Soy Sauce Marinade with Lemon and Garlic for Chicken
A universal soy marinade for poultry, meat, and fish. This quick and easy marinade made from simple ingredients is based on soy sauce. It works well for all kinds of meat, poultry, fish, and even vegetables. Dishes prepared with this marinade turn out very aromatic and develop a bright golden color.
Updated : 27 May, 2026
Easy
About 10 min.
Ingredients
100 milliliters
Soy sauce
1 tablespoon
Vegetable oil
0.5
Lemon
1
Garlic
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
How do you make a soy marinade for chicken in the oven? Prepare all the necessary ingredients. Pay special attention to the soy sauce. There are many inexpensive versions of this sauce in stores now, but do not chase the cheapest options. Choose naturally brewed soy sauce, as it is a much better choice. We only need lemon juice from the lemon, so you can also use ready-made bottled lemon juice.
Step 2
Pour the soy sauce into a bowl. Add the vegetable oil. The oil can be any vegetable oil, from inexpensive sunflower oil to premium olive oil. But since soy sauce marinades are mostly associated with Chinese-style dishes, sesame oil is especially suitable here. For the marinade, you can use either refined or unrefined oils.
Step 3
Add the lemon juice to the bowl. If, like me, you squeeze the juice directly from the lemon, first rinse it well with very hot water, as this helps the lemon release much more juice. I also recommend straining the juice through a small sieve so that lemon seeds do not get into the marinade.
Step 4
Peel the garlic, mince it, and add it to the bowl. I pressed the peeled garlic clove through a garlic press, but you can also grate it on a fine grater or simply chop it with a sharp knife. If you do not have fresh garlic, you can use garlic powder instead. I am giving you a basic marinade recipe, but everyone’s taste is different, so if you like, you can add your favorite extras such as ground pepper, paprika, ginger, or herbes de Provence.
Step 5
Mix everything until smooth. The marinade is ready. It is quite versatile and works not only for chicken, but also for duck and meat. The marinating time for meat and poultry in this marinade can range from 30 minutes to 1 day. Keep in mind that during marinating, the meat and poultry may darken slightly. Enjoy your meal!
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