Lemon Chicken Marinade (for Grilling)
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on May 22, 2023 (last updated Apr 3, 2026) 
This lemon chicken marinade delivers juicy, flavorful grilled chicken with just 30 minutes of marinating time, no overnight wait needed. Fresh lemon, garlic, Dijon, and parsley come together in 5 minutes for a high-protein dinner that works any night of the week
5 star review
“WOW, this recipe is perfection!! I made a double batch of this recipe a week ago planning to freeze half for later. That never happened. The chicken was so delicious that my family never got tired of eating the leftovers. I would change absolutely nothing about this. Thank you Robyn!”
– Emily
Lemon Garlic Chicken Marinade for Grilling
This isn’t just another boring chicken recipe, in fact, this is the best lemon chicken marinade that will take simple chicken to the next level. Now, I get it, marinades can take a time bit of planning ahead, but don’t let that stop you, as the flavor payoff is definitely worth it! And, this easy chicken marinade is so quick and easy to throw together and then when it comes to hands-on cooking time, the chicken takes only fifteen minutes.
No grill? This marinade works just as well in the oven or on the stovetop. To bake, shake off the excess marinade and cook at 450°F until the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part, about 20-25 minutes for breasts or 15–20 minutes for thighs. For the stovetop, slice the chicken into tenders and cook over medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes per side. Either way, let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing, then drizzle with the reserved marinade for a final hit of fresh lemon flavor.
And don’t just use this lemon garlic marinade doesn’t in the summer summer, as it’s a great marinade for all times of year. Once you try this one, you’ll definitely want to try some of my other favorite marinades that take chicken to the next level like my Greek yogurt chicken marinade, and top-rated teriyaki chicken marinade. And if you love lemon herb chicken, the my cooker lemon herb pulled chicken is a great make-ahead option that uses similar flavors with almost no hands-on time.
Welcome to My Kitchen, Let’s Make Grilled Lemon Garlic Chicken
Testing Tips for Juicy Grilled Lemon Chicken
- Lemon juice and zest: The fresh lemon juice helps to tenderize and infuse the chicken with lots of flavor, and the lemon zest really helps punch up the lemony flavor, so it’s definitely worth using fresh lemons for this recipe.
- Fresh parsley: Fresh herbs add so much flavor to this marinade, but free to use another fresh herb like dill or basil. I personally love the freshness basil adds.
- Sugar: The sugar helps tenderize the chicken, so I don’t recommend skipping it (but you can if you need to). You could substitute it with coconut sugar.
- Dijon mustard: One of my favorite ingredient staples to keep on hand, especially great in dressings and sauces/ marinade recipes. I like the subtle heat that Dijon mustard brings but you could use any mustard you like.
- Garlic cloves: Fresh minced garlic definitely elevates this simple recipe, but if you’re very short on time or don’t have any on hand, 1 teaspoon of granulated garlic powder can be substituted.
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts work well in this recipe. Chicken thighs have a higher fat content which adds flavor when grilled.
Step-by-Step Video:
Lemon Chicken Marinade (for Grilling)
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (6-8 ounce each), or boneless skinless chicken breasts
Equipment
- Grill pan optional
Instructions
Marinade Instructions
- Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, sugar, mustard, salt, pepper, and garlic in a small bowl.
- Pour half of the lemon chicken marinade along with 2 tablespoons of water into a 1-gallon zip-top bag or baking dish. Set the remaining half of the lemon chicken marinade aside.
- Toss the chicken to coat, then press as much air out of the bag (if using) as possible, or cover with plastic wrap (if using a baking dish). Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 60 minutes, flipping every 15 minutes.
Grilling Instructions
- When ready to grill, heat a gas grill to high. Allow to preheat for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the marinade, shake off any excess, and discard any remaining marinade from the bag or dish.
- Grill, with the cover down, for 6-9 minutes, then flip, and grill uncovered until the internal temperature reaches 160, about 2-6 additional minutes.
- Remove to a cutting board and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice against the grain into ½ inch slices, and serve drizzled with remaining marinade.
Notes
- I don’t recommend marinating the chicken longer than 60 minutes as the acidity from the lemon breaks down the protein, leaving it with a mushy texture.
So easy and quick to make. Perfect for summertime meals. This recipe will be on repeat this summer!
Yay, so happy to hear you enjoyed this one Julie! Thanks so much for leaving a review!
WOW, this recipe is perfection!! I made a double batch of this recipe a week ago planning to freeze half for later. That never happened. The chicken was so delicious that my family never got tired of eating the leftovers. I would change absolutely nothing about this. Thank you Robyn!
Yay, Emily, so happy to hear this one was a hit and love that you’re saving half to freeze. So smart! Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Can you bake this or put it in the Instapot?
Hi Katryna, I haven’t tested this recipe in the instant pot, but I imagine it would work. Try following the marinade directions, and then adding the chicken along with 1/4 cup of the marinade to the instant pot. Then cook on high pressure for 8-10 minutes, then quick release. Discard the cooking liquid and serve with the remaining marinade. If you give it a try let me know how it turns out.
My 20 year o0ld grandson recommended this, so we tried it today. It was perfect, so easy, and I followed the exact recipe. We’ll be serving this to guests in a couple of weeks. It’s a keeper.
Linda, sounds like you have a pretty great grandson! So happy you enjoyed the recipe, and thanks so much for leaving a review! 🙂
Super flavorful! Loved how you only need to marinade for 30 minutes!
Katherine, yay, 30-minute marinades for the win! So happy to hear you enjoyed this one, and thanks so much for leaving a reivew!
This is my second five star review. I’ve used this for chicken a few times, and salmon twice recently, and our guests loved it. It’s so easy and fresh, and just right for chicken and fish. It’s a keeper.
Linda, thank you for tip on using this marinade for salmon — what a great idea! We’ll definitely be trying your idea soon. Thanks so much for leaving another review!
So so good! The seasoning on this was a bit of lemony yumminess! I love the marinade because it kept the chicken nice and moist while cooking. I don’t work the grill so I presliced the chicken into tenders and cooked it on the stove. It was awesome! Thanks for another great recipe.
Jodi, I always love reading your reviews! Love that you did cooked the chicken on the stovetop, too. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts!
This recipe is our go to. My son meal preps this recipe for his lunches and my husband makes this weekly! Never gets old!
Yay, so happy to hear this one is a hit. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!
This was so quick and delicious, my whole family enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing it Robyn!
So glad you enjoyed, Maria. Thanks so much for leaving a review!
This was so delicious!
This sounds delicious! I don’t have a grill though. How would you go about doing it in the oven or in a skillet?
Lydia, I’ve added oven baked and air fryer instructions for you. I hope you enjoy!
Would like instructions for doing in the oven – everything is prepped and ready to go – grill not working!
Cathy, to bake, shake off the excess marinade, add to a prepared large baking dish, and bake at 450F until fully cooked (165F in the thickest part of the breast). Let rest 5 minutes, then slice and serve.