Grilled Lemon Ginger Chicken

By
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches is a grilling and barbecue expert. He has written two cookbooks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 06/23/21
Grilled chicken and lemon wedges on plate
Lew Robertson, Brand X Pictures/Stockbyte/Getty Images
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Marinate: 30 mins
Total: 60 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Yield: 4 to 6 chicken breasts
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
248 Calories
9g Fat
3g Carbs
37g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 248
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 11%
Saturated Fat 2g 9%
Cholesterol 102mg 34%
Sodium 269mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 37g
Vitamin C 3mg 17%
Calcium 24mg 2%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 337mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Grilled lemon ginger chicken is healthy and delicious, and best of all it is very easy to make. The chicken will be perfectly seasoned, yet a single boneless, skinless breast has only about 212 calories. In this recipe, there's no breading that can soak up oil and add calories, making it a good choice also if you're avoiding breading due to gluten or carbs.

Ingredients

  • 4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

  • 1/3 cup lemon juice

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 teaspoons ginger, grated

  • 1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons honey

  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme

  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Steps to Make It

  1. Place the chicken breasts in a large resealable plastic bag.

  2. Combine the remaining ingredients and pour them over the chicken.

  3. Seal the bag and allow it to marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

  4. Preheat the grill for medium heat.

  5. Remove the chicken from the bag and reserve the marinade.

  6. Place chicken on a lightly oiled grill grate and brush with marinade two to three times during the first half of the cooking time.

  7. Cook the chicken breasts for 20 minutes or until temperature reaches 165 F/75 C at the center (or thickest) part of the breast.

Tips

  • You can make this recipe with fresh or frozen (and thawed) chicken breasts. If they are not already purchased boneless and skinless, you will need to remove the skin and bones. The lemon ginger chicken requires a bit of time for marinating, so plan to do that step before you begin other meal preparations.
  • This recipe uses grated ginger. When you buy fresh ginger, freeze it. Then it is easy to grate when you need it for recipes.
  • Allow the chicken breasts to rest for five minutes before slicing or serving. This allows time for the juices to be evenly distributed through the meat.
  • Grilled vegetables are a delicious and healthy choice to accompany lemon ginger chicken breasts. You can make skewers of zucchini, eggplant, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, or yellow squash. Use a grill basket or foil packets to grill vegetables that don't skewer easily, such as broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, carrots, or green beans. You might also try your hand at grilling romaine lettuce for an elegant side vegetable.
  • The marinade is only safe to use in the first half of the cooking time, as that allows time for heat to kill any bacteria that have carried over from the raw chicken. Discard any unused marinade after that time; it is not safe to use unless cooked.
  • These chicken breasts are perfect as an entree or you can slice them to include in a green salad or wraps.

Recipe Tags: