The Best Grilled Chicken
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
Say goodbye to dry, bland grilled chicken breasts. This recipe guarantees juicy, flavorful chicken every time.
Sometimes in cooking the simplest dishes are the hardest to get right, and grilled chicken is a perfect example. Because boneless chicken breasts are so lean, they often turn out dry, rubbery, and bland. Contrary to popular belief, marinating alone will not prevent grilled chicken from drying out; in fact, it’s often the marinade that causes the problem!
My technique and marinade ensure tender, juicy, and flavorful grilled chicken every time. You can serve the fillets on their own as a healthy main course (kids love them), topped with cheese on a toasted bun, or, as I often do, sliced over a Caesar salad. Bonus: the recipe is quick and easy. You do all of the prep ahead of time and you won’t even dirty a single bowl.
What You’ll Need To Make THE BEST Grilled Chicken
STEP-BY-STEP Instructions
Step 1: Pound the Chicken
Place the chicken breasts in a 1-gallon freezer bag and pound to an even ½-inch thickness. This both tenderizes the meat and ensures even cooking. Left in their natural shape, the thin side of the fillet dries out while the thicker side finishes cooking. If you don’t have a meat mallet, a rolling pin or a saucepan will both work well.
Step 2: Make the Marinade
Lemon is a key ingredient in this marinade, but I only use the zest. Contrary to conventional wisdom, acidic ingredients (such as vinegar or lemon juice) do not tenderize lean boneless chicken breasts. Just the opposite: they “cook” the exterior of the meat and give it a leathery texture. The zest gives the chicken ample lemon flavor without affecting the chicken’s succulent texture.
The best tool for zesting citrus is a fine or microplane grater. Simply rub the lemon in one direction against the blades, turning the lemon as you go. Be sure to remove only the yellow part; the white pith underneath is bitter.
Once you’ve zested the lemon, mix all of the marinade ingredients except for the chicken together in a 1-gallon zip-lock bag (go ahead and use the same one you used for pounding if it is still in good shape).
Add the chicken breasts to the bag and massage the marinade into the meat until evenly coated.
Step 3: Marinate
Seal the bag and place in a bowl in the refrigerator (the bowl protects against leakage); let the chicken marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Step 4: Grill
When you’re ready to eat, preheat your grill to high heat and oil the grates (clean, oiled grates will give you the best grill marks). Be sure your grill is very hot before cooking the chicken; you want nice grill marks and char in the short amount of time it takes to cook these. When pounded thin, chicken breasts only need 2 to 3 minutes per side…no more! If you try to flip the chicken and it feels stuck, try giving it 30 seconds. It’ll release naturally when it’s ready.
You’ll notice that the recipe calls for the grill to be covered while the chicken is cooking. This creates convection heat which helps give the chicken a nicely charred exterior and a tender, moist interior.
After removing the chicken from the grill, let it rest for 3 to 4 minutes before cutting into it. This will help keep the juices in and retain the meat’s moisture. (The timing is perfect as it’s just enough to get it onto plates, add sides, and put on the table).
While this chicken is best right off the grill, it’s also the kind of thing you can make a double batch of and freeze for future use in salads, pastas, and sandwiches.
video tutorial
Freezer-Friendly Tips
- Make sure the chicken is completely cooled before freezing it.
- Keep the chicken pieces whole (no slicing before freezing).
- To avoid multiple pieces stuck together (which extends defrosting time), wrap each piece individually in plastic wrap and then place them all in a ziploc bag. This also allows you to defrost one piece at a time if you’d like.
You May Also Like
- Grilled Moroccan Chicken
- Grilled Chicken Fajitas
- Grilled Chicken & Quinoa Burrito Bowls with Spicy Green Sauce
- Grilled Tequila Lime Chicken
- Grilled BBQ Chicken
The Best Grilled Chicken
Say goodbye to dry, bland grilled chicken breasts. This recipe guarantees juicy, flavorful chicken every time.
Ingredients
- 1¾ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ teaspoons lemon zest, from one lemon
Instructions
- One at a time, place the chicken breasts in a 1-gallon zip-lock bag; using a meat mallet, pound to an even ½-inch thickness.
