Here’s a great chicken recipe… moist and flavorful and all that good stuff: Grilled Chicken with Lemon and Oregano.
I have been making this grilled chicken with lemon and oregano on the grill for so many years now. It’s the best grilled chicken that always turns out super moist and tender. It has great flavor, and it’s super light and healthy too. This is a chicken that is perfect for serving with grilled vegetables or chopping up to add to salads.
We grilled this up for the first time at our beach house on an ‘ol charcoal grill. I like to use boneless breasts or those with bones and skin… anything will work. Just make sure the grill is heated up pretty well before you put the chicken on. If it has to grill too long, you’ll end up with burnt, dry chicken.
One little trick that I usually do when I’m grilling chicken is to transform the breasts into even thickness by pounding the heck out of them with my meat mallet. That eliminates problems with uneven cooking, and the chicken usually has a better shot at remaining moist and tender.
A nice, little addition to this one is grilled lemons. They become soft and juicy, and the lemon flavor mellows a bit to add a good drizzle to the grilled chicken.
The chicken is good on its own or sliced up and placed on top of greens. Enjoy!
Here are a few more grilled chicken recipes you might enjoy:
- Wine Brined Grilled Chicken
- Grilled Cilantro Chicken
- Sesame Ginger Grilled Chicken
- Balsamic Mango Marinated Grilled Chicken
Grilled Chicken with Lemon and Oregano
Recipe Details
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh oregano
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 2 medium lemons, halved
- oregano sprigs, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
PREPARE THE MARINADE:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon zest and juice, oregano, oil, 2 teaspoons coarse salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Divide the marinade between 2 large re-sealable plastic bags. Divide the chicken between the bags; shake to coat. Let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, turning bags occasionally.
GRILL THE CHICKEN:
- Preheat the grill to medium; lightly oil the grates. Remove the chicken from its marinade, and pat dry with paper towels. Place the chicken on the grill. Cover and cook until lightly browned and cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Turn the chicken over, cover and cook until chicken is cooked through (an instant-read thermometer should read 175° when inserted into the thickest part of the chicken). If the chicken is browning too quickly, move to cooler parts of grill or turn grill to low heat.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Tent with foil; let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place lemon halves on the grill, cut side down; cook until slightly charred, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve chicken breasts with grilled lemon halves. Garnish with fresh oregano sprigs, if desired.
Video
Notes
- Chicken grills up best when it's an even thickness throughout the breast. Take the time to pound out the breasts slightly (between two pieces of plastic wrap) to even out the thickness.
Absolutely delicious!
Don’t be deceived by how simple the recipe is.
Grilled lemons are a must!
Thank you for adding in the nutritional information!! kc