What to season grilled chicken with? You may be wondering what to season grilled chicken with after being inspired by the barbecue grilling season or maybe you’re wanting to beef up your summer salad recipe. Grilled chicken can serve as a great meal all by itself. Creamy pasta dishes are also amazing with grilled chicken. If you need some inspiration, here are some of my favorite grilled chicken recipes.
Easy Grilled Chicken
This easy grilled chicken is made with just 5 simple ingredients in less than 30 minutes. Tender, juicy and flavorful grilled chicken breast every time!
Grilled chicken is one of my favorite things to make during the summer. I love how juicy and tender the meat gets, with a delicious charred flavor. It’s super simple to whip up and can be cooked in unison with grilled vegetables, vegetable skewers or grilled corn to make an easy, no-fuss meal.
Then use leftovers to throw on a spinach berry salad, make a buffalo chicken wrap or to bulk up a caprese pasta salad. There are so many different ways to use grilled chicken…you’ll never get bored!
Seasoning + marinade
When seasoning the meat, I like to keep it simple and use a mixture of salt, pepper, garlic powder, olive oil and some smoked paprika. If you’re not a fan of heat, you can omit the paprika. This blend gives the chicken the perfect easy boost of flavor, while still letting the natural juices shine through.
If you’re looking for a marinade with a bolder flavor, try using my famous chicken marinade, Greek chicken marinade or even some tangy homemade BBQ sauce. Both require a few more ingredients, but are just as easy to make.
TIP: If you have time, marinate your meat about 2 hours before grilling. I like to place the chicken in a zip top bag and pour the marinade on top. The flavors infuse a bit more and taste extra delicious!
The trick to tender chicken breasts
If you want super tender grilled chicken, don’t skip this step! The trick is to pound the breasts with a meat tenderizer. It helps to soften the muscle fibers in the meat, creating an amazingly juicy and tender result. It also evens out the thickness of the breast, making it easier to evenly cook.
Another key trick is to make sure to let your meat rest for a few minutes after removing from the grill. If you slice it right away, the juices will immediately run out. Letting it rest keeps the juices inside so that it’s super moist and delicious.
Helpful grilling tips
- Clean your grill. Start with clean and oiled grill plates, so that the meat doesn’t stick to the grill when cooking.
- Flipping. Don’t flip the chicken until about 4 to 6 minutes have passed. That’s how you achieve those beautiful charred grilled marks.
- Meat thermometer. Use a meat thermometer to easily check the temperature while grilling. I like to remove my chicken from the grill when it’s about 160ºF. After it rests for a few minutes, the temperature usually rises up to 165ºF.
- Let rest. Make sure to let the meat rest for at least 5 minutes! If you don’t, the juices will all run out.
Sides for serving
Pretty much anything tastes great alongside grilled chicken. Keep it light with a fresh vegetable dish or side chopped salad. Or make a more hearty side dish since the chicken is light in itself. Below are a few of our favorites side dishes.
- Sliced watermelon
- Loaded potato salad
- Grilled corn
- Roasted potatoes and carrots
- Greek salad
- Homemade mac and cheese
- Southwest quinoa salad
- Grilled sweet potatoes
- Grilled asparagus
- Sheet pan gnocchi
Storing + freezing leftovers
The chicken will stay fresh in the fridge in an airtight container or bag for up to 3 days. To freeze, make sure it has cooled completely. Do not slice the chicken, it should be whole when freezing. If freezing more than one piece, wrap each individually in plastic wrap so that they don’t stick together. Then place in an airtight container or bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then warm in the microwave or in a pan on the stove (or enjoy cold if you prefer).
SIMPLE GRILLED CHICKEN RECIPE
This Simple Grilled Chicken Recipe has a lemon, garlic, and herb marinade that makes for the absolute best grilled chicken. You’ll make this recipe again and again!
This Simple Grilled Chicken Recipe has a lemon, garlic, and herb marinade that makes for the absolute best grilled chicken. You’ll make this recipe again and again!
