Look no further for the BEST Turkey Marinade recipe ever! This Citrus-Chipotle Turkey Marinade not only keeps your turkey moist but is incredibly flavorful. Simple to prepare and totally delicious.
The Most Incredible Flavorful Turkey Marinade You’re Ever Gonna Have!
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and turkey prep is top of mind. That is why I am excited to share this BEST Citrus-Chipotle Turkey Marinade I have used for years.
Everyone knows, especially me, that cooking the bird can be tricky! I have had SOO many turkeys fails that I have lost count – some of them as epic as the famous Griswold family turkey. LOL.
To be honest, my family is not fond of turkey. They find it bland and dry, so when I came up with this marinade, which resulted from using everything and anything I thought I’d add flavor to the turkey, I stuck to it. It’s soooo good!
This Citrus-Chipotle Turkey Marinade is full of flavors, so say “adios” to the tasteless and bland turkey. Let’s get started!
My 6 Secrets for A Moist & Flavorful Turkey
- Buy a fresh turkey.
- Brine the turkey for 24 hours.
- Marinade for 24 hours.
- Rub butter under the skin
- Use a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking it. Turkey is ready when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast or thigh register 165º F (74º C).
- Let the turkey rest for at least 20-minutes before carving.
Fresh Turkey Vs. Frozen Turkey
Definitely fresh turkey! If you want a super moist and tender turkey, you must use fresh since the Ice crystals formed during the freezing process will mess with the turkey’s muscle cells and dry out the meat.
Brine the Turkey!
Brining the turkey is highly recommended. During the brining process, the turkey will absorb the salt solution making the turkey meat tender, juicier, and more flavorful.
My Favorite Easy Turkey Brine
You’ll need:
- Water
- Apple Cider
- Salt
- Brown sugar
- You can add herbs, such as thyme, oregano, or sage, to the brine for more flavor. Or even 2 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon of whole peppercorns, and slices of lemons and oranges.
Place the turkey, neck first, in a large plastic bag. Add 1 gallon of water, 2 cups apple cider, 1 1/2 cups salt, 1 cup brown sugar, and herbs of your liking. Close the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and shake it to mix the ingredients and dissolve the salt and sugar. Brine the turkey in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
Pro Tip: Do not go past 24 hours, or your turkey could be overly salty.
Marinade the Turkey
Build up the flavor by marinating the turkey! I recommend letting your turkey sit in the marinade for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.
Citrus-Chipotle Turkey Marinade Ingredients & Notes
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
- Garlic cloves: There is not such a thing as too much garlic, so I use lots of garlic in this recipe.
- Vegetable oil: You can use any other light-tasting oil that you prefer.
- Orange and lemon juice: I use a combination of both orange and lemon juice, and freshly squeezed juices are best.
- Apple cider vinegar
- Salt: I prefer kosher or sea salt. If you only have table salt handy, I recommend reducing the amount to half.
- Spices: You’ll need cumin, coriander powder, and onion powder.
- Chipotles in adobo: Available in most grocery stores in the international section or online here. The chipotles in adobo will add a little kick to the marinade without making it too spicy. My kids eat it without complaining; however, feel free to add just 2 chipotles for a super mild flavor.
- Yellow pepper paste: This yellow paste is key for this marinade. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to find in the regular grocery store, so I usually buy it online here.
- Herbs: I like to use sage and oregano, but you can add other herbs, such as chives, parsley, and thyme. While fresh herbs have the best flavor, in a pinch, you can substitute 1/3 of the amount of dried herbs.
Tips to Marinade a Turkey
Make sure the turkey is completely thawed so the marinade will be able to infuse flavor into the turkey.
Rub the marinade all over the entire turkey, including under the skin.
This marinade makes enough to cover an average 8 lb turkey. You may need to double the marinade if you’re using a larger turkey.
I recommend letting your turkey sit in the marinade for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.
Cook the Turkey
You can roast, smoke, or grill your marinated turkey. However you choose to cook it, just be sure to use a thermometer so you don’t overcook the turkey. Turkey is ready when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast or thigh register 165º F (74º C).
