Lemon-Garlic Grilled Chicken Breasts

By Genevieve Ko

Updated August 4, 2026

  • David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist. Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.
Media 1 of 2
Ready In
45 min
Rating
5(1,118)
Comments
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This smoky beauty of a recipe, with its juicy swirl of lemon and olive oil, its fragrant charred garlic and parsley, is mouthwatering in the primal way of fried drumsticks and saucy wings. The leanness of chicken breasts, compared to the richness of thighs, gives the marinated meat a crystalline brightness. The way the meat is flattened here is the key to deliciousness: Often, breasts are butterflied by slicing them in half, which still leaves you with a thick slab of uniform meat striations that get boring after the second bite. Here, the breasts end up flatter. They won’t end up like  heart-shaped cutlets or even symmetrical like Rorschach splotches, but that’s why they’ll be as irresistible as steak. Their fibers are now not only shortened, but because they run in different directions, each bite will offer some variety in chew.

Featured in: The Juiciest Grilled Chicken Starts With These 4 Tips

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 8 servings

  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

  • 1 large lemon, plus wedges for serving

  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled

  • 2 cups leaves and tender stems of parsley, cilantro, basil, mint or a combination, finely chopped

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing grill

  • 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

  • ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 8 servings)

5 grams carbs; 110 milligrams cholesterol; 263 calories; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 11 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 470 milligrams sodium; 35 grams protein

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Start by flattening the chicken breasts: Place a breast smooth side down on a cutting board, with the thick end at the top and the pointy end at the bottom. Cut a deep slit — without cutting all the way through the meat — down the center of its length. Pry open the slit, turn the knife blade to the left, parallel to the board, and slice perpendicular to the initial cut without cutting all the way through the meat. Repeat on the right side to end up with two flaps that open out from the center like window shutters to form a broader, flatter piece of meat. Use your palm to smack the lumpy parts flat, but don’t pound so hard that you tear the meat. Repeat with the remaining breasts.

  2. Step 2

    Make the marinade: Use a fine grater to zest the lemon directly over a large bowl or airtight container, then run the garlic cloves over the grater. Squeeze in the juice from the lemon, then stir in the herbs, oil, salt and pepper. 

  3. Step 3

    Marinate the chicken: Add the flattened chicken and turn and rub it evenly with the marinade. Let stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes if grilling right away or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. If chilled, take it out of the fridge right before heating the grill.

  4. Step 4

    Prepare the grill: Heat an outdoor grill to the higher side of medium-high. When it’s ready, you should be able to hold your hand 5 inches above the grate for 3 to 5 seconds. If the grill grates aren’t already clean, use a grill brush to remove anything stuck to them. Oil a wadded up paper towel, grip it with tongs and rub it over the grate. (See Tip for indoor cooking.)

  5. Step 5

    Set the chicken and any marinade clinging to it on the oiled grate, spreading each piece in a single, even layer. Cook, covered if using a gas grill, until the bottom is deeply browned and releases easily from the grate, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip each piece and cook until a paring knife inserted in the center reveals meat that’s just opaque throughout but still juicy, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer to a platter and rest for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving with lemon wedges for squeezing. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Tip

  • You also can use a cast-iron grill pan on the stovetop. Heat it over high and lightly oil it before adding the chicken. Cook in batches if needed, turning the meat when it releases easily from the pan, until the meat is opaque but still juicy.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,118 user ratings
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Comments

Lizzy

I think we need a diagram to explain how to cut the chicken. I've read twice and can't figure it out.

mary ellen

I could not visualize the cuts that Genevieve describes. This video, for as long as it’s online,is here: https://www.nytimes.com/video/dining/100000011015307/lemon-garlic-grilled-chicken-breasts.html

Genevieve Ko

As others have shared, here's the video for how to cut the chicken! https://www.nytimes.com/video/dining/100000011015307/lemon-garlic-grilled-chicken-breasts.html This cutting approach is better than butterflying because the muscle fibers end up shorter and running in different directions. Chicken breasts often taste bland because those fibers uniformly run in the same direction and the very large breasts now sold in markets still end up quite thick after butterflying.

Kking

10 stars! So easy and flavorful, I did cut lemon juice in half and used parsley and dill (about 2/3 cup). I realize that this didn’t follow the recipe exactly, but the chicken prep did make the final product quite tender for chicken breasts. I will use this prep for other recipes with chicken breast. The second time I made this, I made extra marinade and reserved some before adding the raw chicken and used it for dipping bread with dinner.

Samantha

This didn’t work for us. It was fine, but not memorable. I usually make chicken thighs, but this looked like a banger so I got breasts (which were more expensive, even on sale) instead. If you enjoy white meat more, definitely give this a try. But if, like us, you’re very much in the dark meat camp, I wouldn’t suggest this one.

Bethy

After 65 years of marriage, I finally have a recipe that gives us a tender, juicy chicken breasts! Bravo!

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