Garlic, Lemon, and Herb Grilled Chicken Breasts

This garlic lemon chicken recipe is the low-carb grilled chicken I make on repeat all summer long! And I’ve made Garlic, Lemon, and Herb Grilled Chicken Breasts frequently for guests. This chicken has always been a hit, and it’s also super low in carbs!

PIN this garlic lemon chicken recipe to try it later!

I think mid-May definitely means grilling season has arrived (at least in Utah) and today I’m reminding you of these Garlic, Lemon, and Herb Grilled Chicken Breasts that are one of my go-to grilled chicken recipes to make for dinner guests. And in the photo this garlic lemon chicken recipe is served with Spicy Mexican Slaw, which is another one of my regulars when I’m cooking for guests.

I created this recipe a few years ago and it was  a riff on Grilled Chicken and Veggie Kabobs, but sometimes you don’t want to bother with kabobs. And the garlic lemon chicken recipe was such a hit that I made it all summer long for guests during the second summer after I moved to the new house. And my friend Mary’s granddaughter even said “This chicken is GOOD,” which I thought definitely qualifies it to be called kid-friendly.

If you’re a regular reader who hasn’t tried this grilled chicken yet, I hope this reminder will get you try try it. And this might become your favorite recipe for grilled chicken too; hope you enjoy!

What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

• boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Olive Oil (affiliate link)
• fresh-squeezed lemon juice, I used my fresh-frozen lemon juice
• Garlic Powder (affiliate link)
• Spike Seasoning (affiliate link), or use another all-purpose seasoning blend
• Dried Basil (affiliate link)
• Dried Oregano (affiliate link)
• Onion Powder (affiliate link)
• Dried Sage (affiliate link)
• black pepper

Why is this garlic lemon chicken recipe such a favorite for me?

Chicken breasts cooked on the grill are always on the summer menu at my house, so why is this particular grilled chicken such a go-to for me? It’s because it uses mostly pantry ingredients I always have on hand, plus the recipe makes 6 servings and this chicken makes great leftovers to go on top of a salad, in a lettuce wrap, or inside whole-wheat pita bread.

Why do I use garlic powder for this garlic lemon chicken recipe?

Some people have asked me about using fresh minced garlic for this chicken recipe, but when you use fresh garlic in a marinade I feel like the little pieces of garlic tend to get too brown on the grill, which gives it a flavor I don’t find appealing. You can add a tiny bit more garlic powder if you want lots of garlic flavor.

My Tips for Making Juicy Grilled Chicken Breasts:

Check out my post on How to Make Juicy Grilled Chicken Breasts to see my Five Easy Steps for Juicy Grilled Chicken!

How to make Garlic, Lemon, and Herb Grilled Chicken Breasts:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

1. Trim the chicken breasts so they’re the same thickness and any visible fat or undesirable parts are removed, and then cut shallow slits going crosswise down each chicken breast.  (I save the scraps in the freezer to make homemade chicken stock, so I don’t mind trimming.)
2. Whisk together the marinade ingredients.
3. Marinate chicken in the fridge for about 8 hours, turning occasionally if you’re home.  (A slightly shorter or longer marinating time won’t matter much, but I usually start marinating mid-morning for chicken to cook for dinner that night.)
4. When it’s time to cook, spray grill with non-stick spray or brush with oil, preheat grill to medium-high, and drain the chicken and let it come to room temperature.  (If you don’t drain off the marinade, it will flame up when the oil drips down on the grill.)
5. Here’s the secret to perfect grill marks.  Cook the chicken on an angle to the grill for about 3-4 minute, then lift up the edge of each piece of chicken and look to see that the grill marks are as dark as you’d like before you rotate the pieces.
6. When the first set of grill marks are nice and dark, rotate the chicken pieces going at the opposite angle on the grill and cook 3-4 minutes more, again checking the grill marks before you turn the chicken over.
7. When you have nice grill marks, turn the chicken completely over and cook 4-6 minutes more, or until chicken feels firm but not hard to the touch.  (Thinner breasts will take less time.)
8. Serve Garlic, Lemon, and Herb Grilled Chicken Breasts hot and enjoy!

