Summer BBQ Recipe: Grilled Italian Lemon Pepper Chicken

This summer BBQ recipe is sure to please everyone in your family! A charcoal grill adds a special outdoor flavor and toasting that makes the seasonings really come together. Grilled Italian Lemon Pepper Chicken is great for Memorial Day get-togethers or lazy summer evenings by the pool. It's a fun summer BBQ recipe that's easy to double or triple for your party or special family celebration. With only four ingredients, Grilled Italian Lemon Pepper Chicken works up fast. Count on about 15 minutes to get ready, 30 minutes to marinate, and 45 minutes to grill.

My husband and I were newlyweds when we moved to a small town in Alabama. To welcome us to the community, one of our neighbors invited us to a summer backyard barbeque. So I cooked up my grandmother's special recipe potato salad and we headed across the street. My neighbors had the charcoal grill already going and the chicken smelled great! We had a wonderful time and I picked up a super-easy recipe for tender, juicy, Grilled Italian Lemon Pepper Chicken. Serve with your grandmother's special recipe potato salad and a tall glass of sweet southern iced tea. Don't forget to make homemade ice cream for a perfect summer BBQ!

Ingredients:
6 chicken breast halves or breast quarters with wings attached
1 - 8 oz. bottle of Italian salad dressing (not creamy style)
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper (more or less to taste)
¼ cup lemon juice (fresh squeezed is best)

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Shake Italian salad dressing well, making sure it is completely mixed. Lite Italian dressing can be used in this recipe. Pour the Italian dressing and lemon juice into a zip lock bag. Grind pepper into the zip lock bag. Mix well. Carefully place the chicken into the bag and seal tightly. Refrigerate 30 minutes to 1 hour (make your potato salad and start the grill during this time). Make sure chicken is covered in marinade and turn once during the refrigeration period.

Remove chicken from the zip lock bag. Grill skin-side up on an uncovered grill over medium-hot coals, for about 30 to 45 minutes. Turn and baste with marinade about every 10 minutes. Be careful when basting because the marinade contains oil and flare-ups may occur. The secret to grilling this BBQ recipe is slow and even heat. Chicken is done when juices run clear. Time for a summer BBQ!