Pro Tip: Scrape any large pieces of garlic and/or herbs off the marinated turkey so that they won’t burn when cooked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, brining the turkey is highly recommended. During the brining process, the turkey will absorb the salt solution making the turkey meat tender, juicier, and more flavorful.
After raw turkey, or chicken, has been marinated in any liquid, that liquid is as unsafe to consume as raw meat is. So I recommend removing 1/4 – 1/2 cup of it before pouring over the raw meat and reserving it for basting.
This marinade recipe is enough to marinade up to 6-8 lb turkey. For bigger turkeys, adjust accordingly.
No, it’s not the same thing! Brining is you fully submerge the turkey in liquid, usually salty water, to help the turkey stay moist and juicy. Marinating is when you cover the turkey with a blend of ingredients to infuse flavor into the turkey.
More Eggless Thanksgiving Recipes You’ll Love!
- Soft No-Knead Eggless Dinner Rolls
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Easy Green Bean Casserole
- Easy Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
- Easy Eggless Pumpkin Pie
- Eggless Pecan Pie Cheesecake
- Easy Eggless Pecan Pie
- Instant Pot Apple Butter
- Eggless Pumpkin Roll
Recipe Card 📖
BEST Citrus-Chipotle Turkey Marinade
Equipment
Ingredients
Brine:
- 1 8 lb. approx. fresh turkey (giblets and neck removed)
- 1 gallon (4.5 L) cold water
- 2 cups (480 ml) apple cider
- 1 1/2 cup kosher salt
- 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar
Marinade:
- 10 garlic cloves
- 1 3/4 cups (420 ml) vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) orange juice
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup (60 g) kosher salt (see notes)
- 3 tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 3 chipotles in adobo
- 2 tablespoons yellow pepper paste
- 4 – 6 thin slices of orange (optinal)
- 4 sage leaves , finely chopped
Instructions
Brine Turkey:
- Place the turkey, neck first, in a large brining bag.
- Add cold water, apple cider, salt, and brown sugar. Close the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and shake it to mix the ingredients and dissolve the salt and brown sugar.
- Brine the turkey in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Marinade:
- Remove the turkey from the brine. Dry it with paper towels and place it on a large plastic bag or a large roasting pan.
- In a blender, combine garlic, vegetable oil, orange juice, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, kosher salt, oregano, cumin, coriander, onion, chipotles, and yellow pepper paste. Process until everything is well blended. Note: Optional. Reserve 1/4 -1/2 cup of the marinade before pouring over the raw meat to baste the turkey when cooking.
- Pour marinade inside and out the turkey.
- Add the orange slices inside the bag, or over the turkey if you’re using a roasting pan, and sprinkle with sage. Cover very well and refrigerate overnight or for up to 24 hours.
Cook the Turkey
- The next day, remove the turkey from the marinade and bake it according to the size of the turkey.
- You can roast, smoke, or grill your marinated turkey. However you choose to cook it, just be sure to use a thermometer so you don't overcook the turkey. Turkey is ready when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast or thigh register 165º F (74º C). Approx. 13 min per pound at 350º F (180º C) (40 mins per 1kg) for the first 8 lb (4kg). Pro Tip: Scrape any large pieces of garlic and/or herbs off the marinated turkey so that they won't burn when cooked.
- Buy a fresh turkey.
- Brine the turkey for 24 hours.
- Marinade for 24 hours.
- Rub butter under the skin
- Use a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking it.
- Let the turkey rest for at least 20-minutes before carving.
- Make sure the turkey is completely thawed, so the marinade will be able to infuse flavor into the turkey.
- Rub the marinade all over the entire turkey, including under the skin.
- This marinade makes enough to cover an average 8 lb turkey. You may need to double the marinade if you’re using a larger turkey.
- I recommend letting your turkey sit in the marinade for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on October 2018. The recipe remains the same, but more notes, tips, photos, and information have been added to the post in October 2022 to make it as helpful as possible!
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