Name: Lemon Pepper Grilled Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ lb chicken breasts, about 3-4; 1/3 c fresh lemon juice; 1/3 c olive oil; 1 T honey; 1 tsp lemon zest; 2 garlic cloves (minced); 1/2 tsp onion powder; 1 ½ tsp cracked pepper (divided); 1/2 tsp salt

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This simple Lemon Pepper Grilled Chicken is made with a delicious marinade and is so juicy! Fresh lemon juice and zest, lots of pepper, a touch of honey and seasonings for a great grilled chicken breast to enjoy. Pairs well with so many side dishes as well!

Lemon pepper grilled chicken on white plate and salad with fork.

Working on my grilling game recently since it's always been my husband who reigns as grill master in our home.

While I love some good burgers and steak on the grill, I find chicken to be the meat I end up grilling the most. These chicken drumsticks are also a fan favorite, but this lemon pepper grilled chicken is 100% my family's latest obsession. Vibrant flavor and juicy, delicious chicken--can't beat it!

Why You Will Love This Lemon Pepper Grilled Chicken:

It's so juicy and flavorful. The vibrance of the lemon juice and zest give this chicken a nice pop of flavor. Allowing the chicken to sit in the marinade makes for perfect, juicy chicken.
A great option for meal prepping. If you like to get a bunch of items prepped for the week, this lemon pepper grilled chicken is a must. It will pair well with veggies, rice, salads and more all week.
Super minimal ingredients. Aside from the chicken, you just need lemons, honey, olive oil, garlic salt and pepper--that is IT! I always have these all on hand so it's my favorite way to make sure I don't serve the same old chicken all the time.
Can easily be baked or air fried! See the notes below, but you can bake or air fry this lemon pepper chicken if the grill is not in the cards. If you run out of propane or a big storm hits, you can still enjoy it!

Lemon Pepper Grilled Chicken Breasts Ingredients:

chicken: ideally, you want to use chicken breast that are similar in thickness and size. That will allow the chicken to cook evenly. Pound the chicken to even things out before marinating.
lemon: skip the bottled lemon juice--use freshly squeezed lemon juice as well as fresh zest versus the dried version in lemon pepper seasoning. The flavor will be so much more vibrant.
honey: A touch of honey or even maple balances the sour from the lemon nicely.
olive oil: a good, flavorful extra virgin olive oil will add to the strength of flavor for your grilled chicken
garlic: freshly minced garlic is ideal, but if you don't have any, garlic powder can work as well.
onion powder: the only seasoning I add to the chicken--a touch is enough!
pepper: freshly cracked for the best lemon pepper chicken
sea salt: you can adjust the salt in this recipe as desired

Step-By Step Instructions:

Marinate Your Chicken: To get all the flavor possible out of your lemon pepper chicken, marinate it for at least 30 minutes if possible and up to overnight. Whisk all the marinade ingredients together. Add the chicken to a plastic bag or shallow dish and pour the marinade over the chicken, gently massaging it into the chicken. Seal and refrigerate until ready to grill.

When you are ready to preheat the grill, remove the chicken from the marinade. You can save the extra marinade to brush on the chicken while grilling if desired, but it's not necessary.

Lemon pepper marinade in bowl with whisk.

Before pre-heating your grill, clean and oil it--you can learn some tips on best practices here. Once your grill is oiled, preheat it to medium high heat.

Place the chicken presentation side down over the heated grill. Grilling time will essentially vary based on the thickness and size of your chicken as well as your grill's temperature. Medium-high is around 400°F.

Heat about 6-8 minutes per side. Chicken breast needs to reach an internal temperature of 165°F. The temperature will still rise when removed from the grill so I like to pull it off at about 155°F or 160°F. Use a digital meat thermometer for easy and accurate reading.

Once the chicken is removed from the grill, allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving or slicing.

Plate with freshly grilled lemon pepper chicken.

Tips for the Best Grilled Chicken:

Grills and chicken size will vary--cook time is never a guarantee. You know your grill. Using a meat thermometer and keeping an eye on the chicken is what will ensure success. Make sure the heat is around 400°F and keep your chicken evenly sized and they should all cook at the same rate.
Use medium-high heat to keep chicken from drying out. There are different schools of thought on the temperature for grilling chicken. While some say use high heat, I find that medium-high heat is better insurance for keeping the chicken from becoming too dry.
Use an instant read meat thermometer to make sure the chicken is not over cooked. I use one similar to this and it takes all of the guess work out of grilling and cooking meat in general.

What to Serve with Your Lemon Pepper Grilled Chicken:

I love this lemon pepper chicken mainly because it pairs so well with so many sides. I often serve it with a fresh salad like this Lemon Orzo Salad or this Tortellini Caprese Pasta Salad.

You could serve it up with some Parmesan Roasted Green Beans and Garlic Mashed Potatoes for a more comforting meal. I also love this Gruyere Mac and Cheese as a side for just about ANYTHING.

And don't forget to add some cornbread to the mix. We make this version ALL the time. It complements every meal in my opinion!

Grilled lemon pepper chicken on white plate with salad greens and lemon slices.

Can I Bake or Air Fry This Chicken?

Of course you can! If the grill runs out of gas or the storms run through right before you are ready to cook, you can easily shift things.

To Bake: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Add the chicken to a baking dish with all of the marinade. Brush any excess over top of the chicken. Bake for about 22-25 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

To Air Fry: Preheat the air fryer to 360°F. Spray the basket with oil. Place the chicken presentation side down. Cook for 10 minutes. Flip and cook another 6-10 minutes, checking the internal temperature regularly until it is just under 165°F.

Other Chicken Recipes:

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Grilled lemon pepper chicken on white plate with lemon slices and salad.

Lemon Pepper Grilled Chicken

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Grilling, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 16 minutes

Marinate: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 279kcal

Author: Lorie Yarro

Ingredients

Instructions

Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, lemon zest, onion powder, 1 teaspoon of pepper, and salt. Add the chicken breasts to a large plastic bag and pound to make them even thickness. Add the marinade to the bag and gently massage into the chicken. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and up to overnight.
Before preheating the grill, transfer the chicken to a dish and top with remaining ½ teaspoon of cracked pepper and brush excess marinade over top. Allow to come to room temperature for even cooking.
Preheat your grill to medium high heat, about 400°F. Oil and clean before or after preheating (different schools of thought on this, but we do before). When grill is ready, place the chicken, presentation side down.
Cook the chicken breasts 6-8 minutes per side. If you go to flip the chicken and it doesn't pull away from the grill easily, allow it to cook another minute. The chicken is safe to eat at 165°F but it's best to pull off of the grill around 155°F-160°F. It will continue to cook off the grill as well.
Allow the chicken to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days or wrapped tightly in foil. You can also freeze leftovers. Allow to cool completely and then add to a freezer safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Notes

Grills and chicken size will vary--cook time is never a guarantee. You know your grill. Using a meat thermometer and keeping an eye on the chicken is what will ensure success. Make sure the heat is around 400°F and keep your chicken evenly sized and they should all cook at the same rate.
Use medium-high heat to keep chicken from drying out. There are different schools of thought on the temperature for grilling chicken. While some say use high heat, I find that medium-high heat is better insurance for keeping the chicken from becoming too dry.
Use an instant read meat thermometer to make sure the chicken is not over cooked. I use one similar to this and it takes all of the guess work out of grilling and cooking meat in general.