Easy to prepare for yourself or a crowd, these lean lemon soy marinated chicken breasts can be grilled or broiled until tender and juicy.
One can never have too many chicken recipes, am I right? We eat chicken at least 2-3 nights a week because it’s versatile, affordable, and packed with protein. Today’s chicken recipe is one of my favorite quick and easy go-to marinades. All of the ingredients are usually already in my fridge or pantry, and it’s easy to cook both outside on the grill or inside in the oven depending on the weather and season.
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts: Low in fat and calories, but high in protein, chicken is a great affordable and accessible choice of meat.
- Soy sauce: Full of umami, salty flavor, soy sauce tastes great as a sauce or marinade on all sorts of things including chicken.
- Olive oil: Helps to add volume to the marinade to coat all of the chicken.
- Garlic: Pungent, aromatic, and nutty, garlic tastes great with almost anything, but it pairs especially well with soy sauce.
- Lemon juice: Fresh, bright, acidic flavor that tenderizes the chicken and balances out flavors in the marinade.
How to Make Lemon Soy Marinated Chicken Breasts
Start your Lemon Soy Marinated Chicken Breasts by whisking together soy sauce, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic in a large bowl with a little salt and pepper. Add your thawed chicken breasts to the bowl and toss several times to coat.
Marinade in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight. You could also let the chicken sit to marinate in a large freezer bag.
When the chicken has marinated long enough, you can either throw it on the grill pre-heated to high heat, or cook it in the oven on broil for 4-5 minutes per side.
When chicken has reached an internal temp of 165 on a meat thermometer, you can remove it from the grill or oven. Garnish with some fresh scallions or sesame seeds, serve, and enjoy your Lemon Soy Marinated Chicken Breasts!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I grill chicken without a grill?
The broiler in your oven is essentially an indoor grill! Working with the same type of direct heat, you’ll simply cook the chicken breasts under the broiler for about 4-5 minutes per side, flipping once, until chicken reaches an internal cooking temperature of 165 degrees.
Does chicken go bad if marinated too long?
Yes. Marinating any form of meat for too long causes the actual protein fibers to start to break down, and the meat can get mushy. I wouldn’t marinate anything longer than 48 hours, and usually no longer than 24.
Does marinating chicken overnight make a difference?
It might not make a huge difference in the tenderness or texture of the chicken, but it usually will in flavor.
More easy Chicken Recipes
- Za’atar Spiced Grilled Chicken
- Lemon Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli
- Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry
- Rosemary Chicken Breasts
- Sheet Pan Greek Chicken and Vegetables
Eat It, Like It, Share It!
Did you try this chicken and love it? The next time you make it, snap a picture and share it to your socials! Tag @thelemonbowl and #thelemonbowl so we can admire and share your dish.
Delicious, easy, and quick to prepare, my Lemon Soy Marinated Chicken Breasts make a great dinner for the whole family.
Your fork is waiting.
Lemon Soy Marinated Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each)
- ¼ cup soy sauce (low sodium)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic (grated)
- ¼ cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- Toasted sesame seeds (optional garnish )
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a large zip-lock bag and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or as long as you wish.
- Grill or broil on medium-high heat until chicken breasts are fully cooked, about 4-5 minutes per side.
- Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
- Leftovers taste great in sandwiches or on salads.
Tender and full of flavor! I loved the flavors and tenderness of the chicken the next day. I used the chicken in soup the next day after cutting it into small thing strips. Thank you for sharing this recipe!