Grilled Lemon Chicken – A simple lemon garlic chicken marinade makes for juicy and flavorful grilled chicken every time! This chicken is easy to whip up, and makes a tasty lunch or dinner.
It is great on it’s own, but it is also a wonderful way to cook chicken use in other chicken recipes like Sesame Chicken Salad and Bacon Chicken Ranch Pizza.
BEST LEMON GARLIC GRILLED CHICKEN
HOW TO MAKE GRILLED LEMON CHICKEN
It doesn’t get much easier than this. Just combine all the ingredients, then let the chicken soak up all those tasty flavors in the fridge before grilling it. Simple but delicious!
INGREDIENTS IN LEMON GARLIC CHICKEN MARINADE
- fresh lemon juice – This adds great flavor, but also helps tenderize the meat.
- vegetable oil – You want a bit of oil for juiciness, and also to help prevent your chicken from sticking to the grill.
- minced garlic – Fresh garlic adds the best flavor, but you can use dry minced garlic in a pinch.
- salt and pepper – It is nearly impossible to have flavorful chicken without some type of salt. And the salt would be lonely without the pepper. 😉
- dried oregano – I was afraid the oregano would make the chicken taste too “Italian”, but it doesn’t. It’s a savory earthy flavor that compliments the lemon perfectly.
- To ensure even cooking, it’s best to pound your chicken breast to an even thickness. The thinner it is, the faster it will cook.
- Combine all the marinade ingredients in a gallon sized ziplock bag (or a glass pan if you prefer).
- Add the chicken and zip the bag. If using a pan, cover it with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours, but overnight is better.
- Heat your grill to medium heat and oil it. Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes on the first side. Flip and cook till the internal temperature is 165°. The cooking time will depend on the thickness. Thin chicken breast will cook more quickly, so make sure you don’t overcook it.
- Remove cooked chicken from the grill, cover it, and let it rest for 3-5 minutes before slicing.
This chicken is great served hot, or sliced and served cold over salad or in a sandwich. It is such a versatile chicken recipe! I like making it all year long, so during the winter I like to use my George Foreman Grill.
How long can you marinade chicken in lemon?
How long do you grill chicken breast?
The thickness of your chicken breast will determine how long it takes to grill it. Typically you will want to grill it for 5-7 minutes on the first side, then flip it over. Cook it for another 5-7 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°. (Print out my handy meat temperature chart for reference!)
Because cooking time is determined by thickness, you will need more grill time if your chicken breasts are thick, less if they are pounded thin. I recommend pounding the chicken breast so that it is the same thickness throughout. Otherwise the thin ends get dry before the middle is cooked.
Just remember . . . If you want juicy grilled chicken, you have to make sure not to over cook it! To keep the juice from escaping, it is a good idea to place the cooked chicken on a plate, cover with foil (or a lid), and let it rest for 3-5 minutes before slicing into it.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH LEMON GARLIC CHICKEN BREAST:
- Broccoli Bacon Salad
- Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes
- Zucchini and Carrots
- Skillet Fried Corn
- Spinach Salad with Strawberry Dressing
- Garlic Rolls
MORE TASTY CHICKEN RECIPES:
- Paprika Chicken Recipe
- Creamy Chicken Enchiladas
- Hawaiian Chicken Recipe
- Chicken Pasta Salad with Grapes
- Keto Chicken Broccoli Casserole
- Alice Springs Chicken
★ FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST AND INSTAGRAM FOR MORE TASTY RECIPES.
LEMON CHICKEN MARINADE
Grilled Lemon Chicken
This lemon chicken marinade makes the most juicy and flavorful grilled chicken! Its delicious off the grill or chopped up and used in other recipes.
Ingredients
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 4 6 ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts
Instructions
- To ensure even cooking, pound the chicken breast till it is an even thickness.
- Combine all ingredients in a gallon size ziplock bag. Squish it around till everything is blended and the chicken is well coated.
- Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, but overnight is better.
- Grill over medium high heat for 5-7 minutes on the first side. Flip and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
- Let rest for 3-5 minutes before slicing to prevent the juice from leaking out when cutting.
Notes
If I am doubling the recipe, I just use a 9x13" pan covered with plastic wrap to marinate the chicken.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 313Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 417mgCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 53g
Beth
Yummy! This chicken sounds amazing and very delicious! Excited to make this tonight. Looks so juicy and full of flavor!
Kristine @the foley fam
Just wanted to say THANKS so much for sharing! My little sis made this tonight and she was so proud and said it was so good! Can’t wait to try it myself! Thank you for getting her in the kitchen š