Easy Lemon and Garlic Chicken Marinade
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This easy lemon and garlic chicken marinade is a tasty way to level up your grilled chicken. It is sweet and savory with the sage, garlic, lemon, and honey marinade and is just what your chicken needs next time it hits the grill!
If you love grilled chicken recipes for summer, don’t miss this grilled chicken sandwich and my tips for how long to grill chicken thighs at 350°F.
Quick Look: Lemon & Garlic Chicken Marinade
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes (including 3 hours of marinating time)
- Servings: 4 people
- Dietary Info: Dairy Free and Gluten Free
- Method: no cooking required for marinade; grill for the chicken.
- Technique: Combine the marinade ingredients, then add the chicken and marinate in a plastic bag in the fridge for at least 3 hours. Grill chicken and enjoy.
- Flavor & Texture: This marinade adds a zesty, herby flavor and caramelized finish to any cut of chicken, which tastes incredible on moist, grilled chicken thighs!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
In Italy, we love using sage (in Italian, it’s called salvia) with meats, especially chicken and pork. It has a pronounced herbal flavor that is earthy, slightly peppery taste with hints of mint, eucalyptus, and lemon. When paired with honey, lemon, garlic, and olive oil, the flavors create a pop of delight to any grilled chicken!
The good news is that pretty much any cut of chicken is well-suited for barbecuing, but I especially love chicken thighs because they remain flavorful and tender, and are difficult to overcook. You can use this marinade for any cut of chicken and it will taste delicious!
This is a family-favorite chicken dinner that brings everyone to the table! If you love easy chicken recipes, try my Red Wine Braised Chicken and Plums, Chicken Skillet with Creamy Mascarpone Sauce, Pollo Asado, or Stuffed Chicken Thighs.
Made With Amore,
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
This easy lemon garlic and chicken marinade has the perfect balance of tangy, sweet, savory, and aromatic from the herbs. Grab these key ingredients, and you’ll be ready to start!
- Honey: Not only does the honey add a sweetness, but it also helps bring a lovely caramelized crust to the chicken skin as it’s grilled. So yummy!
- Olive oil: This gives this marinade an Italian touch and a great depth of flavor. It tastes great in dressings, like my authentic balsamic dressing, which is perfect for drizzling over a salad to enjoy with this grilled chicken.
- Lemon Juice: Lemon is a classic pairing with chicken, and brings a bright flavor as well as helping to tenderize the chicken as it marinates. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the very best flavor. (If you have extra lemons you need to use up, make this lemon olive oil cake for dessert!)
- Fresh Sage: Sage is often used with meat in Italy, and it’s a great favorite of mine. This fresh herb adds a peppery, lemony, and eucalyptus-like flavor that’s absolutely incredible! (If you have extra fresh sage on hand, don’t let it wither; use it up in this pumpkin ravioli with sage butter sauce.)
- Chicken Thighs: I recommend using this marinade on chicken thighs (or chicken legs), as they grill up beautifully with crispy skin and moist meat, and are hard to overcook. (Chicken thighs cook beautifully in the oven too, like in these creamy baked chicken thighs.) However, this marinade also works well on chicken breasts too.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Orange Juice Instead of Lemon Juice: If you’re looking for a sweeter and less tangy flavor, try using freshly squeezed orange juice instead of the lemon juice. It’s still acidic enough to tenderize the meat while bringing a unique flavor.
- Adding Different Herbs: Try adding other herbs like fresh oregano, basil, or thyme for a different flavor profile that still complements the sage and lemon.
- Looking for a good fish marinade? You can try using this one, or try my Dad’s secret meat and fish marinade.
How to Make Lemon & Garlic Chicken Marinade
- Make the marinade by whisking together the olive oil, honey, lemon juice, lemon zest, chopped sage, garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Place the chicken in a bowl or dish or a zip-top bag and add the marinade. (Reserve about ¼ cup of the marinade for basting.)
- Let it marinate in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours, or up to overnight for a deeper flavor.
- Heat the grill to medium (375-400°F) and set up direct heat on one side and indirect heat on the other. Place the chicken skin-side down over direct heat.
- Cook for 5-6 minutes per side, or until the skin is crispy and golden. Watch it closely so the honey doesn’t burn! Move the chicken to the indirect heat and brush with the reserved marinade.
- Close the lid and cook for 10-12 minutes, turning once or twice, until the chicken is cooked through. It’s done when it reaches an internal temperature of 170-175°F for thighs.
- Remove from the grill and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and enjoy with a summer salad like my Italian-style spring salad or peach burrata salad for a bright, healthy meal.
