Lemon Grilled Chicken

1 lemon
2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley plus extra sprigs for garnish
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 6oz. each)

Use a peeler to remove strips of zest from half of the lemon, then trim into fine strips with a small knife. Reserve and set aside. Grate the other side of the lemon to make 1 Tablespoon zest. Finally, squeeze the juice from the lemon into a bowl.

In a large bowl, combine the lemon zest and juice, oil, garlic, parsley, thyme, marjoram, salt and pepper. Add the chicken breasts to the bowl and spoon the marinade over the chicken until well coated. Cover with plastic wrap. Chill for 30 minutes, or overnight if you have time.

Preheat the griddle, grill or broiler to medium heat. Put the chicken pieces on the griddle, reserving marinade. Cook chicken until cooked through, about 10 minutes on each side. Brush with reserved marinade 2-3 times during cooking. Sprinkle with reserved lemon strips and serve immediately garnished with parsley sprigs.

Makes 4 servings


Helpful Tips

The easiest way to prevent lemon zest from sticking to a grater is to brush it off with a pastry brush. You can also use the brush to baste the chicken with the marinade in Step 3.