The Best Turkey Marinade – Quick Facts
- Ready In: 5 minutes!
- Marinade Timing: 30-60 minutes – no longer!
- Dietary Info: dairy-free, gluten-free friendly
- Best For: turkey tenderloin, turkey breast, turkey legs, turkey wings, or a whole turkey.
- Origin: my mother-in-law in Minnesota has made the most amazing Orange Turkey for years and everyone LOVES the citrus flavors with turkey. So, I decided it was time to make an easy turkey marinade that can bring some of the same refreshing flavors to any cut of turkey!
If you want to add even more flavor to your turkey, try our homemade turkey seasoning. Perfect for adding after the meat has marinated.
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- olive oil – option to sub avocado oil, if you prefer.
- soy sauce – feel free to use coconut aminos or tamari to make this a gluten-free marinade.
- zest – the combination of lemon zest and orange zest is so light and refreshing! It can’t be missed!
What’s The Difference Between Brining & Marinating Turkey?
Brining a turkey is an effective way to add more moisture to the meat, where marinating provides some moisture but it is more about the flavor! When brining meat it is typically a longer process (12-48 hours) and marinating meat is a much shorter process (only about 30-60 minutes). There are options to use a wet turkey brine or dry turkey brine, depending on what you prefer.
How To Make A Turkey Marinade
Step 1 – Make sure the turkey is fully thawed and then pat it dry with paper towels.
Step 2 – Mix the marinade in a small bowl and pour over the turkey in a deep baking dish or large resealable bag.
How Long To Marinate Turkey
For best results, let the turkey marinate for about 30-60 minutes before cooking. It can marinate in the fridge overnight but this marinade contains quite a bit of citrus which might start cooking the meat slightly if it sits for too long. So we highly recommend sticking to a shorter marinate time.
Step 3 – Remove from the marinade and cook any way you want!
Best Ways To Cook Turkey After Marinating
You can cook a marinated turkey (whole, breast, or tenderloin) any way you want! Personally, for a whole bird we love Grilled Turkey, Smoked Turkey, or the classic Roasted Turkey. If you have a smaller crowd, use the marinade on a Roast Turkey Breast or Slow Cooker Turkey Breast. It can even be used to add flavor to Smoked Turkey Wings or Smoked Turkey Legs!
Turkey Marinade FAQs
Yes! You can place raw turkey and marinade in a freezer safe bag (we love stasher bags) and store it in the freezer for up to 6-9 months before thawing and cooking. This is a great way to have to ready to go when you have that turkey craving!
Yes, if you plan to marinate a large turkey, you may want to make a double or even triple batch! These calculations can automatically be done in the recipe card by clicking 2x or 3x.
Other Simple Turkey Prep Recipes You Might Like
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Turkey Marinade Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Marinate Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 3/4 cup 1x
- Category: Marinade
- Method: Counter Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
The BEST turkey marinade recipe that is made with real, simple ingredients and works for any cut of turkey!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
- 1–2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Mix: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl; whisk to combine.
- Marinate Turkey: Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Place turkey in an appropriate-sized container or large plastic bag (depending upon whether you are using a turkey breast, tenderloin or whole turkey) and pour the marinade over the top. Ensure turkey is fully coated. Cover and refrigerate. Let marinate 30-60 minutes.
- Cook Turkey: remove the turkey from the marinade, allowing excess liquid to drip off, and cook any way you want!
Notes
- Amount: when marinating a whole turkey, feel free to double or triple the recipe as-needed.
- Gluten-Free: swap out the soy sauce for coconut aminos or tamari.
- Marinade Time: the citrus flavors in this recipe are the perfect compliment to turkey but the maximum marinade time should be about 60 minutes. If it sits longer than that, the citrus might start to breakdown the turkey meat.
Angela W Broyles says
this is easy and delicious!
Kristine Hill says
Best marinade! Using it in Chechen breasts today.
Nancy says
I left out the herbs, but used everything else. Also was careful not to over cook. So delicious and flavorful. Even my non Turkey loving family enjoyed it!
Erin says
So glad you enjoyed it, Nancy!
Jill says
If roasting Turkey tenderloins in the oven after marinating, how long and at what temperature?
Erin says
Hi Jill – head over to this recipe for those instructions: https://thewoodenskillet.com/turkey-tenderloin/
Emily says
This was amazing!