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    Home » Chicken

    Lemon Chicken Marinade

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on June 9, 2022, updated May 30, 2024 - 10 Comments

    Total time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes
    Prep time: 4 minutes minutes
    5 from 18 votes
    Jump to Recipe

    Make the best Lemon Chicken Marinade in just a few minutes with simple, healthy, ingredients. It's great for grilling, pan frying and oven baking. The chicken comes out super juicy and tender and loaded with flavor.

    sideview of sliced grilled chicken marinated with lemon and decorated with basil leaves.

    My Go-to Chicken Marinade for Years

    This is hands down the best marinade for chicken. I make it almost every time I grill chicken. And I have for years!

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    The salt and lemon help give you the absolute juiciest, most tender chicken. And as a bonus, it's 100% good for you, gluten-free, and dairy-free.

    Make it in just 5 minutes - or less - and marinate for 30-60 minutes, then cook it up on the grill, in a pan, or in the oven. Either way works!

    You can use any cut of chicken. I often use it for boneless chicken where I want that extra tenderness, but bone-in works jut as well.

    Just make sure to make a big batch while you're at it, because that chicken is even more delicious cold!

    "So unique yet so simple...and always delicious! Thanks so much for another winner 🙂" -Traci

    5 Simple Ingredients

    ingredients for lemon chicken marinade.

    Just Mix, Marinate & Cook!

    1. Make the Marinade

    Bring out a bowl and mix together all the ingredients for the marinade.

    Making lemon chicken marinade.

    2. Just Add Chicken & Marinate

    Grab two plastic freezer bags and place one in the other. Place the chicken inside, and pour over the marinade. Massage the marinade into the chicken through the bag, and tie a knot on it.

    Marinate 30-60 minutes. You can keep it in room temperature for a 30 minute marinade, or refrigerate 30 minutes then bring it out 30 minutes before cooking.

    Making lemon chicken marinade.

    3. Cook as You Like

    When you're ready to cook, remove the chicken from the bag and discard the marinade. Cook on the grill, in a pan, or in the oven or air fryer - your choice!

    Marinated chicken ready for cooking.

    Tips for the Most Tender Chicken

    • You can marinate a bit longer for more flavor. But don't marinate for more than a couple of hours, or the chicken can go mushy.
    • If marinating for more than 1 hour, reduce the amount of salt by half.
    • Bring chicken to room temperature before cooking to help the chicken cook quicker & more evenly.
    • Use a meat thermometer when cooking. This will help you get the temperature just right, so it's not overcooked or undercooked. Cook the chicken to 165°F (74°C).
    • Let the cooked chicken rest for a few minutes before serving - wrap in aluminum foil or tent with it to retain the heat

    Storing, Freezing & Prepping Ahead

    Store leftover marinade: Store in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 4 days.

    Store leftover chicken: Store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

    Freeze marinade: Freeze leftover marinade for up to 6 months.

    Freeze marinated chicken: Massage chicken with marinade, then freeze immediately. Thaw by placing the bag in cold water for a few hours before cooking.

    Freeze cooked chicken: Freeze in an air tight container for up to 3 months.

    Prep ahead tip #1: You can make the marinade up to 4 days in advance.

    Prep ahead tip #2: The chicken can be left in the marinade for up to 3 hours, just reduce the amount of salt by half.

    Prep ahead tip #3: This chicken is delicious served cold, so you can make it 1-2 days ahead of time and slice it just before serving.

    sideview of sliced grilled lemon marinated chicken with basil leaves and a knife and fork.

    What to Serve With It

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    Recipe

    closeup of sliced grilled chicken with basil leaves.

    Lemon Chicken Marinade

    5 from 18 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: European
    Diet: Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Low Lactose
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 170kcal
    Prep time: 4 minutes mins
    Cook time: 16 minutes mins
    Marinating time 1 hour hour
    Total time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes
    Author: Emmeline Kemperyd
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb chicken any cut

    Marinade

    • 1 lemon juice and zest
    • 20 basil leaves roughly shredded, or 1 tablespoon dried
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil or a neutral oil
    • ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon salt reduce amount if marinating more than 1 hour
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Place all ingredients for the marinade in a bowl and mix.
      1 lemon, 20 basil leaves, 2 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon salt
    • Bring out two plastic bags and place one in the other. Place the chicken in the inner bag and pour over the marinade. Close the bags with a knot and massage the chicken gently through the bags to distribute the marinade evenly. Place in a bowl in the fridge and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour, turning once halfway.
      1 lb chicken
    • Grill, oven bake or pan sear the chicken until cooked all the way through. Cook time will vary with size and cooking method. See notes for approximate cook times.

