- February 4, 2025
- Air Fryer
Lemon Pepper Chicken Marinade Recipe
This zesty Lemon Pepper Chicken Marinade combines the fresh brightness of lemon juice and zest with the savory depth of garlic and parsley, creating a flavorful blend perfect for grilling, baking, or pan-searing. Packed with vibrant herbs and a peppery kick, it’s an easy way to elevate any chicken dish!
Why This Recipe Works
Peppery Goodness: In this lemon pepper chicken marinade, freshly cracked black pepper lends a complex warmth made even more delicious by the fresh lemon juice and zest. While many recipes treat pepper as a background player, we celebrate its spicy heat by pairing it generously with lemon’s natural acidity, creating a flavor-packed marinade!
Next Level Chicken: This lemony chicken marinade transforms ordinary chicken into something extraordinary, as lemon’s natural acidity gently tenderizes the meat while infusing it with vibrant citrus flavor. The combination of fresh herbs, aromatic garlic, and warm spices creates layers of flavor that penetrate deep into the chicken, ensuring each bite is juicy and packed with Mediterranean-inspired taste!
Simple Ingredients: This easy lemon pepper chicken marinade recipe comes together in minutes using ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen. With just a few fresh items like lemons, garlic, and parsley paired with common pantry staples like olive oil and dried spices, you can create restaurant-worthy chicken!
Supplies Needed
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Microplane or zester
- Resealable plastic bag or shallow dish
- Cutting board and knife
Ingredients
- Olive Oil: Choose a good quality extra virgin olive oil!
- Lemon Juice & Zest: You will need both lemon juice and lemon zest. Fresh lemon juice is recommended since you will need it anyway for the zest!
- Cracked Black Pepper: Freshly cracked pepper is more aromatic and flavorful than pre-ground.
- Parsley: Parsley adds a fresh, bright flavor. I like to use fresh parsley but you can use dried in a pinch.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic lends a savory flavor.
- Salt: I use kosher salt which will season the marinade perfectly.
- Onion Powder: For an extra depth of savory notes!
- Paprika: For just a hint of sweet and smoky flavor.
Making And Using The Marinade
- Combine Marinade Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, black pepper, parsley, garlic, salt, onion powder, and paprika
- Marinate the Chicken: Place the chicken (breasts, thighs, wings, or drumsticks) in a resealable bag or shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the chicken, ensuring all pieces are well coated.
- Chill: Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours for maximum flavor.
- Cook: Grill, bake, or pan-sear the chicken as desired, cooking to an internal temperature of 165°F
Expert Tips
- The marinade can be made up to 24 hours in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
- For extra lemon flavor, grill lemon halves alongside the chicken and squeeze over the finished dish!
- Once the chicken has been marinated, the marinade should be thrown away. You can’t use it again since it has raw chicken in it! If you want a dipping sauce on the side, make a lemon pepper sauce instead!
- This lemon pepper marinade works beautifully with any cut of chicken, such as chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or chicken legs, but cooking times will vary depending on the cut and method chosen. Always ensure chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F for food safety, regardless of the cooking method selected.
- Lemon pepper chicken would go great with a variety of sides such as these crispy duck fat potatoes, Kitchen Aid mashed potatoes, Greek cauliflower rice, Armenian tabbouleh or bulgur pilaf!
More Recipes To Try
- Grilled Lemon Pepper Wings
- Lemon Pepper Seasoning
- Montreal Steak Marinade
- Grilled Lemon Pepper Parmesan Brussels Sprouts
- Grilled Chicken Spiedini
Lemon Pepper Chicken Marinade
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup Lemon Juice about 4 lemons
- 2 tsp Lemon Zest
- 1 tbsp Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
- 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley minced
- 3 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/2 tsp Paprika
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, black pepper, parsley, garlic, salt, onion powder, and paprika
- Place the chicken (breasts, thighs, wings, or drumsticks) in a resealable bag or shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the chicken, ensuring all pieces are well coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours for maximum flavor.
Pan Sear and Oven Roast Cooking Method:
- Preheat the oven to 375 F.
- Preheat a cast iron skillet to medium-high heat on the stovetop (if not using a cast iron pan make sure you have a pan that can go from the stove to the oven). Add 1 tbsp of the olive oil and let it preheat in the pan (do not let it get too hot so that it starts smoking).
- Place each chicken breast down into the skillet and let it cook for 3 minutes or until it easily lifts from the pan and can be flipped. Once you flip each chicken breast, turn off the stove and carefully transfer the pan into the oven for 15 minutes to finish cooking.
- Use a thermometer to check that the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 F. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Add a little lemon juice over the top if desired and enjoy.