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Home » Recipes » Chicken

Spicy beer marinade for chicken

By: Kathryn Doherty | Last Updated: Mar 5, 2025 | Published: Jul 10, 2017
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Spicy beer marinade for chicken uses a few pantry staples and spices and makes a super flavorful marinade for grilling! Great for giving a boost of flavor to grilled chicken!Spicy beer marinade overhead picture

I am just back from a week-long vacation with my family that was pretty much the best one ever! ❤️

It was my family, my parents and my brother and his family, all gathered together on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, on the Chesapeake Bay.

We rented a house on the water and had fun at the pool, on the swings, boating, bike riding, kayaking, paddle boarding, fishing, crabbing, tubing, exploring by the beach, watching fireworks, making s'mores at the fire pit and so much more!

My own little family also started the trip in Washington, D.C., visiting friends and making a quick trip to the mall to take M and J to the Air & Space Museum.

On the way home a week later, we opted for the scenic route and detoured to Luray Caverns in Virginia, which was a fun treat!

Basically, ALL the fun was had and it's a little bittersweet to be home.

Spicy beer marinade overhead close-up shot

And while I’m really not feeling work this week, I’m gonna try to get back into the groove and get us back on track.

I’m also trying to continue with all the summer vibes - meaning lots of time in the sunshine, at the pool and by the grill.

Earlier this summer I brought you a coconut lime grilled chicken marinade, a recipe from my aunt.

And today I’ve got this spicy beer marinade for chicken that I’ve played with over the years and tweaked until we had it just like we like it!

It’s spicy and herby and gives a rich flavor to the chicken.

(You might also like this adobo grilled chicken, which is great when you don't have time for a marinade.)

Spicy beer marinade in a bowl

OK, let’s get cooking.

Now, I’ve got some notes and substitutions coming up on how to make this beer marinated chicken. Just tryin’ to be helpful.

If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

Notes on spicy beer marinade for chicken:

  • I tend to use parsley in this marinade but cilantro would work great, too.
  • You can adjust the amount of cayenne pepper to adjust the level of heat.
  • I snag whatever type of pale ale or mellow beer my husband has in the fridge. You can use any light beer you like or you could try a porter for a deeper flavor. Experiment! (A local brewery here has a Jalapeño Ale that I want to try with this!)
  • Don’t want to use alcohol? I’ve read that you can substitute ginger ale.

I typically use boneless, skinless chicken breasts on the grill (or sometimes boneless, skinless chicken thighs). Both are great with this marinade. It would also be delicious for wings or drumsticks for a party!

Also, while I’ve never used this marinade with pork or red meat, you could certainly try it.

Grilled chicken and spicy beer marinade in a bowl

As for sides, this grilled chicken would go great with some sweet potato fries or spicy sweet potato rounds, some easy corn on the cob and a simple spinach salad. Or just make up some classic spaghetti salad and you’re all set!

And of course, you’ll need a nice, cold beer.

Tips about how to marinate the chicken:

- You’ll want to marinate your chicken for a minimum of 30 minutes. I think 1-2 hours is a good goal to get the maximum amount of flavor. And if you want to put this together in the morning, before work, that’s fine too.

- I highly recommend you reserve about ¼ cup of the marinade to baste on while the chicken is cooking and to drizzle over at the end. It really helps bring home the flavors and keep it extra juicy and tasty!

(Just be careful to separate it out before you add the chicken to avoid cross contamination.)

- This recipe makes enough for about 2 pounds of chicken. Adjust as needed.

Grilled sliced chicken with spicy beer marinade

Wishing you happy summer days and happy grilling nights!

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

Spicy beer marinade overhead picture
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4.40 from 33 votes

Spicy beer marinade for chicken

Spicy beer marinade for chicken uses a few pantry staples and spices and makes a super flavorful marinade for grilling!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time12 minutes mins
Additional TimeAdditional Time30 minutes mins
Total Time52 minutes mins
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (see notes)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons onion, chopped
  • ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 12 oz. beer (see notes)
  • 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

Instructions

  • Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a large bowl (or plastic bag), making sure to pour the beer slowly, until combined.
  • Remove ¼ cup of the marinade to use later for basting and keep covered, separately.
  • Add chicken to the bowl or bag, turn to coat, then refrigerate and marinate the chicken for 1-2 hours and up to 5-6 hours. (If you’re pressed for time, just make sure to do a minimum of 30 minutes.)
  • Preheat grill to medium heat and brush with oil.
  • Add marinated chicken to grill.
  • Cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes per side, until cooked through. (Timing will depend on which cut of chicken you use and its thickness.) Baste with reserved marinade while grilling.
  • Remove the chicken from the grill and let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Notes

