Easy Lemon Chicken Marinade

5 from 44 votes

Easy Lemon Chicken Marinade

This Easy Lemon Chicken Marinade comes together in about 5 minutes and only requires 6 ingredients, plus salt & pepper. Bake, grill, or pan fry the chicken for the easiest dinner. It is so juicy and tender.

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Marinating Time2

Total Time2 30

Course: Sauce/Dip

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 322kcal

Author: Brianna May

Equipment

Ingredients

⅓ cup olive oil
2 large lemons, zested & juiced
1 ½ Tablespoons dijon mustard
8-10 cloves garlic
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 ½ teaspoons Morton kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (2 pounds)*

Instructions

In a small food processor or blender, add the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and paprika. Blend until completely smooth. (Alternatively, mince the garlic finely and whisk all of the ingredients together.)
In a large bowl or zip top bag, combine the chicken and the marinade until it is completely coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2-12 hours.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the chicken on a large sheet pan, shaking off excess marinade.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Optional: Broil for 2-3 minutes to char the top. Rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
Chicken: You can also use chicken thighs or drumsticks.
Marinate for at least 2 hours. This will allow the chicken to absorb all of those yummy flavors. With that being said, I do not recommend marinating the chicken for more than 12 hours because of the acidity. Lemon juice will break down the proteins too much making it mushy, rubbery, or tough. It can also become too salty.
Shake off excess. If you leave much marinade on the chicken or pour the leftovers on top before cooking, it will boil instead of roast in the oven.
Use a meat thermometer. This is the best way to ensure the chicken comes out juicy and tender. If it comes out dry, it was likely overcooked.
Rest. Allow the meat to rest for about 5 minutes before slicing so it remains juicy.
Marinate & freeze. Follow the recipe through Step 2 using a freezer safe bag. Be sure to squeeze all of the air out of the bag and label it. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge for about 24 hours. The chicken will marinate as it thaws. This is a great time saver and makes meal prepping even easier.
Grill, pan-fry, or slow cook. If you do not want to bake the chicken, you can grill it, sear it on the stove, or slow cook in a crock pot or dutch oven. You can even air fry it at 400 degrees. Just be sure to cook it until it reaches 165 degrees. Cooking times and temperature will vary depending on the cut used.

Nutrition