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All you need are 20 minutes for this simple lemon marinade for chicken with garlic, oregano, and olive oil to do its magic!
Lemon Marinade for Chicken
Citrus fruits, as well as olive oil, garlic, and oregano, were staple ingredients in my grandmother’s kitchen in Spain. Not a week went by where she didn’t make a lemon marinade for chicken breasts or thighs and pan-seared them to perfection.
Second to this incredible and quick chicken marinade would be her quick orange marinade. Over the years, I’ve done my best to document her ways of making plain chicken (especially breasts) taste great, and chicken marinades is one of them.
Lemon Chicken Marinade Ingredients
You’ll find the amounts for this marinade recipe in the recipe card; but before you swap or omit ingredients that would alter the flavor, here is what’s being used:
- Olive oil: an essential and flavorful oil that will coat the chicken with the rest of the flavor. You don’t have to use the most expensive variety since the marinade will be discarded.
- Fresh Lemon: you’ll need the zest (the skin finely grated) and the juice. The acid of the juice will tenderize the chicken and add loads of flavor.
- Garlic: I use garlic cloves, although in a pinch, you could use garlic powder, about 1 teaspoon.
- Salt & Pepper: salt is a must for a marinade so the chicken is tasty. Pepper adds some seasoning.
- Dried oregano: another staple in Mediterranean cooking, dried oregano adds an earthy flavor to the marinade. You can use Italian seasoning if you’re out or 1 tablespoon of fresh oregano if you have it.
Serve with: Lemon Roasted Asparagus
Does Lemon Juice Tenderize Chicken?
If you marinate chicken in lemon juice for a long time, the acids begin to slowly break down the proteins in the chicken. This leads to changes in texture, such as chewy chicken after it’s cooked; which is why it should be marinated in the fridge and for no longer than 1 hour.
How Long to Marinate Chicken in Lemon Juice
Chicken needs about 20 minutes in the fridge to soak up the flavors of the lemon juice and herbs but no longer than 1 hour; longer than that, it’s not necessary and will change the texture of the chicken after it’s cooked.
If you’re not around or need a marinade, you can keep it overnight; opt for recipes without citrus or lemon juice, like this Korean chicken marinade or a spicy marinade.
Can You Marinate Chicken Too Long?
I don’t recommend marinating chicken for more than 24 hours. After that, there’s a high chance you’ll end up with stringy and dry chicken meat. You can always cook it and freeze it or freeze it raw.
How to Make Lemon Marinated Chicken
Marinating is only half the fun of making a delicious chicken for dinner. Some tips in the main steps that will yield the best chicken dinner include:
- Marinate
Combine the marinade ingredients in a large zip bag or air-tight container and refrigerate for 20 minutes to 1 hour. - Remove from fridge
Let the chicken sit out of the fridge for 5 to 10 minutes so it’s not fridge-cold when you cook it. This ensures that the chicken cooks to a safe-to-eat temperature without drying out. Due to overcooking. - Cook the first side
Heat a large pan first, and once hot, add a little oil and distribute it. For a good sear, place the chicken exactly where it will be cooked. Discard the marinade. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes on the first side. - Flip & cook
Flip the chicken over and cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165F. Butterflied chicken breasts only need half of the cooking time.
Can You Free Marinated Chicken
Yes! All you have to do is add the chicken and marinade in a bag and freeze it together. Then when you defrost the chicken, it will be ready to be cooked. Trust me, your future self will thank you.
Best Sides for Lemon Chicken
Lemon chicken is flavorful and pairs great with other healthy sides like pan-seared asparagus, garlic-herb cauliflower steaks, steamed green beans, or a simple arugula side salad.
Quick Lemon Chicken Marinade
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large lemon, juiced & zested
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 lbs of chicken breasts, cubed
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk the olive oil with lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Pour in a large zip bag.
- Add the chicken breasts to the marinade, and seal. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to 4 hours.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat up the olive oil. Place the chicken breasts on skillet and cook, 5-7 minutes on each side, until the chicken is cooked through at an internal temperature of 165F.
- Remove the chicken and let it rest 5 to 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Jackie says
Great lemon chicken marinade recipe.
Marsha says
I made this lemon chicken marinade three times now. I’ve used it for chicken breasts twice and for chicken kabobs. soooo tasty
Eva says
Hi, I would like to know if you wash and re-use the ziplock bags used for marinating more than once.
Thanks, Eva
Laura Fuentes says
I do not. There is no safe way of disinfecting a zip bag once it’s had raw chicken. I often marinate inside a container but for photography, a zip bag is clear and see-through and it shows the contents better. I hope you try this quick lemon chicken marinade.