Make it a Low-Carb Meal:

If you’re making this garlic lemon chicken recipe for a low-carb meal, it would be great with World’s Easiest Grilled Vegetables, Grilled Mushrooms, Stir-Fried Spinach with Garlic and Parmesan, or Loaded Cauliflower Potato Salad. And of course, the Spicy Mexican Slaw that’s shown in the photo was a perfect side dish with this grilled chicken.

More Tasty Chicken for Dinner:

• Very Greek Grilled Chicken
• Baked Parmesan Crusted Chicken
• Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
• Baked Chicken Nuggets
• Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks

Weekend Food Prep:

This garlic lemon chicken recipe has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep where you’ll find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week! And the leftovers from this chicken are perfect to eat inside low-carb pita bread or on a salad!

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Yield: 6 servings

Garlic, Lemon, and Herb Grilled Chicken Breasts

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 14 minutes

Total Time 39 minutes

This recipe for Garlic, Lemon, and Herb Grilled Chicken Breasts is a great recipe for  summer grilling! And this garlic lemon chicken recipe is the one I make on repeat all summer long.

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Marinade Ingredients

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 T fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 1 T garlic powder
• 2 tsp. Spike Seasoning (or use another all-purpose seasoning blend)
• 2 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. dried sage
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

Instructions

1. Trim any visible fat from the chicken breasts, and if some breasts are a lot thicker than others trim some of the underneath part to make them about the same thickness.  (I save the scraps in the freezer to make homemade chicken stock.)
2. Cut short shallow slits crosswise going down each chicken breast.
3. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, Spike Seasoning (affiliate link) or other all-purpose seasoning blend, dried basil, dried oregano, onion powder, dried sage, and pepper to make the marinade.
4. Put the chicken in a single layer in a Ziploc bag (or a plastic container with a snap-tight lid).
5. Pour in the marinade, and marinate in the fridge for 8 hours, turning occasionally if you’re home.  (A slightly shorter or longer marinating time won’t matter but I would marinate at least 5-6  hours if possible.)
6. When you’re ready to cook, dump the chicken breasts into a colander and drain off the marinade.  (If you take it directly from the marinade and place on the hot grill, it will flame up from the marinade that drips down.)
7. Make sure the grill is clean; then spray with non-stick grill spray or brush with oil and preheat the grill to medium-high.
8. Lay the chicken top side down on an angle to the grill grates and cook 3-4 minutes; then lift up the edge of each piece of chicken to see if the grill marks are showing as much as you’d like.
9. When you have nice grill marks, rotate each chicken breast so it’s at the opposite angle to the grill grates and cook 3-4 minutes more (again lifting each piece of chicken to check the grill marks.)
10.  When you have good criss-cross grill marks, turn the chicken over and cook 4-6 minutes on the other side.
11.  Actual cooking time will depend on how thick the chicken breasts are and how hot your grill is, but chicken should feel firm but not hard to the touch when you press down on it with your finger.
12.  Chicken should be cooked to 165F/74C to be safe; if you have an Instant-Read Meat Thermometer (affiliate link), that’s a perfect way to tell when it’s done.)
13.  Serve hot.
14. This chicken is great for leftovers.  Refrigerate until needed; then cut up and serve over a salad, in lettuce wraps with avocado and salsa, or inside low-carb pita bread with some Tzatziki sauce.

Notes

I use my fresh-frozen lemon juice for this recipe.The chicken could also be cooked in a stove-top grill pan with ridges or a George Foreman Grill with good results. (affiliate links)

Remember you are not eating all the marinade, so nutritional information for this recipe has been adjusted to take that into consideration.

This recipe created by Kalyn as a variation to Grilled Chicken and Veggie Kabobs with Garlic and Basil.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 368Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5.4gCholesterol: 102mgSodium: 597mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 38g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

Did you make this recipe?

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating (under the PRINT button in the recipe) or share a photo of your results on Instagram! THANKS!

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
This garlic lemon chicken recipe is a perfect main dish for any low-carb, Keto, or low-glycemic eating plan, and also for any phase of the  original South Beach Diet. 

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Grilling Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This grilled garlic lemon chicken was first posted in 2014. The recipe was last updated with more information in 2023.

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