    Equipment (may contain affiliate links)

    • Plastic bags
    • Measuring spoons*
    • Citrus zester*
    • Citrus juicer* (optional)
    • Mixing bowl*

    Video

    Notes

    Cook times will depend on how thick your chicken is. Always make sure your chicken is cooked through before consuming. Chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).

    Approximate cook times: grill or pan seared

    Chicken thighs (boneless): 5-6 minutes per side
    Chicken thighs (with bone): 6-8 minutes per side
    Chicken breasts: 5-7 minutes per side
     

    Approximate cook times: oven at 350°F (175˚C)

    Chicken thigh filets: 20-25 minutes
    Chicken thighs (bone-in): 30-35 minutes
    Chicken breasts: 25-30 minutes
     

    Tips & tricks

    • Marinate longer for more flavor - but don't marinate for more than a couple of hours, or the chicken can go mushy
    • Let the cooked chicken rest for a few minutes before serving - wrap in aluminium foil or tent with it to retain the heat
    • Serve the chicken hot or cold - it's delicious both ways, cold is great in salads and wraps
     
    Store leftover chicken: Cooked chicken can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
    Store leftover marinade: Store in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 4 days.
    Freeze marinade: Freeze leftover marinade for up to 6 months.
    Freeze marinated chicken: Massage chicken with marinade, then freeze immediately. to cook it later. Thaw by placing the bag in cold water for a few hours before cooking.
    Prep ahead: You can make the marinade up to 4 days in advance. You can also make the chicken 1-2 days ahead of time and servce cold.
     
    Nutritional information assumes half the marinade is actually consumed.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 247mg | Potassium: 301mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 84IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.

    Did you make this? Tag me today!Tag @alwaysusebutter and use the hashtag #alwaysusebutter!

    Recipe FAQ

    Is it OK to marinate chicken in lemon juice?

    Yes, it is a great idea to marinate chicken in lemon. Just be aware that you shouldn't marinate it too long.

    Can I marinate in lemon juice overnight?

    No, this is not a good idea. Lemon juice and similar acidic components start "cooking" the chicken which can make it mushy if left too long.

    If you want to marinate in lemon marinade overnight, skip the lemon juice and double the amount of lemon zest instead.

    What happens if you marinate chicken in lemon juice for too long?

    If you do this, the lemon juice will start "cooking" the chicken, which will make it mushy if left too long.

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    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has 20+ years experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, and The Feed Feed, among others.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anna

      December 04, 2023 at 2:55 pm

      5 stars
      I meal prepped this lemon chicken marinade and was in a bit of a rush so I only let it marinade for 1 hour and the flavors really came through which is amazing if you are short on time! This marinade also helped to keep the chicken from drying out while cooking and is super tasty and simple! So far I have added it to a salad as well as eating it with a side of veggies and it is not only yummy but a great filling source of protein.

      Reply
    2. Foodgoggle

      June 18, 2020 at 6:01 am

      5 stars
      Looks so deliciosu..bookmarked on to our site.

      Reply
      • Emmeline Kemperyd

        June 18, 2020 at 5:42 pm

        Thank you so much, happy to hear it!

        Reply
    3. Traci

      May 19, 2020 at 9:32 pm

      5 stars
      So unique yet so simple...and always delicious! Thanks so much for another winner 🙂

      Reply
      • Emmeline Kemperyd

        May 25, 2020 at 11:33 am

        Thank you Traci! 😃

        Reply
    4. Andrea Metlika

      May 19, 2020 at 9:00 pm

      5 stars
      This Marinade sounds wonderful. One of my absolute favorite flavor combinations for chicken.

      Reply
    5. Jessica Formicola

      May 19, 2020 at 8:41 pm

      5 stars
      This is my go to marinade recipe! We've already used it twice since grilling season started!

      Reply
      • Emmeline Kemperyd

        May 25, 2020 at 11:33 am

        Love that Jessica! Thank you!

        Reply
    6. Caitlyn Erhardt

      May 19, 2020 at 8:32 pm

      5 stars
      Love this recipe. The marinade is super flavorful and the chicken has great flavor.

      Reply
    7. SHANIKA

      May 19, 2020 at 7:54 pm

      5 stars
      This Lemon + Basil Chicken recipe looks amazing! Such an easy dinner option for the entire family!

      Reply
    5 from 18 votes (11 ratings without comment)

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