Lemon and Dijon Mustard Marinated Chicken

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Boneless skinless chicken breasts are tasty on the grill but sometimes they can be dry and a bit boring. This recipe for chicken marinated in lemon juice, olive oil and Dijon mustard, will elevate this neutral protein by giving it a subtle tangy flavour, offering just the right amount of zing!

Side view close up of the marinated grilled chicken on a plate. — Hot off the grill!

I love this recipe for a few reasons; the flavour payoff is big, the time required to make the marinade is minimal and the leftovers make great sandwiches the next day. It's a win-win across the board.

Give these lemon and Dijon mustard marinated chicken breasts a try and I think you'll agree. Happy grilling 🙂

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Gather the Ingredients for Lemon and Dijon Mustard Marinated Chicken
How to Make the Marinade
Substitutions
Storage
Frequently asked Questions
Secrets for Success
Lemon and Dijon Mustard Marinated Chicken
Comments

Gather the Ingredients for Lemon and Dijon Mustard Marinated Chicken

Overhead photo of the labeled ingredients required for the recipe. — Minimal ingredients.

Buy the best chicken you can afford. Often organic is better because the chicken is not mass produced and the finished product is of a higher more palatable quality.

See recipe below for quantities and details.

How to Make the Marinade

Overhead photo of the marinade ingredients in a square container with a small whisk to the side. — Whisk the marinade ingredients together.

Combine ingredients. Add all the ingredients except the chicken into a medium glass container. Whisk to combine.

Overhead photo of chicken breasts marinating in a square container. — Let marinate 3 hours.

Add chicken. To the marinade, add your cut up and trimmed chicken breasts. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours.

Heat the grill. Once the chicken has marinated, heat the grill or BBQ to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook the chicken approximately 5 minutes on one side and 5 minutes on the other side or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Of course the amount of time it takes the chicken to reach the internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit will vary depending on the size of the chicken breasts.

Substitutions

Lime juice can be substituted for the lemon juice.
Yellow mustard works very well instead of the Dijon mustard.

Storage

Any leftover chicken (and I hope you made extra for sandwiches tomorrow) should be refrigerated promptly. The chicken will keep well for 3 days.

Frequently asked Questions

What is Dijon mustard?

Dijon mustard originates from the town of Dijon in Burgundy France. It was first used in the year 1336 at the table of King Philip VI (according to Wikipedia).

The ingredients used to make Dijon are mustard seeds, white wine or wine vinegar, water and salt. As per Wikipedia, 80% of mustard seeds used to make Dijon mustard come from Canada.

Not all Dijon mustards taste the same and it will take some experimentation to find the one that you like. Some are mild while other brands have a pleasant sharpness.

Can I marinate the chicken overnight?

Based on the amount of times I've made this recipe, the answer is no. There is a fine line when it comes to marinating poultry. Not long enough and the marinade will not penetrate the chicken and too long and the chicken becomes dry and mushy. This is why the sweet spot for this recipe is 3 hours.

Shouldn't I wash the chicken before marinating it?

I do not wash or rinse poultry before cooking or marinating it. By washing the chicken you are potentially spreading harmful bacteria via water splashing onto the counter and other nearby surfaces. If you cook the chicken to the right temperature (in this case to 165 degrees Fahrenheit), then you will have destroyed any harmful bacteria anyway.

Can I bake this in the oven instead of making it on the barbecue?

Yes you can. To make the chicken in the oven, set the oven temperature to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and place the chicken on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake the chicken on the middle rack of the oven until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. The total cooking time will depend on the size of the chicken breasts.

Secrets for Success

It is best to use fresh chicken and one that has not previously been frozen. I experimented with this and I have found that when chicken is frozen and thawed it becomes dry and tough when cooked. Even when marinated this was still the case.
Organic chicken in my opinion is better because the chicken is not mass produced and is of a higher more palatable quality.
Cut the chicken breasts in half on the length to resemble chicken strips (see ingredients photo above). These smaller pieces cook quicker which prevents the chicken from drying out. And they are a nice smaller portion size too.