Marinate chicken in acid for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

No more. Acidic marinades (lemon, vinegar, wine, buttermilk) break down proteins quickly. Leave chicken in too long and the surface turns mushy and mealy.

The science is simple: acid denatures protein. A little is good – it tenderizes. A lot is bad – it destroys texture. Thin cuts like breast fillets hit the sweet spot around 30 minutes. Thicker pieces like thighs or drumsticks can go an hour or two. Anything past 4 hours and you’re rolling the dice on texture.

Yogurt or buttermilk is a different story. Those are mildly acidic, so overnight (8-24 hours) is fine. But if you’re using straight lemon juice or vinegar, set a timer. Thirty minutes gets you tangy flavor without turning the meat into paste.

The only marinade that’s safe to leave indefinitely is oil and herbs with no acid. But that’s basically just seasoning, not tenderizing.

A good rule: if it tastes sour in the bowl, keep it under two hours on the chicken.