Grilled Lemon Chicken

This Grilled Lemon Chicken recipe is made with skinless boneless chicken breasts marinated in a lemon garlic marinade. Our garlic lemon chicken can be grilled on an outdoor grill or use a cast iron grill pan and cook it on the stove. Either way, the chicken turns out tender, juicy and flavorful every time. If you love all things lemon, you’ll want to make this simple recipe! 

Grilled lemon chicken is quick and easy to make any night of the week. But we especially love to make it during the summer months. While the chicken marinates in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes, you can prepare a salad and a side dish, then all you have to do is grill the chicken and dinner is done. Enjoy it outdoors with family and friends and a pitcher of Arnold Palmers (Sweet Tea).

My ex-other-in-law used to make really good grilled lemon chicken, only she would use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh, and she’d use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic. We always loved it when she made her grilled lemon chicken, but we think using fresh lemon juice and garlic makes this chicken taste even better. And, we also add in a little lemon zest to really make the lemon flavor pop in our marinade. But, other than these little tweaks, this is my ex-mother-in-laws grilled garlic lemon chicken recipe. 

Grilled Lemon Chicken Recipe Ingredients

• Chicken Breasts. We use skinless, boneless chicken breasts. Slice them in half lengthwise if you want them to cook quicker. You can use skinless boneless thighs if you prefer.
• Marinade. Our marinade is a blend of lemon juice, lemon zest, extra-virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, garlic, and dried oregano, crushed rosemary, dried thyme and salt and pepper.

Find printable recipe with the measurements below.

How To Make Grilled Lemon Chicken

1. Dry Chicken With Paper Towels. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels to eliminate most of the moisture on it. 
2. Whisk Ingredients For Marinade. Whisk together the ingredients for the marinade in a medium bowl. You can also blend the ingredients in a blender if you like.
3. Marinate Chicken. Place the boneless chicken breasts in a large bowl and pour the marinade over it, making sure all of pieces are coated.
4. Refrigerate Chicken. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the chicken for 20-30 minutes. 
5. Grill Chicken. Preheat the grill (outdoor grill or cast iron grill pan) and place the chicken on the hot grill. Grill the chicken 2-3 minutes on each side for thinner cutlets and 5-7 minutes on each side for thicker boneless breasts. Check the temperature of the chicken for doneness. It should register 165°F on a digital thermometer. Transfer the grilled lemon chicken to a serving platter.

How To Store Leftovers

1. Store leftover chicken in an airtight container. If properly stored, it should last 3-4 days.
2. To reheat, add 1-2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet and cook on low until the chicken is heated through.
3. This chicken is great to serve cold, sliced, and added to a tossed green salad for a quick lunch.

Tips For Making The Best Grilled Lemon Chicken

• Cut the skinless boneless chicken breasts in half lengthwise for thinner cutlets if you want them to cook quicker. 
• Only marinate the chicken for up to 1 hour. 
• For thinner cutlets, grill the chicken approximately 5-7 minutes total (2-3 minutes on each side), and for thicker whole boneless skinless chicken breasts, grill them approximately 9-12 minutes total (4-7 minutes on each side). The chicken will be done when it registers 165°F on a digital meat thermometer at the thickest part of the chicken. 

What To Serve With Grilled Garlic Lemon Chicken

• Mashed Potatoes
• Basil Mashed Potatoes
• Potato Salad (this is also my ex-mother-in-law’s recipe – she used to serve it at her coffee shop in Los Angeles)
• Boiled Corn on the Cob
• Vegetable Rice
• Sauteed Vegetables
• Italian Pasta Salad
• Summer Corn Salad
• Tomato Onion Salad
• Romaine Salad
• Italian Salad
• Garlic Bread

More Chicken Dinner Recipes

• Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
• Grilled Citrus Chicken
• Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs
• Italian Dressing Chicken
• One Pan Italian Chicken

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Yield: 6 Servings

Grilled Lemon Chicken

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

This Grilled Lemon Chicken recipe is made with skinless boneless chicken breasts marinated in a lemon garlic marinade. Grill the chicken on an outdoor grill or on a cast iron grill pan. Either way, the chicken turns out tender, juicy and flavorful every time. If you love all things lemon, you'll want to make this simple recipe! 

Ingredients

• 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts, sliced in half lengthwise

For The Marinade

Toggle ingredient group

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels to eliminate most of the moisture on it. 
2. Whisk together the ingredients for the marinade in a medium bowl. You can also blend the ingredients in a blender if you like. Place the boneless chicken breasts in a large bowl and pour the marinade over it, making sure all of pieces are coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. 
3. Preheat the grill (outdoor grill or cast iron grill pan for the stovetop) and place the chicken on the hot grill. Grill the chicken 2-3 minutes on each side for thinner cutlets, and 5-7 minutes on each side for thicker boneless breasts. Check the temperature of the chicken for doneness. It should register 165°F on a digital thermometer at the thickest part of the chicken. Transfer the grilled lemon chicken to a serving platter and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Tips For Making The Best Grilled Lemon Chicken

• Cut the skinless boneless chicken breasts in half lengthwise for thinner cutlets if you want them to cook quicker. 
• Marinate the chicken 20-30 minutes. 
• Check the temperature of the chicken for doneness. It should register 165°F on a digital thermometer at the thickest part of the chicken.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 322Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 4gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 302mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 25g

theharvestkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate information, however, this nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. The nutritional information provided comes from online sources and calculations. See full disclaimer on About page.