Quick and Easy Lemon Chicken

This is one of those quick and easy weeknight meals that you’ll want to keep forever—even picky eaters like it! Meals like this are what we grew up on, and we still love it just as much as we did decades ago. If you’re tired of fighting with your kids to finish their dinner, this is the recipe for you. And as a bonus, you’ll love it too!

Why Our Recipe

• Our 30-minute marinade is both quick and delicious!
• Made with simple ingredients you likely already have on hand.
• Goes with just about everything, so you don’t have to stress about the sides!

With a marinade made from fresh lemon juice, herbs, and pantry staples, this dish comes together quickly. Whether you’re looking for a weeknight dinner or a meal to impress, this recipe has you covered for both. It also pairs well with almost any side—think roasted veggies, steamed rice, or a simple green salad.

Ingredient Notes

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: Choose evenly sized breasts for consistent cooking. You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs, they’ll just take longer to cook.
• Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice is going to give you the best flavor, but bottled lemon juice works too and it sure is convenient.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Regular olive oil works as well as other neutral-flavored oils.
• Lemon Pepper: Lemon pepper is a mix of black pepper, lemon zest, and a pinch of garlic powder.
• Dried Basil and Oregano: We’re keeping it simple with dried herbs to make this dish as easy as possible.

Marinating Times

For this recipe, 30 minutes is all you need to pack in plenty of fresh, zesty flavor. It’s perfect for those busy weeknights when time isn’t on your side. If you have more time, though, you can let the chicken soak up the marinade for up to 8 hours.

Don’t go overboard. Marinating for too long—especially more than 12 hours—can actually make the chicken mushy because of the acid in the lemon juice.

A quick 15-minute marinade will still give you a little boost of flavor. Just toss the chicken in the marinade while you prep your sides, and you’re good to go!

Freezer Option

Here’s a little kitchen hack: freeze your chicken right in the marinade! It marinates while it thaws—how easy is that? Just pop your chicken and marinade into a freezer-safe bag, press out as much air as you can, and freeze it.

When you’re ready to cook, thaw it in the fridge. This keeps things food-safe and gives the marinade plenty of time to work its magic. Depending on the size of your chicken pieces, thawing might take a few hours or overnight.

Make it a Meal

Serve with Grains: Pair lemon chicken with a side of fluffy rice, quinoa, or couscous.

Add Vegetables: Roasted or steamed vegetables complement the zesty chicken well. Consider options like broccoli, asparagus, green beans, or dress up frozen vegetables for a quick and easy option.

Top a Salad: A fresh salad, whether it’s a simple green salad, a Caeser salad, or a more elaborate Greek salad, adds a refreshing element to the meal.

Include a Starch: For a heartier meal, add a starch like roasted or mashed potatoes, or even a slice of crusty bread to soak up the delicious juices from the chicken.

Pair with Pasta: Lemon chicken goes well with a simple pasta for a hearty and filling meal.