Can You Marinate Chicken For 2 Days?

Can you marinate chicken for 2 days? There are no rules on how long you can marinate chicken but most recipes state 6 hours which is enough time for it to soak up the marinade. Yes, you can marinate chicken for 2 days in the fridge but anything longer can start to break your chicken down.

Chicken and steak both have tough textures but the marinating time often differs. Recipes typically determine how long you should marinate your chicken before grilling but generally, 2 hours is enough time to marinate any poultry meat. You shouldn’t save the used marinade either.

Marinating chicken is the perfect way to add flavor to your chicken and not you need to make sure you don’t alter the taste. When chicken is marinated for too long, the texture tends to become soft and mushy and if you don’t marinate long enough, the marinade won’t penetrate.

You don’t want your chicken falling off after marinating for too long. So, to achieve perfect chicken flavor and texture, this article guides you on how long you should marinate and if you can marinate for 2 days or less.

Can You Marinate Chicken For 2 Days?

Can You Over Marinate Chicken? — Image: Envato Elements

Yes, you can marinate chicken for 2 days but it depends on what is in the marinade.

If you are marinating with an acidic marinade that contains fresh ginger, pineapple, kiwi, vinegar, or citrus have enzymes that marinate your chicken quickly and anything longer than 6 hours can turn your chicken soft and mushy.

Marinating with non-acidic or mild acidic marinade such as wine, buttermilk or yogurt can marinate your chicken for two days in the refrigerator but anything longer will still turn your chicken soft and mushy too. If you keep marinade on chicken for too long, it over-tenderizes it.

How you marinate your chicken depends on the taste you are going for. Chicken is less dense than beef hence marinades don’t penetrate fully into it so you shouldn’t work with the same time frame. In conclusion, marinating chicken for 2 days is possible but keep in mind that your chicken might lose its texture.

Should I marinate my chicken overnight?

Yes, you can marinate chicken overnight but ensure it is refrigerated and not left on the counter. If the main purpose of marinating the chicken overnight is to infuse flavor in it then you only need a few minutes to achieve this but if the purpose is to tenderize it then you can let it marinate in the fridge overnight.

How can you tell if a marinated chicken is bad?

The spoiled marinated chicken will become slimy, change to a yellow, green, or gray color, and has a foul smell. You should toss the marinade and marinated chicken that has been in the fridge for more than 4 days away. It might not be safe to consume after being marinated for too long.

How long can marinated chicken stay in the fridge?

Marinated chicken can stay in the fridge for 2 days and nothing more than that. The main purpose of marinating is to tenderize your chicken and it only needs 30 minutes to add decent flavoring and 2 hours for deep flavoring.

Final Thoughts

Raw marinated chicken can stay up to 2 days in your fridge however this is not exactly necessary or recommended.

Different pieces of chicken also require different marinated times. You can achieve tasty results for any part of the chicken in just 2 hours so if you are marinating for 2 days, choose a less acidic marinade.

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