Grilled Lemon Basil Chicken is flavorful and delicious. Thinly pounded chicken breasts quickly marinate in a blend of fresh basil, garlic, lemon zest and juice before being grilled to perfection. Yielding moist and flavorful chicken!

I’ve been a grilling A lot lately.

From fresh green beans to asparagus, steak kebabs to potato salad. I just can’t seem to stop. The weather has been amazing so we’re trying to soak in as much grilling time as possibly. It’s not quite summer yet, but it sure feels like it.

In this easy chicken recipe, chicken breasts are pounded thin before marinating in an easy flavorful combination of lemon, fresh basil and garlic. I can’t think of a better smell coming off of the grill.

Grilled Lemon Basil Chicken ingredients.

To Make This Grilled Lemon Basil Chicken You will Need:

  • chicken breasts – Choose boneless skinless chicken breasts similar in size and with.
  • extra light olive oil – Or substitute with avocado oil.
  • lemon juice and zest – Add freshness and flavor.
  • fresh basil – Lends bright herbaceous freshness.
  • garlic – Adds distinct punchy flavor.
  • kosher salt – Enhances all the flavors in the dish.
  • freshly ground black pepper – Adds some subtle bite and flavor.

chicken, basil, garlic, salt and pepper, lemon juice and zest and olive oil in a bowl

Place your chicken in a mixing bowl and add in 1 tablespoon olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, 2 teaspoons lemon zest (or more or less to taste), 3 large cloves of garlic that have been minced or grated, a generous pinch of kosher salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper.

chicken tossed in lemon, basil and garlic

Use tongs to toss and coat the chicken in the marinade. Allow the chicken to marinate on your counter for 30 minutes and not longer than that.

chicken on a grill with lemons

Next, preheat your grill to 450-500°. Once preheated, use tongs to transfer the chicken breasts on to the grill and cook, with the lid closed, for 6 to 8 minutes.

grilled lemon basil chicken on grill

Flip and continue to grill the chicken until fully cooked and no longer pink.

Once fully cooked remove to a plate to rest for about 5 minutes.

What To Serve With Grilled Lemon Basil Chicken:

I love this grilled lemon basil chicken, with all of its subtle lemony-basil-ness. It’s just the thing to go along with a light side and a glass of chilled white wine. It really is superb. Here are some ideas on what to serve with this grilled chicken recipe..

Enjoy! And if you give this Grilled Lemon Basil Chicken recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!

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Yield: 4 servings

Grilled Lemon Basil Chicken

Grilled Lemon Basil Chicken is flavorful and delicious. Thinly pounded chicken breasts quickly marinate in a blend of fresh basil, garlic, lemon zest and juice before being grilled to perfection. Yielding moist and flavorful chicken!

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 cup fresh basil, loosely packed, minced
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • 1 large lemon, juiced or about 1/4 to 1/3 cup
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced or grated
  • 1 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Instructions 

  • Place 2 chicken breasts into a gallon size re-sealable bag at a time, sealing all but an inch or so. Using the flat side of a meat tenderizer, pound the thickest part of the chicken until the whole breast is uniform in thickmess. Transfer the pounded chicken breasts to a bowl and repeat with remaining chicken.
  • To the bowl with the (pounded) chicken, add minced basil, garlic, lemon zest and juice and olive oil, salt and pepper.
  • Season with a generous pinch of kosher salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Toss well to combine.
  • Allow the chicken to marinate for no longer than 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your grill to 450-500°.
  • Once your grill is hot, place the chicken on the grill for 6-8 minutes a side, depending on thickness of chicken.
  • When the chicken is fully cooked and no longer pink, remove the chicken to a platter and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

The best way to mince basil is to stack the leaves on top of eachother, roll into a "cigar" shape and thinly slice.
Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on SimplyScratch.com should only be used as a general guideline.
Serving: 1g, Calories: 172kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 72mg, Sodium: 132mg, Potassium: 481mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 357IU, Vitamin C: 19mg, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 1mg