Best Ever Grilled Chicken
Summer for me is about the sizzling grill, endless barbecue parties, kids running barefoot, and food enjoyed in its purest and most authentic way. This grilled chicken, which is tender and juicy on the inside and perfectly charred on the outside, is a summer staple here. Soaked in a sweet and tangy herb marinade, this simple recipe bursts with flavor and is incredibly easy to make.
When the weather is hot and the pool feels refreshing, the last thing I want to do is turn on the oven and heat the house. I enjoy the long days and slightly warm evenings outdoors, and we eat as many meals as possible on the porch. I fire up the grill and quickly prepare some marinated meat or fish that I’ve prepared in advance. We enjoy it with an effortless chickpea salad, peach sangria, and some no-churn strawberry sorbet.
Table of contents
This recipe is my trick to planning summer meals. I usually double it, since it’s so easy to make, and use the extra grilled chicken breasts during the week. I either chop the meat and add it to a salad for lunch, use it in wraps, quickly add it to stir-fries, or make it into chicken tacos served with chips and homemade guacamole.
Why you will love this recipe
- Basic ingredients: While the marinade will make the meat taste lavishly good, it’s made with simple and affordable ingredients that you most likely have in your pantry.
- Effortless: This is one of the easiest recipes you can master. It’s foolproof, and it takes minutes to make. Just marinate the meat, refrigerate, and grill.
- Versatile: I like a good recipe that I can adapt to my own needs, and this is one of those. Adjust the marinade to suit your preference, making it sweeter, tangier, or spicier as needed. Use it for other chicken cuts ot meats.
- Meap-prep: This is the ideal recipe for meal planning. I always cook a few extra chicken breasts so I can use them in other meals, like wraps, salads, pita pockets, or burrito bowls.
What you will need
- Boneless skinless chicken breast – I prefer boneless and skinless chicken breasts over all the other cuts because they cook more evenly and are the most versatile. With boneless meat, grilling is easier, and you can either pound it into a thin piece or cook it fat and juicy.
- Olive oil – I typically use extra-virgin olive oil for its mild flavor and light touch.
Marinade:
- Liquids: I use oil, red wine vinegar because it is sweet and tangy without being bitter. The acids in it help break down the muscle fibers, making the meat more tender. For this recipe, I juice a whole lemon to get a fresh, tangy flavor, which helps tenderize the chicken.
- Seasoning: My homemade Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and freshly grated lemon zest for a pronounced citrusy flavor. I also add just a bit of sugar to balance the other flavors.
- Herbs and aromatics: Fresh, clean, and grassy is how I would describe freshly chopped parsley. It also has a hint of peppery citrus taste. I use minced red onion and minced garlic. Basil adds a slightly minty, sweet flavor with a hint of spice. I also add oregano for its pungent and bold aroma.
How to make
Make the marinade: I mix all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl or freezer bag.
Add the chicken: Then, I poke holes in the chicken with a fork and put it in the marinade.
Marinate: Refrigerate for 1 to 6 hours to allow the meat to marinate.
Preheat the grill: When I’m ready to cook, I preheat the grill to medium-high or place a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat on the stovetop and brush it with plenty of olive oil.
Grill the chicken: When the grill is hot enough, I place the chicken on the grill using tongs and cook it on medium for 7 to 8 minutes. The center should be 165 degrees F, as measured with a meat thermometer, and have no pink inside.
Rest and serve: I let your chicken rest for at least five minutes before serving it so the juices can be reabsorbed into the meat.
Expert tip
For how long to grill chicken
First of all, when grilling any cut of chicken, you must start with a hot grill. Spray it with olive oil and let it heat up to medium-high before adding any chicken pieces. Then, you will cook according to the cut, type, and size of the meat. For example, the cuts are the breasts, legs, thighs, wings, and tendons. The types are skinless, boneless, and regular (with bones and skin). The size depends on your preference.
- Breasts: Depending on the thickness, boneless, skinless breasts will be cooked for 5 to 8 minutes on medium-high heat (400°F). For chicken with bones, heat on medium-high for 5 minutes per side, then move to indirect heat and cook for an additional 30 minutes, flipping twice more.
- Legs: Always bone-in, legs (or drumsticks) should be cooked over medium-high heat for 30 minutes, rotating them every few minutes to ensure even cooking.
- Thighs: Boneless and skinless thighs should be cooked like boneless, skinless breasts for about seven to eight minutes on each side. For thighs with bones and skin, sear the chicken skin-side down over direct heat until golden brown. Then, flip and sear for another three minutes on the other side. After, move to indirect heat and grill for another 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the thickness.