You can adjust the amount of cayenne pepper to adjust the level of heat in this marinade.
I use whatever type of pale ale or light beer my husband has in the fridge. You can use any light beer you like or you could try a porter for a deeper flavor. Don’t want to use alcohol? I’ve read that you can substitute ginger ale.
You can substitute cilantro for the parsley if you prefer.
You could also use this marinade for chicken wings or drumsticks.
This recipe makes enough for about 2 pounds of chicken. Adjust as needed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 382mg
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or follow me on Instagram @familyfoodonthetable and tag me in your photo!

Sliced grilled chicken breast on a dark cutting board with fresh herbs to the side and a bowl of a marinade in the background.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dawn - Girl Heart Food

    July 10, 2017 at 11:30 am

    Oh, it's so nice when you have an enjoyable vacation like that and it's definitely nice to get a break from the same old. Though, I must admit when I come back from vacation I'm always so happy to be home, sleeping in my own bed 🙂
    Now, this marinade...with beer....one word - genius! Love all the flavours you have goin' on here! We have been grilling like crazy lately so I'm going to have to break this one out. Pinned! Have a wonderful week! XOXO

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      July 10, 2017 at 10:06 pm

      I hear ya- back in our own beds was really, really nice. I'm still a little sad to have the week be over, but I'm so thankful to have had the time and to have these memories to cherish! XO

      Reply
  2. Michelle | The Secret Ingredient Is

    July 10, 2017 at 1:31 pm

    Sounds like such a wonderful vacation -- so many great spots! The first few days (ok a week haha) after vacation is always tough to get back into the groove. Absolutely LOVE this marinade. No matter how creative I can get in the kitchen, I still struggle trying to make chicken flavorful and fun - I can't wait to try this out this week, exactly what I needed!

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      July 10, 2017 at 10:07 pm

      It really does take a week, doesn't it?! I'm easing in slowly and so far, so good. I hear ya too - I'm always looking for quick, easy ways to jazz up some chicken! I hope you give this a try!

      Reply
  3. Luci's Morsels

    July 11, 2017 at 12:14 am

    Love the flavors in this recipe, a beer marinade is so unique!

    Luci’s Morsels | fashion. food. frivolity.

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      July 12, 2017 at 10:50 am

      Thanks so much Luci! It really helps tenderize the meat and add flavor!

      Reply
  4. Aimee @ ShugarySweets

    July 12, 2017 at 2:30 pm

    This marinade sounds fantastic!!! I wonder how it would be on a pork loin in the crockpot? I'm always looking for new marinade ideas (and I happen to have a pork loin on hand.,..)

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      July 13, 2017 at 2:58 pm

      Thanks Aimee! I bet it would work great with pork! The flavors are pretty versatile and cooking pork in beer is never a bad idea 😉

      Reply
  5. Katherine | Love In My Oven

    July 12, 2017 at 4:59 pm

    So glad you had a wonderful vacation. I can definitely relate to that bittersweet feeling. I'll be trying this marinade out in the near future!! XO

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      July 13, 2017 at 3:02 pm

      It's been a week of adjusting! I hope you love it Katherine!

      Reply
  6. Stacey Weinberg

    July 18, 2017 at 6:17 pm

    Would this be good in the oven?

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      July 19, 2017 at 7:17 am

      Hi Stacey! Sure, you could marinate the chicken and then bake it instead of grilling it if you prefer.

      Reply
  7. Nancy Anne

    April 06, 2019 at 12:54 pm

    This was so good that we forgot about passing BBQ sauce!

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      April 09, 2019 at 9:11 am

      Haha, that's great! So happy to hear you enjoyed it! 😊

      Reply
  8. Shelley C

    May 21, 2019 at 2:05 pm

    I made this the other night and it was delicious! I used Shock Top Belgian White because that's what I had 🙂 Definitely a keeper recipe 🙂

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      May 22, 2019 at 7:08 am

      Awesome! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it Shelley! Thanks so much for sharing!

      Reply
4.40 from 33 votes (33 ratings without comment)

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Meet Kathryn

Hi there! I’m Kathryn Doherty, a cookbook author, mom of two, and devoted food and home cooking nut. I’ve got lots of easy recipes to help you get delicious food on the table for your family!

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