Grilled Lemon Basil Chicken is flavorful and delicious. Thinly pounded chicken breasts are quickly marinated in a mixture of fresh basil, garlic, lemon zest and juice before being grilled to perfection. Makes juicy and flavorful chicken!
I’ve been grilling a lot lately.
From fresh green beans to asparagus, steak skewers to potato salad. I just can’t stop. The weather was fantastic so we try to enjoy as much BBQ time as possible. It’s not quite summer yet, but it certainly feels like it.
In this easy chicken recipe, chicken breasts are pounded thin and then marinated in a simple, flavorful combination of lemon, fresh basil and garlic. I can’t think of a better smell emanating from the grill.
To make this Lemon Basil Grilled Chicken you will need:
- Chicken breast – Choose similarly sized and sized boneless and skinless chicken breasts.
- extra light olive oil – Or replace with avocado oil.
- Lemon Juice and Zest – Add freshness and flavor.
- fresh basil – Lends light herbal freshness.
- Garlic – Adds a distinctly bold flavor.
- kosher salt – Enhances all flavors of the dish.
- freshly ground black pepper – Adds some subtle bite and flavor.
Place your chicken in a mixing bowl and add 1 tablespoon olive oil, the juice of one lemon, 2 teaspoons lemon zest (or more or less to taste), 3 large cloves of minced or grated garlic, a generous pinch of kosher salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper .
Using tongs, turn the chicken over and brush with the marinade. Let the chicken marinate on your countertop for 30 minutes, but no longer.
Next, preheat your grill to 450-500°. After preheating, place the chicken breasts on the grill with tongs and cook with the lid closed for 6 to 8 minutes.
Flip the chicken and continue grilling until fully cooked and no longer pink.
Once fully cooked, transfer to a plate and let rest for about 5 minutes.
What to Serve with Lemon Basil Grilled Chicken:
I Love this Lemon Basil Grilled Chicken with all its subtle lemon basil flavors. It pairs just right with a light side dish and a glass of chilled white wine. It’s really great. Here are some ideas for what to serve with this grilled chicken recipe.
Enjoy! And if you try this Lemon Basil Grilled Chicken recipe, let me know! Take a picture and tag me Twitter or Instagram!
Yield: 4 portions
Grilled Lemon Basil Chicken
Grilled Lemon Basil Chicken is flavorful and delicious. Thinly pounded chicken breasts are quickly marinated in a mixture of fresh basil, garlic, lemon zest and juice before being grilled to perfection. Makes juicy and flavorful chicken!
- 4 Boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 Cup fresh basil, loosely packed, chopped
- 2 teaspoon Lemon peel
- 1 large lemon, juiced or about 1/4 to 1/3 cup
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped or grated
- 1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
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Place two chicken breasts at a time into a gallon-size resealable bag and seal all but one inch of the chicken breasts. Using the flat of a meat mallet, pound the thickest part of the chicken until the entire breast is an even thickness. Place the shredded chicken breasts in a bowl and repeat the process with the remaining chicken.
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In the bowl with the (shredded) chicken, add the chopped basil, garlic, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
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Season with a generous pinch of kosher salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Mix well to combine.
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Don’t let the chicken marinate for more than 30 minutes. In the meantime, preheat your grill to 450-500°.
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Once your grill is hot, place the chicken on the grill for 6-8 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the chicken.
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When chicken is fully cooked and no longer pink, transfer to a platter and let rest 5 minutes before serving.
The best way to shred basil is to stack the leaves on top of each other, roll them into a “cigar” shape, and slice thinly.
Portion: 1G, Calories: 172kcal, Carbohydrates: 3G, Protein: 25G, Fat: 7G, Saturated Fatty Acids: 1G, Polyunsaturated fat: 1G, Monounsaturated fatty acids: 3G, trans fats: 1G, Cholesterol: 72mg, Sodium: 132mg, Potassium: 481mg, Fiber: 1G, Sugar: 1G, Vitamin A: 357IU, Vitamin C: 19mg, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 1mg
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