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Lemon Pepper Chicken is a frequent favorite dish in our family; tangy, tender, so tasty! Made with just four ingredients, this chicken is perfect in salads, pastas, and sandwiches too!
This simple Lemon Pepper Chicken recipe was in regular rotation around our house growing up. Because it’s made with four simple ingredients we always had on hand, our mother would make a huge batch and we would eat on it all week long. It pairs perfectly with rice pilaf, baked potatoes or pasta for dinner, but tastes delicious sliced over a salad for lunch the next day. If you have a little lemon juice and pepper, you can make this easy chicken recipe any night of the week. This recipe comes in handy when you just can’t think of anything to make for supper!
Ingredients in Lemon Pepper Chicken
This chicken recipe couldn’t be easier! Whip it up in just a few minutes and serve with your favorite vegetables, rice or pasta. Here’s all you need:
- 4 chicken breasts – We love using boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this dish, but you could easily substitute chicken thighs or drumsticks. Lemon pepper chicken wings are a yummy appetizer too!
- Olive oil – Extra virgin olive oil works great for this light, healthy marinade.
- Lemon juice – You’ll need a quarter cup of fresh lemon juice or the juice of two lemons.
- Lemon Pepper Seasoning – Start with one tbsp of seasoning and add more if you want.
Garnish Options
This chicken looks gorgeous on its own straight from the pan, but you can dress it up for a little fancier dinner with some of these options:
- Parmesan cheese – grate fresh parmesan over the top of the chicken breasts.
- Parsley – a little fresh parsley looks beautiful and gives the chicken an extra level of fresh flavor.
- Onions – slice some yellow or white onions and layer with the chicken.
- Lemon slices – Slice a lemon and place one slice over each piece of chicken.
- Asparagus – serve chicken over a bed of roasted asparagus or your favorite green vegetable.
Homemade Lemon Pepper Seasoning
If you don’t have store-bought lemon pepper seasoning, you can make your own with some dried lemon zest, black pepper and salt. Add a dash of garlic powder or onion powder in as well for extra flavor.
Suggestions for Lemon Pepper Chicken
- You can bake or grill this chicken, whatever you prefer. I usually marinate the chicken in the afternoon for at least thirty minutes, preferably longer, then have my husband throw it on the grill just before dinner.
- Parmesan cheese helps give the chicken a nice, golden crust on the outside, but if you don’t have any on hand, don’t worry! It tastes delicious without.
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days. You could also double the batch and freeze cooked chicken breasts for up to two months! They’re perfect to grab and thaw for dinner or lunch. Thaw them out in the fridge, then microwave or toss in the oven until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you want a simple sauce to go over this chicken, mix some melted butter, lemon pepper seasoning, lemon juice, a little honey and a dash of hot sauce. YUM!
Yes! Just mix a few tablespoons of lemon juice (I love using fresh lemon but you could use lemon juice from the bottle too) and two teaspoons of freshly ground pepper. Fresh ingredients will enhance the flavors and really bring this dinner to life!
Besides chicken, lemon pepper seasoning is ideal for flavoring everything from pork to seafood. Lemon pepper seasoning is such a classic flavor that tastes delicious on just about anything!
READ NEXT: Our Best Grilling Recipes
What to serve with this Chicken Dish
Serve this chicken with our delicious Oven Roasted Green Beans our Super Easy Yellow Rice or a simple Baked Potato. Turn our Nuts About Berries Salad into a hearty lunch by slicing leftover Lemon Pepper Chicken on top or add it to our One Pot Creamy Garlic Noodles! You will love how versatile this chicken is!
More Delicious Chicken Recipes
Chicken is probably the easiest meat to cook with and the possibilities are endless! Try a few of our favorite chicken recipes and you’ll never have to worry about what’s for dinner!
- Best Chicken Breast Recipes Any Night of the Week
- Chicken Tikka Masala
- Easy Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
- Orange Chicken (Panda Express Copycat)
- Baked Chicken Parmesan
- Grilled Hawaiian Teriyaki Chicken
How to make Lemon Pepper Chicken
Lemon Pepper Chicken
Equipment
- Outdoor Barbecue Grill
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon pepper
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Marinate chicken in oil, lemon juice, and pepper.
- Remove chicken and discard marinade.
- Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and grill for approximately 7-8 minutes on each side.
- You can also bake in the oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
Notes
- You can bake or grill this chicken, whatever you prefer. I usually marinate the chicken in the afternoon for at least thirty minutes, preferably longer, then have my husband throw it on the grill just before dinner.
- Parmesan cheese helps give the chicken a nice, golden crust on the outside, but if you don’t have any on hand, don’t worry! It tastes delicious without.
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days. You could also double the batch and freeze cooked chicken breasts for up to two months! They’re perfect to grab and thaw for dinner or lunch. Thaw them out in the fridge, then microwave or toss in the oven until heated through.
This is very good. I appreciate the ease of such a great recipe.
How long do you cook the chicken & is it for the oven?
Very flavorful and easy to make. 5 stars!
So easy to make and tasty. It’s crazy how so few ingredients can make something so delicious. Thank you!
Simple and delicious chicken recipe! A family fave!
I know what I will be having for dinner tonight! A restaurant worthy recipe, indeed! Yum!
How long should I leave the chicken in the marinade?
At least 2-3 hours.. overnight is great 🙂 Hope this helps!
Super easy and way more delicious than the picture makes it look.
What happens if you forget to discard the marinade and cook the chicken in it? Will it make us sick?
As long as the internal temperature of the chicken and the marinade reaches 165 degrees, it should be fine. Thank you for asking!
This is a good alternative for a boring chicken recipes I've known, thanks for sharing I would definitely try it for my family.delonghi toaster oven is a recommended one for me.
Just discovered your blog. Thanks for the follow on Twitter. That recipe sounds yummy!
I just found your blog and wish it had been on Valentine's Day, because, seriously, you are my recipe soulmate! Where have you been all my life?
Love, love, love the recipes!
Oooh – I love this simple recipe! Always on the lookout for flavorful and easy ways to prepare chicken breasts:-)