Dry grilled chicken is a crime I do not tolerate. This lemon-herb grilled chicken marinade is my go-to when I want juicy chicken with real flavor. You get bright citrus, garlic, fresh herbs, and enough salt to keep the chicken tender on high heat.
Why This Easy Chicken Marinade Recipe Works!
- Salt + time = juicier chicken: A properly salted marinade acts like a light brine, helping the meat hold onto moisture instead of drying out over high grill heat.
- Lemon brings flavor fast (without long marinating time): Citrus brightens and lightly tenderizes- long enough to help, but not so long it turns the texture weird.
- Olive oil = flavor delivery + better browning: Oil infuses herb and garlic flavor into every bite and helps promote that gorgeous grilled char without scorching the chicken.
- Fresh herbs + garlic: Herbs and garlic perfume the meat so even simple chicken tastes AH-amazing.
- 30 minutes to 12 hours hits the sweet spot: Short marinades still flavor the surface; 4–12 hours gives deeper seasoning; beyond that, acid can start messing with texture, making it feel rubbery. If you only have a short amount of time, consider making small slices in the top of the breast to create more surface area, allow the marinade to set in deeper, faster and make for even cooking.
- Medium-high heat + finishing indirect prevents dryness: You get grill marks and caramelization first, then gentle heat to cook through without squeezing out juices. Do not press down on the chicken while it cooks.
- 165°F keeps it safe and tender: Pulling just before done and letting carryover finish the job avoids overcooking while still landing at the safe temp. Always use a digital thermometer to check internal doneness.
- Resting 10 minutes is the “don’t lose your juices” rule: Rest lets the proteins relax and reabsorb moisture, so the juices stay in the chicken.
What You’ll Need
While you can follow this recipe exactly, it is also very forgiving so if you choose to add (or subtract) a few ingredients, you’ll still get lovely chicken.
- Fresh Lemons– Lemon juice offers the tart citrus flavor we love while zest gives pure lemon goodness.
- Fresh Garlic– Please do not use jarlic for this recipe. Fresh garlic will infuse with the oil and then into the chicken. Jarlic just tastes weird.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil– The best flavor for a marinade and also enough fat to give great char marks without burning. Other neutral oils can be used such as a blended oil, canola, avocado or vegetable oil.
- Seasonings– Coarse kosher salt, which helps to brine but not be overly salty, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. These are optional and give a hint of flavor without being “spicy”. I will say my kids eat this chicken and never whispered a word of heat.
- Fresh Herbs- With such a simple recipe, fresh herbs are really a must. Use any combination that equals a heaping 1/2 cup. My favorite picks are parsley, basil and oregano. Sage, mint and thyme are other favorites.
- Chicken– Feel free to use whatever cuts you like: chicken breast, chicken thighs or chicken drumsticks. If using chicken breasts, butterfly or tenderize them using the flat side of a meat mallet so they are uniform thickness. Alternately, you can score them with shallow slits on the thicker top side about 1/2 inch apart to promote cooking without drying out the more slender tail end. I’ve tested this recipe on all three cuts and it was delicious on them all!
How to Make Juicy Chicken on the Grill
- Make Marinade. Whisk together the ingredients for the easy chicken marinade.
- Cover Chicken & Marinate. Combine with your desired type of chicken pieces in a large mixing bowl or an airtight plastic bag. Massage into the chicken. Cover and marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes, but up to 12 hours.
- Prep for Grill. Remove the chicken from marinade and discard the remaining marinade mixture. Heat the grill to medium heat (350°F) and oil the grates.
- Cook. Grill over direct heat to sear, then move to indirect to finish, or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165°F. The exact cooking time will vary depending on the cut of chicken and thickness, so a digital temperature is the only way to tell the right chicken temperature.
- Rest. Remove and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This ensures the juices will redistribute and it stays juicy.
Why is Important to Marinate Chicken Before Grilling?
A marinade is a liquid solution that you use to soak foods before you cook them. A marinade begins the breakdown process for cooking making the food more tender and adding flavor.
Why Marinate Before You Grill? Not only does it infuse with flavor, but grilling uses intensely high heat that has the potential to dry foods out. Marinating is basically a flavored brine that will ensure your meats stay juicy.
