Grilled Lemon Rosemary Chicken, an easy dinner idea with a homemade lemon chicken marinade. Plus, tips on how long to grill chicken and uses for any leftover Lemon Rosemary Chicken. This grilled chicken is also naturally low carb, whole food, and delicious!
My family gobbled up this Grilled Lemon Rosemary Chicken in no time! I posted the Lemon Rosemary Grilled Chicken Marinade a few days ago, so now I’m following up with more details on how to not only use that marinade, but grilling tips and ways to use any leftover chicken. My post on How to Marinate Chicken also has some great info and tips.
If you’re a big lemon and rosemary fan, be sure to also check out my Rosemary, Lemon, and Feta Spread and Lemon Rosemary Creamy Salad Dressing. Both have been quite popular lately!
The lemon marinade comes together in just minutes. For the marinade you’ll need fresh lemon juice and zest, olive oil, fresh rosemary sprigs, garlic powder, salt, pepper, onion powder, and Dijon mustard. Whisk all the ingredients together or shake everything together in a covered mason jar.
If you already have the grill fired up, you may also like this Shrimp Quesadilla Recipe.
Did I mention this is also a great low carb dinner? My Low Carb Chicken Dinner Recipes post has even more great low carb chicken recipes if you just can’t get enough.
How to Marinate Chicken
Once you have your marinade all together, you’ll need to marinate your chicken.
I used about 1 1/2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts and cut them in half horizontally. You can also use chicken cutlets, chicken tenderloins, or chicken thighs.
I’d suggest using THIN cuts of chicken though. If your chicken is NOT thin, I’d cut it or pound the chicken with a meat mallet.
Thin cuts of meat will grill faster which means dinner on the table a lot faster! Also, I think the marinade does better with thinner cuts of chicken.
Place your chicken in a large resealable bag and cover with the marinade. I used about 1 cup of the marinade over the chicken. If you are using more chicken, you may need more marinade.
Seal the bag, shake gently to coat the chicken, then set chicken aside.
NOTE: You may want to set some of the marinade aside before pouring on the chicken to use as a sauce when the chicken is done. OR better yet, double the marinade recipe. Use half for the marinade, and half as a sauce and/or for serving.
How Long to Marinate Chicken
Wondering how long to marinate chicken?
If your marinade is not acidic, such as not having citrus juice, vinegar, or anything long those lines, you can marinate chicken for a long time or overnight.
However, if your marinade, such as this lemon rosemary marinade, DOES contain an acidic ingredient, I would suggest marinating your chicken for about 20-30 minutes.
If the marinade is acidic, it will start breaking down the chicken and make it tough and chewy.
The thinner the chicken, the less time I’d let it marinate. For a fattier chicken, such as chicken thighs, you can marinate on the longer side.
How to Grill Chicken
While your chicken is in the marinade, preheat your grill to about medium to medium-high heat.
Once your chicken has been marinating for awhile, remove the chicken from the bag. Gently blot the chicken with paper towels. If there’s too much marinade on the chicken, it can cause some flare-ups on the grill.
If your chicken is thin, grill the chicken on each side about 3-5 minutes per side. For thicker pieces or chicken thighs it may be a bit longer.
If you’re unsure if your chicken is done, you can use a meat thermometer.
Remove the chicken from the grill, cover gently with some aluminum foil, and let the chicken rest about 5-10 minutes before serving. It would also be delicious for this Grilled Chicken Alfredo dish.
Uses for Leftover Chicken
I like to make a big batch of this chicken so that we have a lot leftover! So many uses for leftover chicken in general, but I love adding this leftover Lemon Rosemary Chicken to…
- pasta
- pasta salads
- salads
- sandwiches
- soups
- lettuce wraps
Those are just a few ideas off the top of my head. The chicken is quite versatile and can be used in a wide variety of recipes!
Hope you enjoy this Grilled Lemon Rosemary Chicken! It would be great with these Ricotta Herb Mashed Potatoes and Italian Green Beans. And check out my other easy chicken recipes like my Champagne Chicken!
Grilled Lemon Rosemary Chicken
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh rosemary sprigs chopped
- 1 lemon juiced and zested
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in half horizontally and pounded thin if needed
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl, or place all ingredients in a mason jar, cover, and shake until well combined.
- Place chicken in a resealable bag and pour marinade on top. Toss gently to coat chicken. Set aside for about 20-30 minutes.
- Preheat grill to medium to medium-high.
- Remove chicken from marinade and pat with paper towels to remove excess marinade.
- Grill chicken about 3-5 minutes per side or until cooked through. Remove from grill, cover gently with aluminum foil and let it rest about 10 minutes or so if desired, before serving.
Notes
Nutrition:
(Nutrition data is provided when available for informational purposes only and calculated using an online nutritional calculator. For the most accurate information please calculate based on specific ingredients and brands you use as well as any changes you made to the recipe. I am not a certified nutritionist or registered dietician and any nutritional information provided should only be used as a general guideline and estimate.)
Danielle says
This looks so simple and tasty! My husband would love that marinade!
georgie says
I’m obsessed with anything that has lemon and rosemary in it, so this recipe totally speaks to me! I’d would love to do this for my friends and family with a big ol’ salad!
Emily says
I love the simple flavours you’ve used, I can see this being a favourite!
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
I’m always looking for new grilled chicken recipes to try — love the lemon and rosemary in this one!
Stephanie says
So much flavor going on with that marinade. This sounds like the perfect way to take dinner to the next level of special!