Copycat Lawry’s® Honey Bourbon Marinade (Sweet, Smoky & Ready in 15 Minutes)

Sweet honey, real bourbon, and a whisper of clove and chipotle come together in this Copycat Lawry’s® Honey Bourbon Marinade — a sticky, smoky-sweet wet marinade that turns chicken, pork, ribs, and salmon into a caramelized weeknight dinner, all from pantry staples in about 15 minutes.

If you have ever grabbed a bottle of Lawry’s® Honey Bourbon Marinade off the shelf and wished you could make it fresh at home, this is the recipe for you. This homemade version recreates that signature blend of honey, bourbon, tomato, garlic, and warm spice — without the preservatives, the high-fructose corn syrup, or the trip to the store. Whisk it together in one bowl, pour it over your favorite protein, and let the marinade do all the heavy lifting.

It is the kind of marinade that makes a Tuesday feel like a backyard cookout, and it has quickly become one of our favorite ways to dress up grilled chicken thighs, pork chops, and even a sheet pan of salmon. If you love a good copycat sauce, you will also want to bookmark our Copycat Lawry’s Hawaiian With Tropical Fruit Juices Marinade for the nights when you are craving something bright and island-y instead, and our reader-favorite Copycat Lawry’s Lemon Pepper Marinade when you want something zesty.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Sweet meets smoky. Honey and bourbon do the sweet, deep-caramel heavy lifting, while clove, cinnamon, and a touch of chipotle add the warm, slightly spicy backbone that sets this marinade apart from a plain BBQ sauce.
• 15 minutes, start to marinate. Whisk, pour, and you are done — just like the bottle.
• No high-fructose corn syrup or added MSG. The original leans on preservatives like potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate. Yours won’t need them.
• Incredibly versatile. Use it on chicken wings, pork chops, ribs, beef, salmon, shrimp, or vegetables. It is right at home in our roundup of 10 Easy Chicken Marinades.
• Doubles as a glaze. Reserve a little before it touches raw meat, simmer it down, and you have a glossy basting sauce for the grill.

What Is Lawry’s Honey Bourbon Marinade?

Lawry’s® Honey Bourbon is one of the brand’s most popular bottled wet marinades — a sweet, savory, slightly smoky blend built on honey and bourbon with clove, chipotle chili pepper, and garlic. Unlike the soy-and-citrus profile of the Hawaiian version, this one has a tomato base (think closer to a thin BBQ sauce) brightened with vinegar and rounded out with molasses and warm baking spice.

That tomato-honey-bourbon combination is exactly why it caramelizes so beautifully on the grill and clings to wings and ribs. Our copycat rebuilds that flavor from scratch so you control the sweetness, the heat, and the quality of the bourbon. If you love this style of sauce, our Sweet Honey Bourbon BBQ Sauce is its thicker, brush-it-on cousin.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Everything here is a pantry or liquor-cabinet staple:

• Ketchup or tomato purée — the base that gives it body and that signature tang. Ketchup is the easy shortcut; tomato purée plus a pinch of extra sugar works too.
• Honey — real honey for natural sweetness and that glossy finish.
• Bourbon — any everyday bourbon works; you do not need the good stuff. (See the FAQ for a no-alcohol swap.)
• Brown sugar — deepens the caramel notes.
• Molasses — just a touch, for that dark, rich undertone the original has.
• Apple cider vinegar (or distilled white) — the bright acidity that balances all the sweetness and helps tenderize.
• Garlic — fresh minced or garlic powder.
• Ground chipotle chili pepper — the subtle smoky heat that makes this taste like the bottle.
• Ground clove and cinnamon — a small amount of each; this is the “secret” warm-spice layer.
• Salt and black pepper — to season.

How to Make Copycat Lawry’s Honey Bourbon Marinade

Step 1: In a medium bowl or lidded jar, combine the ketchup, honey, bourbon, brown sugar, molasses, and vinegar. Stir in the garlic, ground chipotle, clove, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.

Step 2: Keep whisking until the honey and sugar dissolve and the marinade looks smooth and shiny.

Step 3: Place 1 to 2 pounds of chicken, pork, beef, or salmon in a resealable bag or shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the top, coating evenly, then seal and refrigerate. Grill, bake, air fry, or slow cook. Discard any marinade that touched raw meat, or simmer reserved marinade into a glaze.

For a full breakdown of grilling, baking, and pan-searing times by protein, our guide to 10 Easy Chicken Marinades walks through it step by step.

How Long to Marinate

Marinating time depends on your protein — and because this marinade has acid and sugar, you do not want to overdo it:

• Shrimp and fish: 15–30 minutes
• Chicken (breasts or thighs): 1–4 hours
• Pork chops and tenderloin: 2–6 hours
• Ribs and tougher cuts: up to overnight
• Beef: 2–8 hours

Like the bottle, even a quick 15-minute soak adds real flavor when you are short on time.