- Mix all of the ingredients except for the chicken together in a 1-gallon zip-lock bag (go ahead and use the same one you used for pounding if it is still in good shape). Add the chicken breasts to the bag and massage the marinade into the meat until evenly coated. Seal the bag and place in a bowl in the refrigerator (the bowl protects against leakage); let the chicken marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the grill to high heat and oil the grates. Place the chicken breasts on the grill and cook, covered, for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Do not overcook. Transfer the chicken to a platter and serve.
- Note: The nutritional information includes all of the ingredients for the marinade, so one serving is likely significantly lower in calories and fat than the numbers below
Pair with
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (4 servings)
- Serving size: 1 chicken breast
- Calories: 413
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Sugar: 0 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 42 g
- Sodium: 958 mg
- Cholesterol: 127 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
I have all the ingredients except lemon zest. Can I use orange zest?
The chicken will have a slightly different flavor, but technically it will work. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
I was all sent to make this and discovered I only have boneless skinless thighs. Will the recipe still work or what changes / adjustments should I consider? Thanks!
It will work, Betsy – no need to pound them out though. Enjoy!
This is a wonderful recipe and my new “go to” for grilled chicken. Easy, very tender and delicious! I discovered your blog and cookbook and it has taken me out of my “cooking comfort zone” and really helped put happiness on our dinner table! I noticed most of your recipes call for extra virgin olive oil–is there a reason for using extra virgin vs regular olive oil? Also does the brand make a difference? Thanks!
So glad your family enjoys the recipes, Debbie! I usually call for extra-virgin since that’s what most people have on hand. But, in general, you should use regular olive oil for cooking and marinades, and extra-virgin for salads and drizzling. Hope that helps!
Can you do this with a George Foreman grill? I’m assuming so right?
Yes, I think it will work. Hope you enjoy!
Wondering if you used the Foreman grill and if so for how long?
That’s the only grill I have since I have a ridiculous fear of gas grills exploding. 🤪
Hi Beverly, a few readers have commented that they’ve used Foreman grills to cook this. I don’t have one so I don’t know how the timing will differ, so keep a close eye on it. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
I made this recipe last night for dinner salads and it was absolutely phenomenal. I will definitely be making this recipe on a regular basis. Thank you Jenn for another recipe that I cannot live without.
Is is 1& 3/4 chicken or 3/4 chicken ?
Hi Chantal, It’s 1 and 3/4 (so 1.75 lbs). Sorry for any confusion!
Question for you. I always have lemon juice and lemon pepper on hand, but rarely a fresh lemon for zest. I know from reading the blog that juice is a big no-no, so I wondered if I could do lemon pepper, and if so how much? Should I then cut other things out of the marinade?
Hi Mary, while using lemon pepper may work, I’m not sure if it will give you as much lemon flavor as the zest without it being too peppery. If you do want to use it, I would omit the black pepper. For the best results, I’d really stick with lemon zest. Hope that helps!
This chicken is awesome!! It is so moist and flavorful!! I love that I can prep it the day before, and then dinner is a snap the next night. Thanks for another delicious recipe, Jenn!!
Winning recipe! I read all the positive reviews and decided to make this for some dinner guests. It was absolutely delicious. I think Jenn is absolutely right in using the zest from the lemon instead of the juice as the texture of the chicken was much nicer. Thanks for another great recipe. You and the Barefoot Contessa are my go to recipes when I want to make something that I know will be delicious.
Delicious!! Another amazing and easy recipe Jenn-my absolute go to book/website for the best recipes! Thank you!
🙂 You’re welcome!
Hi Jenn, thanks for another awesome recipe! My question is, can these be frozen in the marinade? I’m hoping to make a bunch up, freeze them, and pull out and thaw for summer BBQ’g. Thanks in advance for answering. 😊
Sure, Corinne, that will work. 🙂
I’ve never had any luck with grilled chicken until I tried this recipe. It was moist, flavorful and delicious…not to mention very quick! Thanks for another great recipe.