A girl holding a large white platter of Honey Spice Marinated Grilled Chicken.

Simple Sundays | Honey Spice Marinated Grilled Chicken

Honey Spice Marinated Grilled Chicken is an easy grilled chicken marinade recipe made with a blend of honey, lemon, mustard, ginger, and soy sauce.

A girl holding a large white platter of Honey Spice Marinated Grilled Chicken.
Simple Sundays | Honey Spice Marinated Grilled Chicken

Honey Spice Marinated Grilled Chicken is an easy grilled chicken marinade recipe made with a blend of honey, lemon, mustard, ginger, and soy sauce, and grilled until it is glossy and the sear marks imprint on the succulent flavors within. Wonderful with chicken, this marinade also works with pork. Disclosure: This post originally brought to you by McCormick.

A girl holding a large white platter of Honey Spice Marinated Grilled Chicken.

Today is Father’s Day. My children and I are celebrating someone very special – I recently told you just how very special. But this morning, as I sip my early morning coffee, and wait for the muffins in the oven to rise, I want to tell you about another special man.

A framed photo of a young girl and her grandfather holding hands as they walk down a sidewalk.

My children call him Papa, and this is our first Father’s Day without him. My father-in law is in our hearts today…and every day. He is in our kitchen and at the kitchen table, he’s in the loaf of banana bread that bakes in the oven, the giblet gravy at Thanksgiving, and side by side at the grill with my husband in the summer. He is in the photographs around the house, and in his handwritten recipe cards in my battered binder. His recipes live on day after day, and of them all, perhaps my children’s most favorite is Papa’s Chicken.

Halved lemons and a heart-shaped teaspoon measuring out ginger on a marble surface.

Honey, spices, and lemons arranged on a marble surface.

Spices and halved lemons on a marble surface.

I’ve shared Papa’s Chicken once before, and it immediately came to mind when I was asked by McCormick to tell my American Homemade Story and the power of homemade cooking. Papa’s Honey Spice Marinated Grilled Chicken is the dish that reminds my children most of their grandfather, and it reminds me most of my early years with my husband, when we were living in our first apartment in California together, savoring the grilling life with our very first deck grill, cooking from his handwritten index cards. It’s the dish that brings instant smiles to everyone’s face at dinnertime.

A handwritten recipe card for Honey Spice Marinated Grilled Chicken surrounded by ingredients.

Mixing together ingredients for Honey Spice Marinated Grilled Chicken.

Whisking the marinade for Honey Spice Marinated Grilled Chicken in a white bowl.

It’s those homespun recipes that matter most in our personal family histories, and this is the one I knew I had to share again with you. Many years and many houses, and yes, even many grills later, we still make what we now call Papa’s Chicken – chicken lovingly marinated in a blend of honey, lemon, mustard, ginger, and soy sauce, and grilled until it is glossy and the sear marks imprint itself on the succulent flavors within.

Honey Spice Marinated Grilled Chicken marinating in a bag.

Handwritten recipe cards on top of a larger binder of recipes.

A large serving dish filled with Honey Spice Marinated Grilled Chicken.

Tell me, what’s your American Homemade Story? What draws you into the kitchen, what brings a smile to your family’s face? We all have one. I’d love to know.

Honey Spice Marinated Grilled Chicken in a serving dish being placed onto a dinner table.

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Disclosure: This post is brought to you by McCormick in partnership with Kitchen Play as a part of their American Homemade Program. I was asked to share one of my family’s favorite recipes and what homemade means to us. Sponsored posts such as these help support the work behind the scenes on Kitchen Confidante. Thank you so much for your visits and making my blog part of your day. As always, all opinions are my own.

Honey Spice Marinated Grilled Chicken

Honey Spice Marinated Grilled Chicken is an easy grilled chicken marinade recipe made with a blend of honey, lemon, mustard, ginger, and soy sauce. Wonderful with chicken, this easy marinade recipe also works with pork. For best results, marinate overnight.
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Marinating Time 6 hours
Servings 4 servings
Calories 705kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons McCormick’s ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons McCormick’s dry mustard
  • 2 teaspoons McCormick’s salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon McCormick’s ground pepper
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 3 cloves garlic crushed
  • 2 lbs chicken thighs

Instructions

  • Combine ingredients (except chicken thighs) and whisk well. Add the chicken thighs and marinate in a zip lock bag, glass dish, or non-reactive bowl for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight. Rotate halfway through marinating.
  • Preheat grill to medium high heat. Grill the chicken, turning periodically, until cooked through, about 30-45 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Nutrition

Calories: 705kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 222mg | Sodium: 1842mg | Potassium: 558mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 2mg
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  1. cristina

    A beautiful and heartfelt tribute to your father-in-law, Liren.  Lovely post to treasure…

    Hope you and your family have been well and that you enjoyed a nice father’s day weekend. ;)

    Reply
  2. Denise

    What a lovely post and tribute to Papa.  I love this recipe as it reminds me of one I make called candy chicken, which was passed along by a friend’s mother and her mother.  Simple, honest cooking.  

    Reply
  3. Monet

    Beautiful post. Your words, the memories, and then the recipe. Thank you for sharing. Recipes from the heart are the ones that matter most.

    Reply
  4. Christina @ but i'm hungry

    What a truly lovely post.  Some of my most treasured possessions are handwritten recipes from people I love who are no longer with us.  Every time I pull one out, I feel like cooking the dish is a tribute to them, and they’re right there with me.  Hope you and your family had a lovely Father’s Day!  I’ll be trying this chicken soon, it sounds wonderful!

    Reply
  5. Emily {Jelly Toast}

    What a beautiful post, Liren! I’m so sorry to hear of the loss of your father-in-law. What an amazing way to remember him with his treasured recipes!

    Reply
  6. Emily @ Life on Food

    This chicken sounds delicious.  Food is always so much better when they have special memories to go along with it.  And those hand written recipes should never ever go away. 

    Reply
  7. Michelle

    These favors sound great together. Can’t wait to try it this week. It’s an easy weeknight meal

    Reply
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