Tips for the Best Honey Bourbon Marinade

• Reserve some for serving. Set aside a few tablespoons of fresh marinade before it touches raw meat so you have a clean drizzle or glaze for the finished dish.
• Make it a glaze. Simmer the reserved marinade with a teaspoon of cornstarch slurry until it thickens, then brush it on during the last few minutes of cooking.
• Watch the sugar. Because of the honey, brown sugar, and tomato, this marinade can scorch over high heat. Grill over medium and move the protein away from direct flames if it starts to char.
• Pat the protein dry. Pat your meat dry before cooking so it sears and caramelizes instead of steaming.
• Dial the heat. Add more chipotle (or a pinch of cayenne) for a spicier version, or leave it out for a kid-friendly batch.

Variations

• Honey Bourbon Wings. Toss with chicken wings, bake or air fry, then brush with the reserved glaze for sticky game-day wings.
• Slow-Cooker Pulled Chicken. Add boneless thighs and marinade to the slow cooker and cook until tender, then shred — just like the easy pulled chicken on the original bottle.
• Smoky-Sweet Pork. This is fantastic on pork chops and tenderloin. For more ideas, see our 10 Best Pork Marinade Recipes.
• Sheet-Pan Salmon. Brush over salmon and bake alongside asparagus. Our 9 Easy Salmon Marinades has more weeknight-friendly fish ideas.
• Extra Smoky. Swap the chipotle for smoked paprika plus a few drops of liquid smoke for a deeper barbecue flavor.

What to Serve It With

Honey bourbon flavors love a smoky, sticky pairing. Serve your marinated chicken or pork over rice, with grilled corn, baked beans, coleslaw, or roasted vegetables. It is also a natural match for anything off the grill — think wings, ribs, and skewers. For a restaurant-style spin on the same sweet-savory profile, try our Golden Corral Bourbon Street Chicken Copycat.

How to Store

• Refrigerator: Store unused (never touched raw meat) marinade in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.
• Freezer: Freeze in a labeled zip-top bag for up to 3 months. You can even freeze it with raw chicken so it marinates as it thaws.
• Always discard any marinade that touched raw protein unless you simmer it into a cooked glaze first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this without bourbon? Yes. Swap the bourbon for an equal amount of apple juice or apple cider for a similar sweet, mellow depth without the alcohol. The flavor will be a touch lighter but still delicious.

Is the alcohol cooked off? Most of it cooks off during grilling, baking, or simmering, especially when you reduce the marinade into a glaze. If you would rather skip it entirely, use the apple juice swap above.

What proteins work best? Chicken thighs and wings, pork chops, ribs, beef, and salmon all shine here. Shrimp works too — just keep the marinating time short.

Can I turn the marinade into a sauce? Absolutely. Reserve a portion before it touches raw meat, then simmer it with a cornstarch slurry until glossy and thick. That gives you a basting glaze or a drizzle for serving.

How is this different from the Hawaiian or Lemon Pepper version? This one is tomato-based, sweet, and smoky (honey + bourbon + chipotle). The Hawaiian marinade is bright and tropical (pineapple + citrus + soy), and the Lemon Pepper marinade is zesty and herby.

More Fork To Spoon Recipes You’ll Love

Loved this sweet-and-smoky marinade? Here are more copycat sauces, marinades, and dinner ideas to keep the flavor going:

• Sweet Honey Bourbon BBQ Sauce — the thick, brush-it-on cousin of this marinade, perfect for wings and ribs.
• Golden Corral Bourbon Street Chicken Copycat — sticky, garlicky, restaurant-style chicken over rice.
• Chipotle Honey Chicken Copycat Recipe — sweet, smoky, and tender, made in the air fryer or oven.
• Copycat Lawry’s Hawaiian With Tropical Fruit Juices Marinade — bright island flavor for chicken, pork, and shrimp.
• Copycat Lawry’s Lemon Pepper Marinade — bright, zesty, and ready in 15 minutes.
• 10 Easy Chicken Marinades — a whole collection of quick, pantry-friendly marinades.
• 10 Best Pork Marinade Recipes — because this honey bourbon marinade is incredible on pork.
• 9 Easy Salmon Marinades — better weeknight fish dinners.

Did you make this recipe? We can’t wait to see what you’ve made! Mention @forktospoon or tag #forktospoon!

Looking for more easy marinades? Don’t miss our 10 Easy Chicken Marinades, 10 Best Pork Marinade Recipes, and the Copycat Lawry’s Hawaiian Marinade.