This recipe for Grilled Chicken Breasts is so simple, but packs a lot of flavor. It can be made on a gas grill, charcoal grill, or indoors on a grill pan or electric grill. Mix and match the herbs with fresh or dried herbs of your choice to switch things up. The lemon and garlic will pair well with almost any herb combination so you can experiment to your hearts desire.
HOW LONG DO YOU COOK CHICKEN BREAST ON THE GRILL?
The amount of time necessary to cook chicken breasts thoroughly depends on the size and thickness of the chicken breasts. An average chicken breast takes somewhere between 10 and 14 minutes on a grill over medium-high heat to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, or 5 to 7 minutes per side.
HOW DO YOU MAKE GRILLED CHICKEN WITHOUT A GRILL?
You can grill chicken indoors using a grill pan or electric grill. Our favorite grill pan is made out of cast iron. Well seasoned cast iron can bring a lot of flavor to your food.
CAN I USE THIS RECIPE FOR GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS?
Yes! This recipe can be used to make grilled chicken thighs. Depending on the size and thickness of your chicken thighs, you may need to increase the grilling time on this recipe to ensure that the chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
This Simple Grilled Chicken Recipe has a lemon, garlic, and herb marinade that makes for the absolute best grilled chicken. You’ll make this recipe again and again!
Prep Time5 MINUTES
Cook Time15 MINUTES
Total Time20 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS
- 2 lemons juiced (about 1/4 cup)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3-4 garlic cloves crushed
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and garlic.
- Place chicken breasts into a large resealable plastic bag or shallow dish. Pour marinade over chicken.
- Marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours.
- Heat an outdoor grill over medium-high heat, about 400 degrees.
- Grill chicken for 5 to 7 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Remove from grill and let rest 5 minutes before serving.
NOTES
Nutrition
Calories: 269kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 423mg | Potassium: 501mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 35IU | Vitamin C: 30.7mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1.2mg
The Best Grilled Chicken Breast Recipe
The secret to juicy grilled chicken isn’t the seasonings or complicated marinades. It’s all about HOW you grill the chicken perfectly in 20 minutes or less.
Sometimes I get all wrapped up in outdoing / improving / out-creating some of my most favorite / simple / craveable recipes.
It’s easy to over complicate a recipe when I see all sorts of crazy inspiration and crazy mash-ups on the ol’ www. When inventive cooks take humble and mundane basic recipes I’ve always known and loved, then stuff them into a cannon with whatever’s trending at the moment, light the wick, and ka-boom-er-ama!
That’s not this recipe.
This grilled chicken breast recipe goes right back to the basics. It’s perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal or meal prepping for salads and lunches in my Chinese chicken salad with pasta, a classic Caesar salad, or my favorite Italian chicken wrap.
This is the simplest, juiciest chicken breast recipe you might ever make / grill /eat. Once you make it, it’s sure to become the base to every chicken recipe you throw on the grill and it just might possibly lead you to lick that wick and send you over the moon.
What’s Needed to Make Grilled Chicken?
I love that you can doctor up grilled chicken breasts so many different ways, but if I’m planning on using the leftover chicken in other recipes like my favorite Italian chicken wrap or chicken caprese sandwich I prefer using minimal ingredients.
I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. If you’re a fan of a cut whole bird or the darker meat chicken thighs, the same principles apply, but you’ll need to allow more cooking time.
Here’s all you need for the best, basic grilled chicken:
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Lemon halves (optional)
How to Season Grilled Chicken
Simple seasoning with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper is where all the flavor starts. Add more dried seasonings such as:
- dried herbs like oregano, basil, rosemary
- garlic powder, garlic salt
- chipotle powder
- cumin
- garam masala
- smoked paprika
- lemon pepper
Give a squeeze of grilled lemon halves. Have you grilled lemon halves before? They’re one of my favorite grilled food flavor enhancers. The heat caramelizes the cut side and brings all of the juice front and center, making the lemon’s ultimately squeezeable. Try it on fish or veggies too. And if you’re a fan of limes or oranges, go crazy and experiment!
