the full recipe, I wanted to go over some common questions that have been asked about keto chicken marinade.
Yes, you can count carbs in marinades. The amount of carbs will vary depending on the ingredients in the marinade, but most marinades will have between 1 and 5 grams of carbs per serving.
Yes, marinated chicken does have carbs. The carbs come from the sauce or marinade that it is soaked in.
There are many keto-friendly sauces you can enjoy on your low-carb diet. Some of our favorites include pesto, salsa, and guacamole. You can also enjoy simple sauces like olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Be sure to check the labels of store-bought sauces to make sure they're keto-friendly.
Related recipes
Need more ideas for a summer barbecue? Here's some of our favorites.
- Pinchos Puerto Rico is a grilled kebab that's also a popular street food.
- Keto kebobs are a favorite way to enjoy fajitas on a skewer.
- Steak marinade is what we use when grilling beef.
- Moroccan grilled chicken breasts have a great Middle Eastern flavor.
- Keto chipolte grilled chicken is a good choice when you want a little spice.
Follow us on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, and INSTAGRAM for even more tasty keto-friendly recipes!
Recipe
Keto Chicken Marinade for Grilling
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup liquid aminios or soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon stevia concentrated powder see note
- ¼ teaspoon monk fruit liquid extract see note
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients together in small bowl.
- Pour marinade over chicken in large plastic zipper bags.
- Allow chicken to marinate for at least an hour.
- Brush leftover marinade on chicken during grilling.
Notes
Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart
Nutrition
Additional Info
Notes on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Copyright
© LowCarbYum.com - Unauthorized use of this material without written permission is strictly prohibited unless for personal offline purposes. Single photos may be used, provided that full credit is given to LowCarbYum.com along with a link back to the original content.
First published on May 29, 2015. Updated on April 1, 2022, with new photos and additional recipe information.
Cecilia
So delicious and so easy! I just dump all the ingredients in the plastic bag, add the chicken, then squish it around in the bag to mix everything up. No dishes to wash ftw!
Suz
Made this tonight. The chicken was very moist. The flavor didn't quite hit the teriyaki flavor. DH said he would prefer a more BBQ flavor. May try adapting this recipe or using your chipolte recipe. I was very impressed with the moistness and the texture it gave the chicken Thanks for the recipe.
Carol
Can't wait to try this! To keep grilled chicken from drying out, I microwave the marinated chicken pieces for 10 to 12 minutes (in a glass dish covered with wax paper), depending on how thick they are. Then pop them on the grill for maybe 5 minutes each side - tender and juicy. Some may not like this method because of the microwave, but I've used it for years to make sure the center is done but not dried out. Thanks for all of these great recipes!
Lisa MarcAurele
Great tip! I'm going to give it a try as I always have trouble fully cooking the inside without overcooking the outside.
Becki
This marinade is so good I cannot even tell you. I made chicken with a spinach and strawberry salad and the is literally nothing left. And so easy! This is my new go to. Better than anything in a bottle.
Connie
Can the chicken and the marinade be frozen to be grilled later?
Lisa MarcAurele
Yes, making it ahead and freezing is also an option.
Eve Ford
This is so good! I’m obsessed and have used it several times already. Thank you for such a delicious recipe!
JESSICA CAMP
This is so easy and delicious on grilled chicken! Thank you
Clo
If I have no monk fruit liquid can I double the stevia ?
Lisa MarcAurele
It's usually the other way around. The liquid monk fruit I use is half as sweet as stevia liquid so it really depends on the brand you have. But stevia liquid is a good substitute for monk fruit liquid.
Jessica
Would it be okay to marinate overnight? Do you think boneless, skinless chicken breasts would work well? If so, how long would you do them on a stovetop? Thank you!!!
Lisa MarcAurele
It should be fine in the marinade overnight. Cooking time depends on the the thickness. I like to split the breasts in the middle so they cook faster. Usually like 5-7 minutes per side.
Sandi DeFalco
Lisa - I made skinless thin chicken breasts with this marinade. I subbed the sweetener for what I use. Grilling was done on my electric griddle pan and this is the BEST marinade EVER! The chicken was so tender and moist, wish I had saved extra as a dipping sauce, or added more while grilling. It was that GOOD!
Sandi
Lisa
Thanks for the reminder on how good this one is. Now that the weather is warmer, I need to make this one again for grilling outside.
Carma Hedrick
Just finished dinner- the chicken was delicious, moist and so flavorful. I used stevia as I did not have Monk fruit. I also used minced garlic instead of powder. My husband agreed that this was the best grilled chicken I've ever made! I will definitely make this again.
Lisa
Thanks so much for the feedback! I'm glad it was a winner.
NessaSue
Made this a few weeks ago for a weeknight dinner, with chicken breasts. It was flavorful, tender and juicy. It was such a hit we decided to use it on our chicken for our annual 4th of July party!
Lisa
Thanks for writing in on the success of the recipe NessaSue!
Carol
Am I missing something? Where is the lime in the ingredients? It says Chili Lime Marinade...
Lisa
This isn't the chili lime marinade. The recipe with that is here.
bill
is the monk fruit extract better in taste than regular sweeteners? it's kind of expensive and you don't get much. Is it worth its price?
Lisa
You don't need much and I like the taste better than any other low carb sweetener.
R
I can't have any vinegar so if I take that out would it still work?
Lisa
You can likely replace it with lemon juice or wine.
Angie McDaniel
What is the serving size? I made nuggets
Lisa
About 22 grams of marinade per serving. For chicken, it's about 1-3 ounces.
Lori
I made this last night for my family and the chicken was delicious! Super tender and juicy. I didn't have monk fruit extract so I just left it out. Great marinade, thanks!
Lisa
Great to know that the sweetener isn't needed! Thanks Lori!
April
I didn't see a note for the monk fruit extract. What is this and would this still taste good without it?
Lisa
It's a liquid concentrate sweetener. You can replace with a sweetener of choice.