Grilled Lemon Chicken with Herbs Recipe
How to make herb Grilled Chicken with lemon, garlic and herbs that turns out juicy and flavorful every single time. Pair this with a salad, grilled veggies, or meal prep it for the coming week.
How to Make the Best Grilled Lemon Chicken with Herbs
There’s something magical about the combination of fresh herbs, bright lemon, and perfectly grilled chicken. This grilled lemon chicken with herbs recipe delivers restaurant-quality results every time, with juicy, flavorful meat that’s bursting with Mediterranean-inspired flavors. The secret is in the marinade—a simple blend of olive oil, fresh herbs, lemon zest, and garlic that infuses the chicken with incredible depth of flavor.
Whether you’re hosting a summer cookout or meal prepping for the week ahead, this recipe is incredibly versatile. The chicken pairs beautifully with crisp salads, grilled vegetables, or your favorite grain. You can even slice it up for wraps, sandwiches, or bowls. The marinade does double duty as both a flavor enhancer and a finishing sauce, giving you maximum impact with minimal effort.
The key to perfectly grilled chicken is uniform thickness and proper resting time. By pounding or butterflying the breasts to an even 3/4-inch thickness, you ensure even cooking throughout. And don’t skip the resting step—those 5-10 minutes allow the juices to redistribute, resulting in tender, succulent chicken that melts in your mouth.
Grilled Lemon Chicken with Herbs
How to make herb Grilled Chicken with lemon, garlic and herbs that turns out juicy and flavorful every single time. Pair this with a salad, grilled veggies, or meal prep it for the coming week.
Ingredients
Chicken
Marinade
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken
- Pound or butterfly the thickest part of the chicken breast into uniform thickness, aiming for 3/4 inch thick. If very large, cut into uniform sizes roughly 5-6 ounces each.
- Mix marinade ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside 2 tablespoons for garnish.
- Place chicken and marinade in a bowl, baking dish or large zip lock bag and massage to coat all sides well. Marinate for 30 minutes, a few hours, overnight or even a few days.
Grill the Chicken
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
- Lift chicken breasts out of the bowl, letting most of the oil drip off before carefully placing it on the grill. Cut the zested lemons in half, placing open sides down on the grill too. Feel free to add any veggies to the grill—halved tomatoes work great here.
- Close the grill lid and cook for 5-6 minutes (or until deep golden grill marks appear) before flipping. Cook the other side for 5-7 minutes, and lower heat or move to a cooler spot until the thickest part of the breast registers at 160°F and meat is no longer pink.
- Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Serve
- Place the grilled chicken on a serving platter, squeeze generously with the grilled lemon, and tuck in fresh herbs for garnish.
- Spoon the reserved 2 tablespoons of marinade over the chicken and serve. Note: Do not use the marinade that the raw chicken was in for this—only the reserved portion.
Notes
- For chicken thighs, adjust grilling time as needed since they are thinner than breasts.
- Save the lemon after zesting for grilling and juicing over the finished chicken.
- The marinade works beautifully for meal prep—marinate the chicken for up to a few days in advance.
