Drilling fluids and methods of making and using thereof

The present disclosure relates drilling fluids and methods of producing and using drilling fluids. The drilling fluid includes an aqueous base fluid; a clay-based component; and a shale inhibitor comprising silica grafted with glutamate-glycol. The method of producing the drilling fluid includes reacting silica with glutamate and glycol thereby forming a shale inhibitor comprising silica grafted with glutamate-glycol; and mixing an aqueous base fluid, a clay-based component, and the shale inhibitor to produce a drilling fluid. The method of using the drilling fluid in drilling operations includes mixing an aqueous base fluid, a clay-based component, and a shale inhibitor comprising silica grafted with glutamate-glycol to produce a drilling fluid; and introducing the drilling fluid to a subsurface formation.