Easy Baked Lemon Garlic Chicken
Want an easy lemon garlic chicken for quick weeknight dinners? Start with this simple lemon chicken marinade and let the chicken pieces soak up all the zippy flavors. The whole family will love this juicy baked lemon chicken recipe.
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Lately, we’re eating a lot of chicken, and this lemon chicken marinade has become one of our favorites for seasoning chicken pieces. We love the tangy punch of citrus from fresh lemon zest and juice, along with pungent garlic and fresh oregano.
I like to serve this lemon garlic chicken with side dishes like mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, steamed rice or rice pilaf, simple but tasty veggies like Tomatoes Provençal, Creamed Spinach or Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Maple or even just a simple green salad.
Why you’ll love this lemon chicken recipe
- It’s bright and flavorful with a great mix of fresh seasonings.
- This lemon chicken marinade works on any type of chicken pieces, including boneless, skinless breasts, thighs, etc.
- The lemon garlic chicken only needs to marinate for 1-2 hours before baking (or grilling).
- Kids love the lemon garlic marinade on thighs and drumsticks.
- It’s simple to make and you probably already have the ingredients.
- After marinating, the baked lemon chicken is ready to eat in about 40-45 minutes.
- Leftovers are great served cold, straight from the refrigerator.
What you’ll need for my lemon garlic chicken:
- Garlic – I recommend chopping it fresh for the best flavor.
- Lemon – you need the juice and zest for this baked chicken.
- Black Pepper – fresh ground will give you the most flavor.
- Kosher Salt – I use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, which is less salty by volume than Morton’s. If you use Morton’s, you may want to use a tad less.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes – for a little spicy kick.
- Honey – Adds a hint of sweetness to balance the flavors.
- Olive Oil – You don’t need fancy finishing oils, just your everyday oil.
- Fresh Greek Oregano – Fresh oregano has a robust, intense flavor. You won’t need a lot.
- Fresh Parsley – you can also use dried.
- Cut-Up Chicken Pieces or (boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs)
How to make lemon garlic marinade and baked chicken
- Combine garlic, lemon zest, kosher salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, oregano, parsley, lemon juice, and olive oil in a small bowl. Mix well to combine.
- Transfer the chicken to a zip-top storage bag and pour the marinade over it. Press out the air and seal the bag, then massage it so the meat is well coated with the lemon garlic marinade.
- Refrigerate for 1-2 hours, turning once or twice, to let the lemon garlic marinade soak into the chicken pieces and tenderize them.
- Preheat the oven to 425°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil (for easier cleanup) and rest a wire baking rack over the foil. Lightly spray the rack with vegetable spray.
- Arrange the chicken pieces on the rack (so they don’t touch).
- For bone-in, skin-on lemon-marinated chicken, bake for 20 minutes. Use tongs to flip each piece and bake for another 20 minutes. Flip the chicken again and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the juices run clear.
- For boneless skinless breasts or thighs, skip the wire rack and place the lemon-marinated chicken directly on the pan. Bake the chicken for 18-20 minutes, or until the juices run clear.
If you don’t want to heat up the kitchen with a hot oven, you can easily make lemon chicken on the grill.
How to grill lemon garlic chicken pieces:
- Preheat the grill to 425°. Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towels before grilling.
- Grill the bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces skin-side down for about 8 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 8 minutes.
- Flip the lemon-marinated chicken again, turning them 90° to give them a crosshatch look.
- Cook for an additional 8-10 minutes, until the meat reaches 165° on an instant-read thermometer (I like the Thermoworks Thermapen 1 Instant-Read Thermometer, and I’m an affiliate, so you can take advantage of special discounts).
- Let the chicken rest for about 5-8 minutes before serving so the juices can settle back into the meat.
Pro-Tips:
- Don’t marinate the chicken for a longer period (like all day or overnight). Letting the chicken marinate too long in the citrus juices can actually have a negative impact, turning the flesh stringy or even mushy.
- For the best flavor, marinate the lemon garlic chicken for as little as one hour or up to three hours.
