This simple Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken with fresh herbs is a mouthwatering, flavorful recipe that's ideal for weeknight family meals and large weekend barbecues.
I've always been about the simple, easy, delicious meals, but this summer I've become almost fanatical about it. I refuse to waste my time shopping for extra ingredients I don't already have on hand. One more trip to the store or farmer's market? No thank you. Enter this simple Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken.
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🌟 What makes this chicken dish amazing
This is one of those delicious dishes that may soon find its way into your regular dinner rotation. Here are just a few reasons why:
Quick: this lemon pepper chicken takes less than 30 minutes to make from start to finish!
Simple ingredients: it uses ingredients you probably already have on hand or are easy to get. No trips to specialty food markets!
Healthy: The skinless chicken is low in calories but this dish doesn't sacrifice any flavor.
🛒 Ingredient notes
The best recipes start with simple, fresh ingredients. For this simple grilled lemon pepper chicken, I use:
Skinless chicken breasts - While I love crispy skin on bone-in chicken, the flavors in this dish come through even better with skinless chicken breasts.
Fresh rosemary - If you have a garden, rosemary is an easy-to-grow, hardy herb that goes great in a lot of dishes. And it's easy to find at most grocery stores as well.
Fresh thyme - Using fresh over dried thyme really enhances the herby flavor of this dish.
Cracked black pepper - I use a generous serving of pepper to ensure it's seasoned well.
✅ Step-by-step instructions
- Generously season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then add the herbs, lemon juice, olive oil, and seasoned chicken to a large ziplock bag. Marinade for at least 30 minutes, preferably 1-2 hours. You can also marinade the chicken overnight.
- Once you're ready to cook the chicken, get the grill heated to medium-high (about 400 degrees), and grill each chicken breast for 5-7 minutes on each side.
3. Grilling Tip: if you want the fancy grill marks everyone loves, try to only turn the chicken once on each side. Or, for a criss-cross design, turn 45 degrees to finish off the grill time on each chicken. That's it!
❓Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! You can cut it up and use in salads, pastas, or shred and use in sandwiches. I love how tasty this chicken is - the lemon and fresh herbs are so perfect for summertime feasts!
Marinade for a minimum of 30 minutes. For maximum flavor, marinade overnight so the chicken can absorb all of the delicious flavors.
🍽 What to serve with this chicken
To make a complete meal out of this dish, try serving it with Rosemary Roasted Glazed Carrots, Corn with Basil Lime Butter, or Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Apples.
🍷 Best wine pairings for this chicken dish
I pair this chicken dish with a bright Sauvignon Blanc. The citrus flavors in this wine help bring out the bright acidity of the lemon and the savory herbs in the chicken.
You can also pair this with a stainless steel (unoaked) Chardonnay, like my favorite: Stoller Family Estate Chardonnay.
More grilling recipes
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Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken
Ingredients
- salt and pepper
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- ¼ cup lemon juice (the juice from about one large lemon)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
- 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
Instructions
- Generously season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Add lemon juice, olive oil, rosemary, and thyme to a large ziplock bag. Add seasoned chicken. Seal well and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably 1-2 hours, and up to 8 hours or overnight.
- When you're ready to grill, heat the grill to medium-high. Once the grill is hot, add the chicken and grill for 5-7 minutes on each side. Remove from grill and let rest on a plate for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.
Matilda says
This looks delicious! I am always looking for easy things to make for my family.
Jenni LeBaron says
This is a great classic and simple way to dress chicken breasts up during all of this fine grilling weather. I love anything with lemon!
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says
Me, too! Lemon is my favorite! :)
kristen says
i made something very similar last night but I love your addition of fresh rosemary! yum!
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says
I love rosemary! I bet it's just as yummy without, though! :)
Erin @ Platings and Pairngs says
I'll be grilling up some chicken for the 4th of July tomorrow, although we'll be doing a Peruvian version... Definitely saving this one for more summer grilling dinners!
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says
That sounds great! I hope you had a happy 4th!
Cathy M says
Mmmm this chicken looks so delicious! Perfect summer plate!
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says
Thanks so much, Cathy!
Rukh AZ says
This recipe is a perfect mix for people like myself who love lemons, herbs and chicken! It looks delicious and I’m definitely gonna try it out.
Thanks for sharing. xoxo
Rukh AZ
Luci says
This looks so yummy. I'll have to make this for family, they love chicken and the lemon and herb sounds really great.
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says
Yay! I hope they love it!