Grilled Lemon-Herb Chicken Breast
Cut used: Breast chicken →
Prep
10 min (plus 1 hr marinade)
Cook
12 min
Total
1 hr 22 min
Chicken breast is famously easy to overcook on the grill, so this recipe leans on a simple oil-and-lemon marinade to protect moisture and a hot, direct-heat sear to lock in juices quickly. Pounding the breasts to an even thickness ensures the whole piece finishes cooking at the same time. Pulling the chicken off the grill at exactly 165°F is the difference between dry and succulent.
What Ingredients Do You Need?
- 4 (6-8 oz each) Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness
- 1/3 cup Olive oil
- 2 lemons Lemon juice and zest
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tbsp Fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Honey
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
How Do You Make Grilled Lemon-Herb Chicken Breast?
- 1
Make the marinade
Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, rosemary, thyme, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper.
- 2
Marinate
Coat the chicken breasts thoroughly in the marinade and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, up to 6 hours.
- 3
Preheat the grill
Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high (about 450°F) and oil the grates well to prevent sticking.
- 4
Sear over direct heat
Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off, and grill 5-6 minutes on the first side without moving it to develop good grill marks.
- 5
Flip and finish
Flip and grill another 5-6 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F at the thickest point.
- 6
Rest and slice
Rest the chicken on a cutting board for 5 minutes before slicing against the grain to serve.
What Are the Pro Tips for This Recipe?
- 💡 Discard used marinade or boil it first if you want to use it as a sauce, since it touched raw chicken.
- 💡 Pounding to an even 3/4-inch thickness prevents thin ends from drying out before the center finishes.
- 💡 Let the grill grates get properly hot before adding chicken to avoid sticking and tearing.
- 💡 Resting redistributes juices so they stay in the meat rather than pooling on the cutting board.
