Lemon Vinaigrette Grilled Chicken (Printable Version)

A fresh bowl featuring grilled chicken, crisp veggies, and bright lemon vinaigrette for a light, nourishing meal.

# What You Need:

→ Lemon Vinaigrette

01 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
02 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
03 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
04 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
05 - 1 garlic clove, minced
06 - 1/2 teaspoon honey
07 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Chicken

09 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, approximately 1.5 lbs
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
14 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Vegetable Bowl

15 - 1 cup cooked quinoa or brown rice
16 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
17 - 1 cup cucumber, sliced
18 - 1 cup bell pepper, sliced
19 - 1 cup baby spinach or mixed greens
20 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
21 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, optional
22 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# How to Make:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, honey, salt, and pepper until emulsified. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, combine olive oil, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Add chicken breasts and toss to coat evenly. Let marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature.
03 - Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Grill chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until cooked through and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove from grill and let rest for 5 minutes, then slice.
04 - While the chicken is grilling, prepare the quinoa or rice according to package instructions if not already cooked.
05 - Divide quinoa or rice among 4 serving bowls. Top each with spinach or greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, and red onion.
06 - Add sliced grilled chicken to each bowl. Drizzle with lemon vinaigrette.
07 - Sprinkle with feta cheese and fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, so you can have a restaurant-quality bowl on the table before you know it.
  • The lemon vinaigrette is tangy enough to make everything taste alive, without any bottled dressing needed.
  • You can prep this on Sunday and eat it all week, or customize each bowl exactly how you like it.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time for the chicken—I learned this the hard way by slicing too early and wondering why everything seemed dry, even though I'd cooked it perfectly.
  • Make the vinaigrette at least 10 minutes before serving so the flavors have time to get to know each other; it tastes noticeably better this way.
03 -
  • If your grill marks aren't showing up, your grill probably wasn't hot enough—let it preheat longer next time, and you'll get that restaurant-quality sear.
  • A touch of extra lemon zest on top right before eating adds brightness that gets muted if you add it too early.
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