Get ready for a flavorful dish with this Lemon Pepper Chicken Marinade! We love that it combines the zest of lemon with the punch of pepper in a simple but lovely chicken marinade. It’s allergen-friendly, as it’s Whole30, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and nut-free. Plus, it doesn’t require a lot of hands-on prep, making it fantastic for a busy weeknight dinner.
3 Simple Ingredients
Lemon pepper seasoning, lemon juice, and oil are all you need! We love using our Homemade Lemon Pepper Seasoning, as making it yourself ensures it’s Whole30 compatible and more accessible plus budget-friendly. But, you can use whatever lemon pepper seasoning works for you! Double check it doesn’t have any sneaky sugars or non-compatible additives.
Prep simply involves whisking together your ingredients in a small bowl and then adding it to the chicken thighs or breasts. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, up to 24 hours for the most flavorful result. Next, choose what cooking method works best for you – grill, oven, or air fryer!
You can use bone-in chicken thighs or boneless skinless chicken breasts with this lemon pepper marinade. If you use breasts and they are thick, we recommend pounding them thinner or cutting them in half horizontally for quicker and more even cooking. You can also pierce your chicken with a fork a few times on each piece to help the marinade flavor get into the chicken more.
If you are meal prepping, you can throw it into the freezer to pull out on a busy week. Marinated chicken can go straight into the freezer after combining the chicken with the marinade, in either a sealed reusable zip-top bag (we love Stasher bags!) or a glass container with a lid. No need to marinate it before freezing, as it will marinate in the freezer and as it thaws. The frozen chicken in the marinade does need to be thawed fully before cooking, so be sure to pull it out the night before you want to cook. (Chicken should not be left to marinate for over 24 hours, as raw chicken will begin to break down and become mushy).
Whole30 Lemon Pepper Chicken Marinade
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp lemon pepper seasoning
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup olive or avocado oil
- 1-1.5 lbs pounds chicken thighs or breasts
Instructions
- WHISK together all the ingredients except the chicken in a medium bowl.
- ADD chicken and combined marinade into a zip-top reusable bag or glass container. Seal or cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, up to 24 hours.
- TO GRILL – Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Brush the grill with oil so the chicken won’t stick. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until chicken has sear marks and is cooked through, with an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from the grill and cover with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes to let juices redistribute before cutting.
- OVEN BAKE – Preheat your oven to 425°F. Pour the marinade and chicken into a 9×9 pan. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through. Cook until lightly browned and is no longer pink inside or has reached an internal temperature of 165°F. Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting into it.
- AIR FRY – Add the chicken to your air fryer basket and air fry at 400°F for 9-10 minutes, flipping halfway if the chicken is overlapping at all. Cook until lightly browned and is no longer pink inside, or has reached an internal temperature of 165°F. Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting into it.
- TO FREEZE – Marinated chicken can go straight into the freezer after combining the chicken with the marinade in either a sealed reusable zip-top bag or a glass container with a lid. No need to marinate it before freezing, as it will marinate in the freezer. The frozen chicken in the marinade does need to be thawed fully before cooking, so be sure to pull it out the night before you want to cook.
