Before Marinating Chicken In Vodka Consider This Tip

A marinated chicken recipe is a home cook's workhorse. It's perfect for a weeknight family dinner or for making in advance to toss into a workday lunch salad, and it's even useful as a centerpiece for a special occasion.

Marinade recipes for any meat are multipurpose, functioning as a tenderizer while also contributing flavor — and options abound when it comes to formulas and recipes. But while you may have attempted to brine your fried chicken in a pickle juice marinade, perhaps preparing your protein with a dose of vodka is new to you. Alcohol can do so much more than make the base of your cocktail and is actually an excellent ingredient in savory cooking (even capable of leveling up your comforting chicken soup) that has superpowers as a marinade for your meat.

Alcohol can help create a soft and tender texture, targeting the collagen that can make meat tough or chewy. It also acts similarly to salt, in that it can boost other flavors in your dish, all while contributing its own. That said, certain proteins can handle the boozy flavor, while others may be more easily overpowered. When it comes to chicken, employing a marinade made with vodka comes with some disclaimers.

Meats like beef, lamb, and pork have more assertive qualities than chicken and can handle a bath in vodka marinade all the way up to several days. Chicken, on the other hand, is more neutral and delicate, so powerful flavors in general can easily dominate your dish. And while you may think white meat would be the most vulnerable, keep in mind that the more fat a meat has, the more susceptible it will be to absorbing an alcohol-based marinade. When it comes to chicken, the skin, wings, and thighs are on the higher end for fat content.

This doesn't mean you can't experiment with a vodka marinade for your chicken — you'll just want to be more gentle with your process. Instead of leaving it submerged for days, start with just a couple of hours (regardless of cut). And if you're worried a pungent vodka could be off-putting for your chicken dish, you can also attempt other alcoholic marinades that might complement your recipe and still get the marinating job done. Whiskey has vanilla and caramel notes that make a great brown sugar, ginger, and soy marinade, while rum is known for its sweetness and pairs well with spices like cinnamon and ginger.

There are plenty of marinating mistakes that can risk ruining your chicken. By taking note of this potential misstep though, you can more confidently rely on a tender, flavorful dish that will shine for any occasion.