Grilled Lemon Herb Chicken
This quick & easy Grilled Lemon Herb Chicken is the perfect easy dinner! It only takes 5 ingredients and 30 minutes to come together.
Say hello to your new favorite way to make grilled chicken! This marinate is easy and packed with fresh flavor that grills up to perfection. Serve grilled lemon herb chicken on its own, or toss it into salads, bowls, or any pasta dish!
Table of Contents
Grilled Lemon Herb Chicken
I know you may have thought that my Summer Grilling Series was over, but I just had to sneak this last recipe in because it’s so good.
This grilled lemon herb chicken recipe is quick, simple, and packed with fresh flavor. I love serving it over risotto, salad, or as part of my weekly meal prep. It’s so versatile, you can serve it with anything!
If you need a delicious and easy grilled chicken recipe, this grilled lemon herb chicken checks all the boxes! You only need a handful of ingredients, a bit of marinating time, and a quick cook on the grill.
This is now my go-to grilled chicken recipe–perfect for backyard BBQs or a quick and healthy dinner.
Reasons You’ll Love this Recipe
Simple – You only need a handful of ingredients to bring this juicy and delicious chicken to life. Some lemon juice and zest, fresh herbs, garlic, and olive oil. What could be easier than that?
Flavorful – While this recipe is simple, it doesn’t skimp on flavor in the slightest! Grilled lemon herb chicken is packed with garlicky, herby and lemon flavor making it perfect for a quick and easy dinner.
Quick – The marinade comes together in minutes and the chicken only needs a quick marinating time before getting tossed on the grill. This is a great recipe for busy weeknights!
How to Make Grilled Lemon Herb Chicken
This recipe is so easy to make and it can be grilled outdoors or inside on a grill pan when it’s too hot or cold for outdoor grilling.
Tools Needed
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken. I love using boneless skinless chicken thighs because they tend to be juicier, but you can use chicken breast.
- Lemon. You’ll need both the zest and the juice to really pack in the fresh lemon flavor.
- Herbs. You can really mix things up here! I used a mix of thyme, oregano, rosemary, and sage. You want to pick hardy herbs for this recipe.
- Garlic. Fresh garlic is definitely the play here, but you could also use garlic paste or garlic powder in a pinch.
- Salt and pepper. Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper is a must.
The Process
- Mix the marinade. Throw all the marinade ingredients into a large mixing bowl (glass or plastic is best) and mix well.
- Marinate the chicken. Trim the chicken thighs of excess fat. If you’re using chicken breasts, butterfly them or pound them into an even 1/2 inch thickness. Add the chicken to the marinade and toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours.
- Prep your grill. Before using your grill, make sure to clean the grates of any food and debris. Lightly grease the grates with nonstick spray. Set the temperature to medium-high. Close the lid and wait until the temperature reaches 450 F.
- Grill the chicken. Place the marinated chicken on the prepared grill, disposing any excess marinade. Grill the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the chicken registers an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Serve. Serve immediately with your favorite side dishes!
How to Grill Lemon Herb Chicken
Unlike grilled chicken wings, grilling boneless skinless chicken is really simple and straight forward! Simply place the chicken over direct, medium-high heat & grill until cooked through.
When it comes to grilling chicken, I like to grill over direct heat at a temperature of 450 F. Once you flip the chicken, close the lid and reduce the heat slightly to finish cooking the chicken through.
For 1/2-inch thick boneless, skinless chicken thighs, begin checking for doneness after 8-10 minutes, having flipped the thighs about halfway through (after 4-5 minutes grilling time).
Always use a probe thermometer to makes sure that the grilled lemon herb chicken is cooked through to 165 F.
Chicken Thighs vs Chicken Breast
I always prefer grilling chicken thighs because they tend to be juicier, but you really can easily grill either. With chicken thighs, you don’t really need to make any adjustments to the recipe.
If you’re grilling boneless skinless chicken breast, I recommend either butterflying the chicken (cutting the thickness in half) or using a flat meat tenderizer to pound the chicken breast out to an even 1/2-inch thickness.
Thinner, even pieces will cook more evenly and keep the chicken from drying out – there’s nothing worse than dried out chicken breasts!
For 1/2-inch thick boneless, skinless chicken breasts, begin checking for doneness after 8-12 minutes, having flipped the chicken about halfway through. An instant read probe thermometer should measure the internal temperature at 165 F.
What to Serve with Grilled Lemon Herb Chicken
With it’s fresh flavor, grilled lemon herb chicken goes with just about everything! You can add it to your favorite pastas, make tacos, or use it for meal prep.
Here are some of my favorite sides to serve alongside grilled chicken:
- Hawaiian-style Mac Salad
- Dressed-up Baked Beans
- Sweet Potato Fries
- Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad
- Lemon-Dill Rice
- Creamy Spinach and Feta Orzo
- Grilled Veggie Pasta Salad
Grilled Lemon Herb Chicken is the perfect recipe for an easy weeknight dinner, meal prep, or any backyard BBQ. Turn it into tacos, add it to a salad, top your favorite pasta–the possibilities are endless! If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Grilling Recipes to Try Now
Grilled Coffee-Rubbed Tri-Tip
Grilled Beer Brats
Best Beer Can Chicken
Grilled Ribeye with Shishito Salsa
Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Chimichurri
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Grilled Lemon Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/4 cup minced fresh herbs* (thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano)
- 4 garlic cloves, grated or finely minced
Instructions
- Mix the marinade. Combine the olive oil, herbs, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl (glass or plastic is best) and mix well. The marinate can be mixed in advanced and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Marinate the chicken. Trim the chicken thighs of excess fat. If you're using chicken breasts, butterfly them or pound them into an even 1/2 inch thickness. Add the chicken to the marinade and toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours. Because this marinate is high in acidity, I don't recommend marinating longer than 2 hours.
- Prep your grill. Before using your grill, make sure to clean the grates of any food and debris. Lightly grease the grates with nonstick spray. Set the temperature to medium-high. Close the lid and wait until the temperature reaches 450 F.
- Grill the chicken. Place the marinated chicken on the prepared grill, disposing any excess marinade. Grill the chicken for 4-5 (6-8 minutes per side for chicken breast) minutes per side, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the chicken registers an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Serve. Serve immediately with your favorite side dishes!
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