Simple Grilled Lemon Herb Chicken

Four grilled chicken breasts with char marks are served on a round plate, garnished with lemon wedges and accompanied by a fork.

Simple Grilled Lemon Herb Chicken

This grilled lemon herb chicken is marinated with lemon, garlic, olive oil, oregano, and thyme for fresh, savory flavor. The chicken grills until golden and juicy, making it an easy choice for a busy weeknight.

Course Main Course, Main Dishes

Cuisine American, International

Keyword boneless, boneless skinless chicken, chicken breast, chicken recipe, fresh herbs, grill, grill chicken, grilled chicken recipe, grilled lemon, lemon, lemon herb chicken, lemon juice, lemon zest, marinade, marinate, olive oil, skinless chicken, skinless chicken breasts

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 14

Chill Time 4

Servings Portions

Calories 128kcal

Author Zuzana Paar

Equipment

1 Mixing Bowl
1 Whisk
1 Platic Bag
1 Grill
1 Tongs

Ingredients

4 Pieces Chicken Breasts boneless, skinless
¼ Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 Lemon Juice
1 Lemon Zest
3 Cloves Garlic minced
1 teaspoon Oregano dried
1 teaspoon Thyme dried
½ teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Black Pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper, then marinate the chicken for 30 minutes to 4 hours.
Preheat the grill to medium-high and remove the chicken from the marinade.
Grill for 6–7 minutes per side until the thickest part reaches 165°Fahrenheit (73°Celsius).
Rest the chicken for 5 minutes, then serve warm.

Notes

Take the chicken out of the fridge 15 to 20 minutes before grilling, so it comes up to room temperature. Cold chicken straight from the fridge takes longer to cook through, and the outside can char before the center.
Pound the thicker end of each chicken breast to match the thinner end before marinating. Uneven thickness means one part overcooks while the other is still finishing, and an even surface picks up the grill marks more consistently across the whole breast.
Never baste the chicken during grilling with the marinade it was sitting in since that liquid has raw chicken juices in it. If you want to baste, set aside a small portion of fresh marinade before the chicken goes into the bag and use that instead.
The chicken is ready to flip when it releases cleanly from the grill grate without sticking or tearing. If you have to force it, give it another full minute before trying again, since natural release is the most reliable sign the first side is done.

Nutrition