Lemon and Thyme Grilled Chicken Breasts

By Melissa Clark

Updated June 24, 2025

  • Con Poulos for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
30 minutes, plus 1 hour marinating
Rating
5(2,352)
Comments
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These classic herb and lemon-seasoned chicken breasts will win over fans, especially when cooked over charcoal to give them the deepest, smokiest taste. For dark meat lovers, this recipe will also work with boneless, skinless thighs, though you might have to add a minute or so to the cooking time. Or use a combination of breasts and thighs and make everyone happy.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

  • 2 tablespoons chopped thyme leaves

  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled

  • 2 lemons, as needed

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed

  • Torn basil or mint leaves, as needed

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

6 grams carbs; 124 milligrams cholesterol; 285 calories; 6 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 11 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 536 milligrams sodium; 39 grams protein; 1 gram sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place chicken breasts between two sheets of parchment or plastic wrap. Using a mallet or rolling pin, pound each to an even thickness of ½ inch. Do not make them any thinner or they could dry out.

  2. Step 2

    Place chicken in a large bowl and toss with salt, pepper, thyme, garlic and the zest and juice of 1 lemon. Mix in olive oil. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours. Remove chicken from fridge while you heat the grill.

  3. Step 3

    Light the grill, building a hot fire, or heat your gas grill to high. Once grill is fully heated, brush breasts lightly with olive oil and place chicken on the grill. Cook until undersides are browned and chicken is about halfway cooked, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip breasts and grill until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes more.

  4. Step 4

    Transfer chicken to a platter. Drizzle with oil and garnish with additional lemon juice, olive oil and basil or mint leaves.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
2,352 user ratings
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Comments

Alexandra

I put the marinade and chicken in a ziploc, worked well. Also cooked it on a cast iron skillet instead of grill (apartment living...), came out delicious nice and crisped.

Stephen

Like RLB, I skipped the pounding and cooked each thicker piece of chicken on a gas grill for 4 minutes on each side. Results were moist and tasty. I've found with other recipes that if I do beat boneless, skinless breasts down to half-inch thickness, they only need 3 minutes per side. Note that in this recipe you are really being asked to cook TWO breasts, or FOUR HALF BREASTS, for four servings. Your butcher may sell you twice what you need if you ask for four breasts.

kaitlan

PSA for impatient cooks: you don’t actually have to marinade for 1-2 hours. I read the recipe too quickly and made the marinade as listed, then realized I bought 2 breasts not 4. I also wanted lunch like, now. I figured having too much marinade/sauce meant a shorter time would be ok, and I was correct. Let it sit in a bowl on the counter for 20 min then pan seared in a cast iron pan- came out beautifully

Kathleen Davidson

If you use table salt it will be too salty. Use KOSHER like the recipe calls for. It's excellent on the grill or in cast iron on the stove. Yum!

ThatGirlAnna

I made the marinade the night before and cooked on a pan for a few minutes. Very tasty! Next time will add capers. Not too plain either so a good dinner for both parents and kids.

Michael

Have made something almost exactly like this is with Oregano and it’s simply called “Chicken Oregano,” from a Greek cookbook and trying to mirror something my wife had in Greece. Have become lazy and use boneless breasts and thighs but it works very well with a whole chicken split and cooked on the Weber. I start with the bone side down and the cover on for maybe 15 minutes and flip it over to get grill marks and crisp skin at the end. Used to get a whole chicken done in 30 minutes, close to 15 minutes aside, but now you can’t find a chicken much less than four or five pounds so cooking times will change. Basically same marinade with oregano instead of thyme and lots of chopped parsley and more lemon juice to serve. Rice and a good rose’ are perfect, especially if you find a good, dry Grenache rose’. (The short lived Phelps ‘Vin d’ Mistral’ Rhone program years ago had an exceptional one.)

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