How Long Should You Marinate Chicken?
When you marinate any type of food, it is important to know how long. The optimal amount of time will give juiciness and flavor while too long can produce a rubbery, dense effect. This can also change depending on the cut of chicken you are marinating.
- How long do I marinate chicken? A minimum of 30 minutes, 4–12 hours ideal, longer than that you are edging on the line of it getting rubbery.
- What if I marinate too long? If chicken is left too long in the marinade it will actually becomes tough and rubbery- this starts to happen at that 12 hour mark.
- Do you marinate in the fridge? Always marinate meat in the refrigerator. Foodborne illness develops swiftly at temperatures lower than 37°F.
- Do I need it to come to room temperature before cooking? No. My husband used to tell me to “not shock the meat” meaning to take it out of the fridge to take the chill off before cooking. It would takes hours for this process to actually happen and also increases the chance of your meat not cooking properly all the way through.
Sauces for Grilled Chicken
Grilled chicken can be serve with such a wide array of basting and dipping sauces. This grilled chicken recipe boasts oodles of flavor on its own, but you know I like it saucy.
Freezing & Storage
Can I freeze this chicken? This is a freezer-friendly chicken recipe. Simply freeze uncooked chicken or meat with marinade in a freezer bag. Thaw overnight in refrigerator, then grill or cook in skillet. Make sure to check out my tips and tricks for freezing food.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat on the grill over low heat, in a small skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes on each side or in the oven on 300°F for 5 minutes. Of course you can microwave, but this will also result in a rubbery piece of chicken.
More Flavorful Chicken Recipes
Grilled Chicken Marinade (Juicy Lemon Herb Chicken)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 fresh lemons , juiced and zested
- 3 cloves fresh garlic , minced
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup flat leaf parsley , minced
- ¼ cup fresh basil , minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano , minced
- 1 – 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, chicken thighs or boneless thigh filets or drumsticks*
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the zested and juices 2 fresh lemons, minced 3 cloves fresh garlic, ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon coarse Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, minced ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, ¼ cup fresh basil and 2 tablespoons fresh oregano.
- Combine with the 1 – 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, chicken thighs or boneless thigh filets or drumsticks* in a large mixing bowl or an airtight plastic bag. Massage into the chicken.
- Cover and marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes, but up to 12 hours. Do not marinate longer than 12 hours.
- Remove the chicken from marinade, discarding remaining marinade mixture.
- Heat the grill to medium-high heat (350°F) and oil the grates.
- Cook on indirect heat for 20 minutes, turning, occasionally, or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165°F.
- Remove and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or ratings.
Notes
Nutrition
This totally elevated my chicken!
This Grilled Chicken Marinade will be perfect for our Sunday family meal.
Cannot tell you how many chicken marinade recipes for grilling that I have tried. . .don’t like my chicken sweet, but I tried many with brown sugar or honey. . .not my favorites. I am Greek and so the Mediterranean, Greek Souvlaki flavors really appeal to me. I prepared the marinade exactly as it was written. . .made no change whatsoever. This is hands down, the VERY BEST GRILLED CHICKEN MARINADE I have ever tried. . .grilled outside for the first time last week using chicken breasts, and am now preparing the THIS MARINADE for grilling chicken breasts again later this evening. I especially like the fact that it can be used with other meats, as I will surely try it for my pork chops and my beef/pork/chicken skewers with veggies. Thanks so much for your wonderful recipe and for its versatility. . .I challenge anyone to come up with a better recipe than this. . .LOVED IT!!!
WOW! Thank you so much for your kind words and we SO excited that you loved it so much! Yippee! <3
This recipe is incredibly flavorful – love it! And thanks for all your tips on how long to marinate as well!
This marinade does sound delicious! What great tips to on how long to marinade different foods. Very cool!
That marinade sounds amazing!!! Thanks for the instructions on how long to marinate veggies for. Can’t wait to try it out this summer!
I love the fresh herbs in place of dry. They are so much brighter and more flavorful.
I’m trying to eat more chicken this summer and this marinade is perfection, thank you!