Lemon Dill Grilled Chicken marinated in a brine of fresh lemon juice and dill; then grilled are juicy and delicious.
A few weeks ago I came up with this simple new lemon-dill brine and marinated some center cut pork chops; then grilled it to juicy perfection. They were delicious and incredibly moist, BUT I never took a photo of them for the blog.
I then hosted a small bbq about a week or two after that and again used this lemon-dill brine, but this time I used chicken tenderloins. And to no surprise, they were a HUGE hit, but again...no photo.
So I just HAD to make this recipe for Lemon Dill Grilled Chicken one more time just so that I can photograph it for all of you.
What is brining?
Brining in soaking food with a liquid and salt (mostly water) to help keep the meat tender and juicy. You can add other flavors like spices, herbs, sugar and/or other liquids like juices, cider and/or vinegars.
Ingredients Needed
For this recipe you'll need the following ingredients:
- chicken tenderloins
- cold water
- kosher salt
- granulated sugar
- fresh dill
- lemon, zest and juice
I chose to use chicken tenderloins, but you can use whole boneless chicken breasts or pork chops as a substitution.
How do you make Lemon Dill Grilled Chicken?
Start by combining the water, salt and sugar in a medium bowl and stir until the salt and sugar dissolve. Next, add the dill and lemon zest and juice. Mix well.
Add the chicken to a resealable plastic bag and pour in the brining liquid. Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours up to overnight. I recommend allowing the tenderloins to marinate in the brine for no more than 2 hours so that they don't become to salty since the portion size of the meat is smaller.
When you're ready to cook, preheat the grill and remove the chicken from the bag, discarding the liquid. Cook the chicken approximately 3 minutes per side or until a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Serving Suggestions
The flavor of this lemon dill brine is delicately light and goes perfectly with just about anything you would like to serve with it. You can cook the chicken on an outdoor or indoor griddle; which makes it easy to eat healthier all year long. This Lemon Dill Grilled Chicken is also gluten free and dairy free.
Some serving suggestions include:
Visit the recipe index to search for more recipes by category.
More Grilled Chicken Recipes
- Honey Mustard Balsamic Grilled Chicken
- Chicken Panini with Classic Pesto
- Chicken Burgers with Copycat Chick-Fil-A Sauce
- Grilled Chicken Parmesan Sliders
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Lemon-Dill Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
- 12 chicken tenderloins
- 1 ½ cups cold water
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 1 lemon zest and juice
Instructions
- Combine the water, salt and sugar in a medium bowl and stir until the salt and sugar dissolve; then add the dill and lemon zest and juice. Mix well.
- Add the chicken to a resealable plastic bag and pour in the brining liquid.
- Seal the bag and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Preheat your grill and remove the chicken from the bag, discarding the liquid.
- Grill the chicken approximately 3 minutes per side or until a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Billy says
This looks like a great chicken recipe. Thank you for sharing this recipe! I love recipes that make use of dill in tasty ways. Can't wait to try this one at home!
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
Thanks for stopping by Billy, I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Maureen says
This sounds fantastic but I don’t have a grill, any suggestion for baking or stove top?
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
Hi Maureen, here are a few options: 1. Cook them on an indoor griddle (like a Cuisinart or George Forman Grill) 2. Cook them on top of the stove on a grill pan 3. Place them on a rack on top of a sheet pan and place them in a 425 degree f oven to cook (cooking time may vary depending on the size and thickness). I hope this helps~Enjoy!
Kelli says
Do you feel like the sugar is required for the brining to happen properly or just to balance the salty flavor? I am trying to avoid sugar, but this looks wonderful, and I would love to try it.
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
I think it helps to balance the flavor, but you can leave it out to avoid the extra sugar.