This three ingredient easy chicken injection marinade works wonders for a baked, rotisserie, or whole smoked chicken!
It’s no secret that poultry like chicken or turkey can dry out during a long cooking time. Breast meat is particularly prone to doing this. The breast section is densely packed and can run the risk of overcooking or drying out when cooked low and slow. Using a chicken injection marinade will help mitigate dryness, and keep you bird moist and flavorful during cooking.
What is a chicken injection marinade?
A chicken injection marinade is a liquid mixture injected into a whole chicken with a food-safe meat injector. Low and slow cooked items smoked whole chicken or rotisserie-style often dry out during cooking. When a chicken injection is used, it prevents the meat (particularly the breast meat) from drying out.
An injection marinade is similar to a brine solution or regular marinade, where the bird is submerged in the liquid. Both methods help to keep the meat moist as it cooks. However, both brining and marinating take can take some planning ahead, as they require several hours to work. Injecting the chicken with a marinade is fast and applies the flavor and moisture deep inside the flesh. It’s a great alternative to a longer term solution, but it can be used in tandem. For example, you can brine a chicken in a wet solution, dry it off, and apply a salt-free injection marinade to the meat 20-30 minutes before it hits the grill. Season with a salt-free rub, and you’re well on your way!
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter
- Dry white wine or cooking wine
- Smoked Chicken Rub or All-Purpose Poultry Rub: you can certainly use your favorite poultry rub for this recipe. If you’ve brined the bird, use a low-sodium or sodium-free rub.
How to Make an Injection Marinade:
- If the rub has large bits of herbs, crush it in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Herbs (particularly dried rosemary) can become lodged in the needle and cause a huge mess.
- Simmer ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat for 2 minutes or until liquified.
- Remove chicken injection marinade from the heat, and let it cool for 10 minutes.
How to Use an Injection Marinade:
- Draw up some of the marinade into your meat injector. Release the air
- Penetrate the breast meat with the needle. Aim for 3/4″ deep.
- Slowly release some of the marinade solution.
- Move over 1 1/2″ and repeat the process. Get some of the marinade into the thigh and leg section as well.
- If there is any backflow, gently blot it away with paper towels.
- Season the chicken, and cook as directed.
Have leftovers? Make a Baste
- Bring chicken injection marinade to an active simmer on your stovetop for 30 seconds.
- Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and keep warm.
- Use during the second half of cooking time.
More Chicken Injection Marinade Ideas:
- Latin-American: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, Sazon Rub, and 1/4 cup of lime juice.
- Caribbean: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, Jerk Rub, and 1/4 cup white rum.
- Hawaiian-Asian Fusion: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, Japanese 7 spice rub, and 1/4 cup pineapple juice.
- Cajun: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, Voodoo Spice Rub, and 1/4 cup beer or white wine.
Easy Chicken Injection Marinade
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup dry white wine or cooking wine
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Smoked Chicken Rub or your favorite poultry rub
Instructions
- If the rub has large bits of hers, crush it in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Herbs are prone to becoming lodged in the needle and can cause a huge mess.
- Simmer ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat for 2 minutes or until liquified.
- Remove chicken injection marinade from the heat, and let it cool for 10 minutes.
- To use:
- Draw up some of the marinade into your meat injector. Release the air
- Penetrate the breast meat with the needle. Aim for 3/4″ deep.
- Slowly release some of the marinade solution.
- Move over 1 1/2″ and repeat the process. Get some of the marinade into the thigh and leg section as well.
- If there is any backflow, gently blot it away with paper towels.
- Season the chicken, and cook as directed.
- Make a baste:
- Bring chicken injection marinade to an active simmer on your stovetop for 30 seconds.
- Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and keep warm.
- Use during the second half of cooking time.
Notes
Caribbean: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, Jerk Rub, and 1/4 cup white rum.
Hawaiian-Asian Fusion: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, Japanese 7 spice rub, and 1/4 cup pineapple juice.
Cajun: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, Voodoo Rub, and 1/4 cup beer or white wine.