Swaps and Variations for baked lemon chicken
This is a very versatile lemon chicken recipe, and you can certainly customize it to make it your own. Here are a few simple variations:
- Use rosemary and thyme (freshly chopped) in place of the oregano and parsley. This is more of a French or Italian vibe.
- Use maple syrup instead of honey, and swap orange zest and juice for lemon.
- Make cilantro lime chicken by swapping out the citrus and herbs.
FAQs
Can I make the lemon garlic marinade in advance?
You can make it up to a day in advance, but I think the flavors are best when they are very fresh.
Can I marinate the chicken overnight?
No. I would recommend marinating the chicken no more than 3 hours. Citrus juices can make meat tough and stringy if you soak it too long.
Can I use dried oregano?
Dried oregano won’t have the same pungent flavor as fresh, so I’d recommend it if you can get some—or substitute fresh Marjoram instead. If you use dried oregano, make sure it’s not out of date. Use one and a half teaspoons of dried spice and rub it in your hands before adding it to the lemon garlic marinade.
This simple baked chicken recipe goes with so many things (another reason we love it). Here are a few more tasty sides that pair beautifully with baked lemon chicken.
What to serve with lemon garlic chicken:
- Mediterranean Chickpea and Millet Salad
- Summer Heirloom Tomato Salad
- Turmeric Pearl Couscous
- Lemon Garlic Green Beans Recipe
- Corn Maque Choux
- Grilled Vegetable Caprese
- Easy Homemade French Fries
More baked chicken recipes you’ll love:
Lemon Garlic Chicken
This fresh and lively baked lemon chicken is the best. The secret is the lemon garlic marinade made with everyday ingredients. Use bone in or boneless chicken pieces for this lemon garlic chicken recipe.
Servings 4
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 large cloves garlic minced
- 2 lemons zested
- ¼ cup lemon juice from zested lemons
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- 2 pounds chicken thighs or other chicken pieces (breasts, legs, wings, etc.)
DIRECTIONS:
- In a small bowl combine 3 large cloves garlic, zest of 2 lemons, ¼ cup lemon juice, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 2 tablespoons honey, ¼ cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon fresh oregano and 2 tablespoons parsley. Whisk to combine.
- Place 2 pounds chicken thighs into a zip-top storage bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Press the air out of the bag and seal. Massage the bag to completely coat the chicken pieces with the lemon marinade.
- Let the chicken rest for 1-2 hours to soak in the flavors. When you're ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 425° F.
- Position a wire rack over a rimmed sheet pan (to catch any drippings or juices).
- Place the chicken pieces on the wire rack (not touching) and bake for 35-40 minutes. Flip the chicken halfway through baking.
- Pro-tip: Bake the chicken skin side down to start, then flip to skin side up at the halfway point to brown and crisp the skin if using bone-in skin-on chicken.
- Sprinkle with extra parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice to serve.
- Chicken can be served hot or chilled for a picnic.
NOTES:
Note: Depending on your chicken pieces (breasts, thighs, legs or wings and whether or not they are bone-in, skin on or boneless, skinless, the baking times may vary.
To be sure the chicken is completely cooked, check doneness either with an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat (but not touching the bone).
It should read 165° or take it out at 160° and let it rest for 10 minutes. The chicken will continue cooking even once you’ve removed it from the oven.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 496kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 694mg | Potassium: 359mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 447IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate only and is provided as a courtesy. Values are calculated automatically based on the ingredients and quantities in each recipe and may vary depending on specific brands, exact measurements, and substitutions made. For precise nutritional guidance, especially if you have a medical condition or dietary restriction, please consult a registered dietitian or run the ingredients through your own nutrition calculator.Pin it for later!
Delicious! Family loved and asked for seconds!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was fantastic.
I’ll definitely make this again.
This has become our weeknight staple. It’s so juicy, tender and delicious and we love the lemony marinade.
Perfectly delicious and so easy. Served it with basmati rice and veggies. Husband’s comment, “You were right, Lisa’s recipes do not disappoint!”