marinating chicken, when is the earliest to do it?

Chicken is not very porus, so it doesnt absorb marinades very well, The longer the better for thin type marinades, I think. I usualy do it in a large lidded tupperware container in the fridge for as long as I can. A couple days ahead would be fine, I think, as long as you keep it cold, and covered, Shake it up every once in awhile to keep everything coated.

If I am using something thick, like barbque sauce, I dont apply it until the chicken is almost finished cooking, or even after, tossing the chicken in a large stainless steel bowl in the warmed sauce, like you would do for fried chicken wings.

That keeps my grill cleaner, and doesnt burn the sugary sauce.

But for thin marinades, yeah, a couple days is good, I do this for pork and beef as well.

I often just freeze cuts of meat, like tri tips, or chicken, in the marinade in freezer bags, so as it thaws out on our camping trips, it starts marinating till we cook it.

saves time, is easy, and works well.

Plus the frozen meat keeps the cooler cold longer.

Hi who knows, I would only do it at the most overnight,I think any longer is a waste of time and if there is ay blood in the chicken it just seeps into the marinade spoiling it.

That would be for a yogurt marinade if using an oil and lemon one for example I would only give it a couple of hours, otherwise you will begin to cook the meat. Sometimes the marinade can overpower the meat if left in too long. If using a BBQ type marinade then I would just coat the chicken just before cooking for about an hour at most or until whenever you had all your chicken prepared whatever that was shorter. I hope this helps,all the best.Rab

If your marinade has no vinegar or other acid you can leave it for as long as the chicken stays fresh, around 4 days. If it has acid you should cook it within 24-36 hours as the acid will breakdown, cook, the meat.

I would do like the night before and let it only marinate for 24 hrs, i wouldn't do 2 days, but thats just me lol, Good Luck!!!