This tender, juicy Croatian style grilled chicken is seasoned with lemon, salt, and pepper and quickly grilled just like the chicken we had in Croatia. Marinate the chicken for a few hours in a mixture of lemon juice and olive oil for the most tender chicken that goes well with anything!
We fell in love with the amazing grilled chicken in Croatia and wanted to replicate the flavor at home. This recipe does just that! The marinade seasons and tenderizes the chicken, which cooks in just moments on the grill! Serve this Croatian chicken with baked rice, grilled purple potatoes, or on top of avocado raspberry salad for the perfect summer meal.
Why you’ll love this Croatian grilled chicken with lemon
- Incredible flavor - You’ll be pleased to know Croatian chicken seasoning is just a few ordinary ingredients. A little olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper are all you need to make the most delicious chicken you’ll crave all summer.
- So easy to make - Once the chicken marinates for a few hours, it’s ready to grill. The thin slices only take a few minutes to cook per side. You could quickly marinate the chicken in the morning and have dinner ready in just moments that night!
- Great on everything - This grilled chicken is one of the most versatile recipes. It’s great on its own, in a salad, on a sandwich, in soup, etc. You can easily make a bunch and enjoy it in different dishes all week!
How to Make Croatian Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless chicken breasts sliced butterfly style and pounded to ⅜ inch thick.
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Butterfly the chicken breasts (or leave them whole) and place them in a dish so they all lie flat.
- Combine the olive oil and lemon juice with a whisk until well blended, and pour over the chicken breasts.
- Cover the dish.
- Marinate for an hour at room temperature or for several hours in the refrigerator.
- If you refrigerate the chicken breasts, allow them to come to room temperature before grilling.
- Heat your grill to high heat.
- Place the marinated breasts on the grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side.
- If the breasts are thin and the grill hot, this should be long enough to cook them through.
Expert Tips
- Marinate just enough - The lemon juice will break down the proteins in the chicken, and if you marinate for too long, it will start to change the texture. Limit the marinating time to no more than 12 hours.
- Don’t reduce the oil - Using the same amount of oil as lemon juice can seem excessive, but it’s worth it! This is part of how you make the chicken so tender and flavorful, and the oil will give the chicken a gorgeous sheen, just like the grilled chicken in Croatia.
- Make extra - Since you need to tenderize the chicken, it can be helpful to tenderize a large pack of chicken all at once. Marinate the chicken you want to serve today and freeze the rest of the raw chicken for later. When you’re ready to cook, thaw it in the fridge and marinate it like normal.
Variations
- Add aromatics - Mince fresh garlic or fresh rosemary to give the marinade even more flavor.
- Make it spicy - Add some red pepper flakes to the marinade mixture for a little kick.
- Make skewers - Instead of thinly slicing the chicken, cut it into cubes and stick them onto wooden skewers soaked in water. Grill until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Recipe FAQs
What is Croatian chicken?
We enjoyed this chicken throughout our trip to Croatia. The chicken was sliced thinly and then grilled to perfection everywhere we went. Unlike regular grilled chicken, each bite was tender and flavorful with the perfect texture. That comes from tenderizing the chicken and marinating it in a mixture of oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. The oil gives the chicken a great bite and sheen, and the lemon juice and seasonings work their way into every bite. This recipe tastes just like a trip to Croatia, no matter where you live!
What’s the best type of grill for Croatian grilled chicken?
You can use any grill to make this recipe. I used a 3-burner Gas Grill; the chicken tasted the same as it did in Croatia. Clean the grill well and get it nice and hot before adding the chicken.
What goes well with Croatian chicken?
That’s the best part - everything! This lemony chicken can quickly become your go-to method for preparing chicken for salads, sandwiches, gyros, and more. We like to serve it with grilled vegetables as a simple summer meal or slice it into bite-sized pieces for salads. For a simple Mediterranean lunch, serve it on a bun with some lettuce, tomato, onion, and homemade tzatziki.
Croatian Style Grilled Chicken With Lemon
Author: Recipe Idea Shop
Ingredients
- 4 boneless chicken breasts sliced butterfly style and pounded to ⅜ inch thick.
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Butterfly the chicken breasts and place them in a dish so they all lie flat.
- Using a whisk, combine the olive oil and lemon juice until it is well blended and pour over the chicken breasts.
- Cover the dish.
- Marinate for an hour at room temperature or for several hours in the refrigerator.
- If you refrigerate the chicken breasts, allow them to come to room temperature before grilling.
- Heat your grill to high heat.
- Place the marinated breasts on the grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
- If the breasts are thin and the grill hot, this should be long enough to cook them through.
Nutrition (may vary depending on ingredients and amounts used)
More Chicken Recipes to Try
- Easy Oven Spatchcocked Chicken
- How To Spatchcock a Chicken
- What To Do With Leftover Chicken
- Grilled Spatchcocked Chicken
- Baked Chicken Breast With Stuffing
