Lemon and Herb Marinated Chicken

Living in a tiny village, grilling options are really limited. We don't have any fresh fish or seafood, no steaks, and you can never find any ground meat except beef or pork. But I make do with what is offered and try to keep the flavors exciting to make up for the fact that I feel like chicken is the only meat I consume. Ever since we got a grill last week, it has been put to work. I'm pretty sure my apartment grills more often than anyone else in this town, but how can you not during the summer? Even the picky eaters in the house never complain when it's grill night.

This recipe is a quick and easy way to marinade chicken and make it really flavorful without taking too long to prepare. Use whatever herbs you have at home. Any combination would be great, I just happened to have fresh parsley and thyme at home when I made this. I'm sure it would be great with whatever you have growing in your garden, or even a combination of dried herbs. The lemon juice adds a delicious flavor to the final product, which went over really well when I made this. I let my meat marinate on the counter for about an hour and it turned out flavorful and great. Make sure you only grill it until it is just cooked through so it does not dry out. If you can find chicken thighs with skin, that would be ideal for keeping the meat juicy.

2 lemons, zested and juiced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 /2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic minced
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1.25 pounds chicken meat of your choice (I used legs)

In a bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients except the chicken. Place the chicken in a flat dish (I used a 9"x13" pyrex) so that the meat can all fit in 1 layer. Pour the marinade over the chicken and massage into the meat. Allow to marinade in the fridge all day or over night. If you do not have time for this, leave it sitting out on your counter to marinate for about 45 to 60 minutes.

Heat your grill to medium-high. I grilled my meat on an aluminum grilling tray. Grill chicken until meat is just cooked through, this too me about 15 minutes total. Pin It Now!