Super Delicious Lemon Marinade for Chicken

Name: Super Delicious Lemon Marinade for Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 3-4 chicken breasts (cut in half horizontally (about 3 lbs)); ½ cup olive oil (extra virgin); 1 tbsp lemon zest (about 1-2 large lemon); 3 tbsp lemon juice (about 1-2 large lemon); 3 tbsp minced garlic; 1 cup fresh basil (loosely packed, minced); 1 tbsp fresh oregano (minced); 1 tbsp fresh thyme (minced); 1 tbsp fresh rosemary; 1 tbsp honey; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp mustard powder; 1 tsp salt; ½ tsp ground black pepper

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This Lemon Marinade for Chicken is anything but boring—it's absolutely packed with flavor! It’s one of our favorite lemon recipes, made with fresh ingredients like garlic, lemon juice, and a mix of herbs (dried works in a pinch!). The marinade keeps the chicken juicy and tender, with just a touch of natural sweetness to balance out the zesty tang.

Quick and easy, this chicken marinade comes together in just 10 minutes. Let it work it's magic in the fridge or pop in the freezer for later!

A bag of raw chicken marinading in juices.

Honestly, this lemon garlic chicken marinade has to be in my top five marinades—hands down! It’s super fresh and perfect for meal prep.

I love slicing up the leftovers cold and tossing them on a green salad or pairing them with this lemon quinoa with feta. So good! Grill a double batch and you’ve got lunch or dinner set for days.

We’re big lemon fans over here! One of our first recipes was skillet lemon chicken. Still a fave, but definitely not grill-friendly like this one!

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Why this recipe is great
Lemon marinade ingredients
Helpful kitchen tools
How to make lemon marinade for chicken
How to grill marinated chicken
Variations and Substitutions
What to serve with
How to freeze
FAQs
Tips & Tricks
More marinade recipes
Recipe
Comments

Why this recipe is great

Flavor packed: If you're whipping up one batch, you might as well double (or triple!) it and toss some in the freezer for an easy dinner down the road.
Great for making ahead: If you are making one recipe, why not double or triple for a future night of easy dinner?
Versatile: Don’t stress if you’re out of something—just use what you’ve got on hand and make it your own!

Lemon marinade ingredients

These simple ingredients create a quick and easy marinade.

Honey, onion powder, olive oil, ground mustard, raw chicken breasts, two lemons, salt and pepper, minced garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary on a white counter.

Chicken: About 3 pounds of fresh chicken breasts.
Lemons: Fresh lemons, both the juice and the zest are the acidic components that are essential for this recipe.
Garlic: Either mince fresh garlic cloves yourself or use a already minced garlic.
Herbs: This is where so much of the flavor comes from.
Ground mustard and onion powder: Spices that add just a touch of savory.
Honey: Just a touch of natural sweetness.
Olive oil: The fat in the extra virgin olive oil helps keep the chicken breasts moist.
Salt and pepper: Kosher salt and ground black pepper provide the best overall flavor.

Helpful kitchen tools

How to make lemon marinade for chicken

Start by trimming and cleaning the chicken. Place it a large storage bag or a baking dish.

A glass mixing bowl of lemon marinade with a whisk.

Start by chopping up those fresh herbs and zesting your lemons. Then go ahead and juice them. Squeezing by hand works, but I’m a big fan of using a juicer like this one (makes life easier!).

Toss all the ingredients into a small bowl and give it a good whisk until everything’s mixed up and looking delicious.

Uncooked chicken and lemon marinade in a ziplock bag.

Place the chicken pieces in a resealable plastic bag or large baking dish, then pour the marinade over your chicken, then give it a good smoosh to make sure every piece is coated on both sides - don’t be shy! You want all that flavor to get on every part of the chicken meat.

For the best results, let it marinate for at least 8 hours or overnight. Trust me, it’s worth the wait!

Hint: Be sure to zest the lemons before juicing them! It is really difficult to get the skin off a lemon once it is spent.

How to grill marinated chicken

My favorite way to grill chicken breasts is using a two-zone fire. Set one side of the grill to medium-high heat and the other to low. Start by placing the marinated chicken in a single layer over the hotter side and grill for about 4–5 minutes per side.

If the outside’s looking done but the inside hasn’t hit 165ºF yet (that’s the magic number according to the FDA - use an instant-read thermometer to check), just move the chicken to the low heat side. That way, the outside won’t get tough and the inside stays nice and juicy.

Three large grilled chicken breasts topped with herbs and lemon zest.

Variations and Substitutions

This marinade is pretty versatile. That is one of the things we love about it!

Use chicken tenders or boneless skinless chicken thighs.
Garlic powder can be sued in a pinch, but real garlic provides truly superior flavor.
Our favorite fresh herbs are basil, thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, marjoram, and parsley. Use at least three herbs for the best overall flavor.
If you need to use dried herbs this is still tasty! For the best flavor use at least three different types or even an Italian seasoning blend.
Totally fine to swap in Dijon mustard instead of mustard powder!

What to serve with

Pick any number of sides, but here a few that pair especially well.

Rice dishes:
Potatoes:
Bread
Veggies
Salad
- Spinach Avocado Salad
Top with Easy Tzatziki made with greek yogurt. (For leftovers see What to Eat With Tzatziki)

How to freeze

My favorite way to make any marinade is to prep it in advance. Just mix it up, toss the chicken in, and pop it in the freezer—easy! When you’re ready to cook, thaw it out and go. The chicken turns out juicy, tender, and full of flavor every time. You can also freeze the marinade on its own and just add it to thawed chicken the morning you plan to grill. Super flexible and perfect for busy days!

FAQs

Can I use dried herbs instead?

Dried herbs will absolutely work if you don’t have fresh on hand - just reduce the amount by at least a third since they’re more concentrated. Our go-to dried herbs for this marinade are basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram, and rosemary. The only one I’d skip here is if using dried herbs is sage - it can be a little overpowering.

How long to marinate in lemon juice?

Conventional wisdom says not to marinate chicken too long because the lemon juice can create a mushy texture—but honestly, I haven’t found that to be true. In my experience, the longer it marinates (up to overnight), the more tender and flavorful the chicken gets.

Grilled chicken breasts sprinkled with herbs with lemon slices beside them.

Tips & Tricks

Use fresh lemon juice instead of pre-bottled juice. There is no substitution for fresh citrus.
Money saving tip: Buy the packet of fresh herbs in the produce section labeled "poultry seasoning". It should have sage, thyme and rosemary in it.
For the most flavor, marinate the chicken overnight (up to 24 hours) or freeze it in the marinade (my personal favorite!).
The best tip for keeping chicken juicy while grilling is to create a two-zone cooking fire. One side is medium to medium-high heat and the other side is low heat. If the outside of the chicken is getting done too quickly, move it over to the low side until it has finished cooking.
Double and freeze for later!