Use a marinade or slather with bbq sauce. If you prefer flavoring your grilled chicken breasts with marinades, try my garlic and lemon infused yogurt Greek chicken marinade. It’s so easy to make, and the resulting grilled chicken is insanely flavorful. Or, follow my bbq sauced grilled chicken breasts recipe for a sweet and tangy chicken.
How to Grill Chicken Breasts
This recipe is the main building block and grilling guide I use as the base for nearly all of my grilled chicken recipes. The secret to juicy grilled chicken isn’t in the seasonings or complicated marinades, it’s all about HOW you grill the chicken.
Set up the grill with two heat zones. If using a gas or a charcoal grill, designate one side of the grill for direct grilling (medium-high heat of 450-500°F) and the other side for indirect grilling (low heat or totally off).
Sear the chicken on both sides over the direct heat, then turn off one burner (or move the coals to one side if you’re grilling with charcoal) and move the chicken to the side of the grill where the heat has been turned off to finish “baking” over the indirect heat. The chicken continues to cook over the indirect heat but won’t burn. I usually close the lid and cover, but check the temperature and monitor how the chicken is cooking, opening the lid if the grill is too hot.
How Long to Grill Boneless Chicken Breasts
Depending on the thickness of your chicken, allow about 15-20 minutes to grill boneless chicken breasts. Cook the chicken over direct heat for the first 10 minutes or until nicely seared then move to the indirect heat for another 5-10 minutes depending on it’s thickness.
Cook until the chicken’s internal temp is 165° F, or juices run clear. In testing the chicken breasts for internal temperature, slide the thermometer laterally at one end, so it hits the center of the piece. Be careful not to overcook the grilled chicken, otherwise it’ll become tough and rubbery.
Give it a rest. Once the grilled chicken breasts are cooked, transfer to a plate and tent with aluminum foil to allow the juices to rest for about 5 minutes. Cutting the chicken too early will cause the juices to run out and it won’t be as juicy.
The Best Meat Thermometer
I LOVE this digital meat thermometer. It’s an investment but totally worth it. I’ve tried dozens of thermometers with inconsistent readings but this one is on the money every time.
If you don’t own a meat thermometer, resist the urge to slice into the middle of a chicken breast — that’s a guaranteed way to lose most of the juices. Instead, prick the chicken with a fork to see if the juices run clear. If the juices are pink, the chicken isn’t cooked through.
How Long to Cook Bone-In Chicken Breasts
Bone-in chicken breasts tend to have more flavor than their boneless siblings but take longer to cook. Allow 30-40 minutes total cooking time with 10 minutes over direct heat and 20-30 over indirect heat. When testing the temperature, be sure to avoid touching the bone which will be hotter than the internal meat.
The Best Grilled Chicken Breast Recipe
The secret to juicy grilled chicken isn’t in the seasonings or complicated marinades. It’s all about HOW you grill the chicken. Here’s how to grill chicken breasts perfectly every single time.
CourseMain Course
CuisineAmerican
Keywordgrilled chicken
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings3
Calories192kcal
Ingredients
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 lemons , halved
Instructions
- Prepare one side of the grill for direct cooking at medium-high heat (450°F) and one side for low, indirect heat. Brush the cooking grates clean.
- Drizzle the chicken breasts with extra virgin olive oil and rub over the breasts. Season generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Place the chicken breasts on the hot grill. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes or until they easily release from the grates. Flip the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes longer. Move the chicken to the indirect heat and cook for another 5-8 minutes or until the breasts are firm to the touch and opaque all the way through, registering 160°F internal temp (the temp will rise to 165°F as the chicken rests). Add the lemon halves to the grill half way through cooking the chicken, cut side down, and cook for 3-5 minutes then move the lemon halves to the top rack of the grill.
- Transfer to a plate and cover with a piece of aluminum foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Squeeze the lemon on the chicken for extra flavor.
Notes
*I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. If you’re a fan of a cut whole bird or the darker meat chicken thighs, the same principles apply, just add more time cooking time.
Nutrition
Serving: 3g | Calories: 192kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 908mg | Potassium: 517mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 34IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg