lemon basil grilled chicken

Lemon Basil Grilled Chicken is best marinated a day ahead. I’ve added a lemon basil butter recipe to serve with the chicken after it’s grilled but feel free to leave omit it if you don’t want the extra calories; the chicken is delicious without it. The butter is equally as good too…just saying. Perfect for a cookout and feeding a crowd as the recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.

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The chicken is best if it’s marinated a day ahead. I’ve added a lemon basil butter recipe to serve with the chicken after it’s grilled but feel free to leave it out if you don’t want the extra calories; the chicken is delicious without it.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Servings:

Calories: 495kcal

US Customary - Metric

1 cup basil leaves chopped, plus fresh leaves for garnish
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest cut up the lemon into wedges when it’s been zested
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning
2 teaspoons white sugar
6 garlic cloves crushed or finely grated
8 skinless boneless chicken thighs
1 or 2 lemons thickly sliced, optional

LEMON BASIL BUTTER (optional)

1 stick butter softened (1/2 cup/113g)
3 tablespoons finely chopped basil
2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning
2 garlic cloves finely grated

Combine basil, oil, zest, seasoning, sugar and garlic in a medium bowl. Add the chicken and the lemon wedges and stir to make sure the chicken is well coated. Cover and place in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours. Or put it in a re-sealable bag.

To make the lemon basil butter:

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Scrape the mixture out onto a piece of parchment or waxed paper. Roll up the butter mixture into a log shape about 6 inches (15cms). Chill for 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat a grill to high. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade. Cook the chicken on a greased grill for about 8 minutes per side until the chicken is tender and cooked thoroughly. Cook the lemon sliced on the grill for a few minutes each side until grill marks appear. Place the chicken on a platter.
Cut the butter log into 8 slices and top each piece of chicken with the butter (optional). Garnish with the lemon slices and extra basil leaves if desired.

Nutrition