Marinating chicken can infuse it with flavor and make it more tender and juicy. But there is some debate around how long chicken should marinate. Some say a few hours is enough, while others marinate chicken for a day or more. So is marinating chicken for a full week taking it too far?
How Marinades Work
Before determining if a week-long marinade is too long, it helps to understand how marinades work. Marinades are used to tenderize and add flavor to meats. There are two main ways they achieve this:
- Acidic ingredients – Things like vinegar, lemon juice, and yogurt help break down connective tissues in the meat to make it more tender.
- Flavorful seasonings – Herbs, spices, oils, etc soak into the meat to add flavor.
Given enough time, the acids and seasonings in a marinade will penetrate deeper into the chicken to increase tenderness and boost flavor. But marinating too long can have downsides.
Potential Downsides of Marinating Too Long
While marinating longer allows more time for the chicken to absorb flavors and become tender, it can also lead to the following issues:
- Overly soft texture – The acids can start to break down the chicken proteins too much, resulting in a mushy texture.
- Odd flavors – Some seasonings like garlic, onions, and herbs can become overpowering or bitter if left on the chicken too long.
- Risk of bacteria – Chicken is perishable and sitting in a marinade for days increases risk of spoilage and food borne illness.
Recommended Marinating Times
To reduce risks but still get tender, flavorful chicken, most chefs recommend shorter marinating times. Here are some general guidelines:
| Type of Chicken | Recommended Time |
|---|---|
| Chicken breasts | 2-4 hours |
| Boneless chicken thighs | 4-8 hours |
| Bone-in chicken pieces | 6-12 hours |
| Whole chicken | 8-24 hours |
As shown, thinner cuts like breasts need less time while thicker bone-in cuts can go longer. But even for a whole chicken, a full day is usually sufficient.
Safety Tips for Long Marinades
If you want to try marinating chicken for several days or up to a week, there are some safety precautions to take:
- Refrigerate the entire time – Keep chicken refrigerated at 40°F or below.
- Use less acidic marinade – Limit acids like vinegar and citrus which can make chicken mushy over time.
- Rotate and stir – Occasionally pour off some marinade and rotate or stir chicken to ensure even exposure.
- Boil used marinade – If reusing marinade chicken was in, bring it to a boil first to kill any bacteria.
- Discard if spoiled – Check for foul odors, slime, or mold and throw it out if any signs of spoilage.
Tips for a Week-Long Marinade
Here are some best practices if you want to experiment with a long chicken marinade:
- Use freezer bags – Put chicken and marinade in sealable plastic bags to maximize contact and minimize mess.
- Focus on herbs/spices – Rely more on dry herbs, spices, and oils which won’t break down chicken as much.
- Turn bag daily – Massage bag and turn chicken to redistribute marinade.
- Change marinade midway – Pour off old marinade and apply fresh halfway through marinating time.
- Pat chicken dry – Before cooking, pat chicken dry to prevent diluted flavor or steaming.
Recipe Idea for Week-Long Marinade
Here is a sample recipe for a flavorful marinade that would work well for marinating chicken for 5-7 days in the refrigerator:
Jerk Chicken Marinade
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper, deseeded and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
Combine all ingredients in a bowl or blender. Place 4-6 chicken thighs and marinade in a large freezer bag. Refrigerate 5-7 days, turning bag daily. Pat chicken dry before cooking as desired.
The Verdict on Week-Long Marinades
Marinating chicken for a full week is not inherently unsafe or ineffective. With proper food safety precautions, it can be done. The extended time will allow more tenderizing and deeper flavor penetration. However, most experts agree that the incremental benefits beyond 24-48 hours are small and not worth the increased risks. For most purposes, a 1-3 day marinade is sufficient.
Ultimately it comes down to personal preference. If you want to experiment with extremely long marinating times, go for it. Just be sure to take steps to do it safely by keeping chicken refrigerated at 40°F or below. Otherwise, stick to the generally recommended marinating times of no more than a day or two for best results.
Conclusion
Marinating chicken for up to a week in the refrigerator can infuse more flavor and increase tenderness compared to shorter marinade times. However, the benefits plateau after a couple days while the risks of over-tenderizing, off flavors, and bacterial growth increase. For food safety and best results, it is recommended to limit chicken marinade time to 24-48 hours. Marinating a whole week is not dangerous if done properly, but the larger time commitment usually provides only a small improvement over a 1-3 day marinade.