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Five delicious barbecue chicken marinades

Take your taste buds on a world tour with these five sizzling chicken marinades that are perfect for summer barbecues. From spicy Caribbean jerk to tender American-style buttermilk, they’ll take any chicken dishes to the next level.

  1. Jamaican jerk

    For a taste of the Caribbean try Birdie’s jerk chicken. This easy rub works just as well with chicken legs, breast fillets, skewers or a whole bird and will add punchy flavour the longer you can leave it to marinate – overnight if you have time. Cook in the oven as directed then transfer to the barbecue to add a charred, smoky finish.

  2. Sticky barbecue

    Raid your storecupboard to make the sticky honey and soy sauce to coat these classic chicken drumsticks. This marinade is perfect for a last-minute barbecue as the chicken only needs 30 minutes to marinate before grilling – just make sure you’ve got plenty of napkins on hand for sticky fingers!

  3. Sweet and spicy

    Sriracha chilli sauce adds a kick of heat to this sweet pineapple, lime and ginger marinade for a Hawaiian-inspired chicken. The acidity in the pineapple juice helps to tenderize the meat before cooking, making it perfect for barbecuing as well as roasting. Follow our easy step-by-step guide for how to spatchcock a whole chicken and to cook on the barbecue.

  4. Easy buttermilk

    Keep things simple with a classic American-style garlic buttermilk marinade. This tangy mixture is the traditional marinade for Southern fried chicken but works just as well with grilled or barbecued chicken too. Get ahead with the marinade up to 24 hours ahead so there’s no panic on the day.

  5. Sharing shawarma

    Try something a little different by sharing some chicken shawarma wraps at your next barbecue. Sumac is a traditional spice used in Middle Eastern cooking and adds tangy flavour to the lemon and thyme marinade, but you can leave it out if you can’t find it in your local store. Roll up with creamy yogurt, salad and juicy pomegranate seeds for an easy alfresco lunch.

More recipe inspiration

BBQ sticky ribs
Derek's BBQ 'shroom buns
BBQ lamb chops with satay sauce
Pulled barbecue beef with pinto beans