Lemon & Garlic Chicken Marinade FAQs
A simple lemon and garlic chicken marinade starts with good olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic, fresh herbs (like sage), salt, and pepper. In this recipe, I add honey and fresh sage for an earthy, peppery Italian flavor. Simply whisk everything together, coat the chicken well, and let it sit on the chicken for at least 3 hours before cooking.
Lemon juice helps tenderize the chicken while adding a fresh, bright flavor. The acidity gently breaks down the proteins in the meat, which helps create juicy, flavorful chicken when cooked. Just remember that too long in an acidic marinade can break down the proteins too much and make the chicken mushy, so don’t marinate it for longer than 24 hours.
For the best flavor, marinate the chicken for at least 2-3 hours. If you have time, letting it sit overnight (8 hours) is wonderful, and gives the garlic, lemon, and herbs time to really infuse the meat. I do not recommend marinating longer than 24 hours because the proteins can break down too much.
One of the biggest mistakes is not marinating long enough, as the chicken needs time to tenderize and to absorb the flavors. When you’re grilling, be careful not to burn the chicken, as the honey in the marinade can burn quickly over direct heat. Pat off excess marinade before cooking so the chicken sears beautifully instead of steaming.
Serving Suggestions
This lemon and garlic chicken marinade will make your tasty grilled chicken the star of your next BBQ. Make sure to serve it with a berry goat cheese salad, Sicilian eggplant caponata, or prosciutto wrapped melon. Bring a tasty tortellini pasta salad or our family favorite creamy potato salad with herbs. Serve Frozen Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust for dessert and everyone will praise you for it!
I hope you enjoy this tasty, easy lemon and garlic chicken marinade for any grilled chicken. If you are looking for more summer dishes, don’t miss my 29 best Italian inspired summer recipes!
My Pro Tips
Expert Tips
- Use chicken thighs; they stay juicy when grilled, and are hard to overcook.
- Don’t skip the two-zone grilling, as this prevents the honey from burning. Let the chicken rest before serving to keep it tender.
- The fresh sage makes this recipe and gives it that earthy, Italian flavor; don’t skip it!
- The chicken can be marinated for up to 24 hours in advance.
- Leftover grilled chicken can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat it gently in a 300°F oven, or covered skillet to keep it juicy.
More Lemon Chicken Recipes
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Lemon and Garlic Chicken Marinade
Ingredients
- 4-5 large chicken thighs, bone-in and skin on; or use chicken breasts or skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons fresh sage, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, optional, but recommended
- 4 cloves garlic, grated
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, adjust to taste
Instructions
Marinating the Chicken
- In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, honey, lemon juice, lemon zest (if using), chopped sage, garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth. Reserve about ¼ cup of the marinade for basting.
- Place chicken in a bowl or zip-top bag and pour the remaining marinade over the top. Toss to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours (up to overnight for deeper flavor).
Grilling the Chicken
- Heat grill to medium (375-400°F) and set up for two-zone cooking: direct heat on one side, and indirect heat on the other side.
- Place chicken skin-side down over direct heat. Grill 5-6 minutes per side until nicely charred and golden. Watch closely so the honey doesn’t burn. Some charring is okay and delciouis!
- Move chicken to the indirect heat side. Brush with reserved marinade, close the lid, and cook 10-12 minutes, turning once or twice, until fully cooked. Chicken is done when internal temperature reaches: 170-175°F for thighs.
- Remove from grill and let rest 5 minutes before serving. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon, if desired.
Notes
- Use chicken thighs; they stay juicy when grilled, and are hard to overcook.
- Don’t skip the two-zone grilling, as this prevents the honey from burning. Let the chicken rest before serving to keep it tender.
- The fresh sage makes this recipe and gives it that earthy, Italian flavor; don’t skip it!
- The chicken can be marinated for up to 24 hours in advance.
- Leftover grilled chicken can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat it gently in a 300°F oven, or covered skillet to keep it juicy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe has the best flavors!
Does the 1/2 cup olive oil also go into the bag for the marinade? It only says use a little in the cast iron pan.
Yes! It goes in the bag. Enjoy!
Directions say vinegar but vinegar is not listed in ingredients. You have lemon juice listed in the ingredients list. Which one is it?
It is lemon juice! Thank you.
The instructions mention adding soy sauce (“Mix together the honey, soy sauce, vinegar, sage, pepper and garlic in a bowl.”), but I don’t see soy sauce listed with the other ingredients. Is this just a typo, or should I be adding soy sauce? And if so, how much?
The recipe looks delicious and I’d like to make it for my family. Looking forward to trying it!
Liz, it is a typo and I deleted it. Thanks! Hope you love it.
Thanks for your reply, will try it tonight!