From the earliest times, people have marinated their food to make it more tender and flavorful. The word "marinate" originates from the Latin term for the sea, "mare," according to the Big Oven website. The first marinades gave flavor to fish, but people also were tenderizing all sorts of meat by wrapping the food in vegetables or submersing it in liquid. The Budding Gourmet notes that cooks in pre-Columbian Mexico wrapped food in papaya leaves before cooking as a way to tenderize meats. The active enzyme in papaya is papain, commercially refined and available as a chicken marinade today.
Fresh Ingredients
Marinades contain three basic ingredients: acid, oil and herbs. Acid, such as lemon, lime or orange juice, partially break down proteins in the chicken in an action that creates tunnels in the meat. Wine, buttermilk and yogurt are also good chicken marinade acids. The oils and herbs then seep into the surface of the chicken to lend moisture and flavor. Use olive, canola, or light vegetable oil. Add fresh or dry herbs to the liquid.
Ethnic Flair
Marinade blends can create interesting ethnic flavors. For example, make an Italian dinner by marinating your chicken in wine, olive oil, oregano, thyme, basil, rosemary and tarragon. Bottled Italian dressing is an excellent chicken marinade in that it possesses all the ingredients necessary to tenderize the meat while adding complementary flavors.
Soak the chicken in lime juice, cumin, oregano and hot pepper sauce for a Mexican feast. Use whiskey combined with wine vinegar, dry honey, soy sauce, chile peppers and Worcestershire sauce to give chicken a bold, Southwestern flavor. Make a sweet Hawaiian marinade with sherry, pineapple juice, sugar and soy sauce.
Good Flavor Through Good Containers
Marinate your chicken in zip-top plastic bags or ceramic, glass or stainless steel containers. The acidic nature of marinade ingredients reacts with certain materials, such as aluminum, to give chicken an unpleasant taste. The container should be small enough to submerse the meat entirely in marinade, as marinade is beneficial only when it is in direct contact with the chicken.
Perfect Temperature
Marinate your chicken in your refrigerator because marinating at room temperature promotes the growth of harmful bacteria and does not benefit the marinade. The enzymes responsible for tenderizing meat are sensitive to heat, active only between temperatures of 140 and 175 degrees Fahrenheit. These enzymes deactivate at boiling temperature, therefore boiling the meat in marinade does no good.
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