- Wings: The wings are typically bone-in, with the skin still attached. I cook them for three minutes on each side, until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees, which takes approximately 10 minutes.
- Tenders: Both boneless and skinless, chicken tenders are small and can be cooked on medium-high heat for three minutes on each side.
More tips to consider:
- If your boneless chicken is not flat, use a meat mallet to flatten it out so it cooks evenly. No meat mallet? Use a rolling pin or a heavy can.
- Marinate for up to 8 hours for the most tender, juicy, and flavorful chicken.
- Always ensure the internal temperature of your chicken reaches 165°F before serving.
- For those without a meat thermometer, slice your chicken at the thickest part. If the juices are clear, the meat is safe to consume.
- Let your chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving, allowing it to reabsorb its juices.
- Make a whole bunch of grilled chicken and freeze it in individually serving bags to grab a piece whenever you need one for a recipe or a quick meal. Remember to thaw it overnight first, though.
Recipe variations and add-ins:
- Spicy chicken: For those who love spicy food, consider adding cayenne pepper and hot sauce to the marinade.
- Make it sweet: Add some honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar to the marinade. My kids love the extra sweetness!
- Add more spices: If I’ve left anything out that you love, feel free to add it to your marinade—for instance, smoked paprika, ground cumin, sweet cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, or cilantro.
- In the oven: To grill in the oven, use a grill pan sprayed with oil and cook the meat at 400°F for 5 minutes per side.
- Toss in some flavor: In addition to all the herbs and spices, I sometimes add taco seasoning or Ranch seasoning to the marinade.
Serving suggestions:
First, it’s essential to let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes after grilling. After that, it can be served in endless ways. If you’re hosting a barbecue party, pair it with grilled vegetables, a light arugula and strawberry salad, or a cucumber salad on the side, and some Mexican street corn on the cob.
If you have leftover grilled chicken, make some creamy Alfredo sauce and serve the chicken over a bed of pasta. For a comfort meal, serve it with mac and cheese casserole and microwaved-baked potatoes. I also like to chop it and add it to salads, soups, stews, or use it to make breakfast burritos.
How to store:
- Refrigerate: Grilled chicken can be wrapped in plastic and foil or placed in a sealed container in the fridge for up to three to four days.
- Freezing: Once your chicken is cool, wrap it in a freezer bag. You can freeze it for several months.
- Defrost: For optimal results, let your frozen chicken thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
- Reheating: To reheat, brush the surface with oil, wrap it in aluminum foil, and place it on a baking sheet in a preheated oven. Bake at 350°F for 5 minutes, or until heated through. Alternatively, you could reheat leftovers in the microwave. Heat it in the microwave for about 2 minutes, or until thoroughly reheated.
Frequently asked questions
The most common reason for dry grilled chicken is overcooking. Although you cannot eat chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, I often remove it from the grill when it reaches 160 degrees and then place it in a spot with indirect heat for a few minutes before serving. Marinating is also a crucial factor in achieving juicy chicken. Marinate for 1 to 6 hours. Also, remember to wait five to 10 minutes before slicing it so the juices can be reabsorbed.
Most of my recipes call for marinating chicken for eight hours or overnight. However, you should not let it marinate for more than 24 hours. If you marinate chicken for too long, it can become mushy because the acids break down the muscle fibers in the meat, making it more tender and succulent. Never use chicken that has been marinating for more than 48 hours because it can harbor bacteria.
Since this grilled chicken has oil in the marinade, you don’t need to add extra oil. However, I like to brush or spray it with some olive oil to keep all the juices inside while cooking. In this recipe, I coat the grill in oil, but you can also brush or spray some light oil on your chicken before grilling to prevent it from sticking.
There are numerous options to consider with leftover grilled chicken. A few examples are Chicken Carbonara, Chicken Parmesan Casserole, and Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole. You can also use it in sandwiches or chop it and use it in wraps. Add it to omelettes or stir-fries, or use it to top salads. You can also use it to make chicken tacos or quesadillas.
More chicken recipes:
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Grilled Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts boneless and skinless
- Olive oil for grilling
Marinade:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced onion
- 3 cloves fresh garlic minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian herbs
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Combine all marinade ingredients in a large bowl or freezer bag.
- Pierce the chicken breasts with a fork a few times, then place them in the marinade.
- Marinate for 30 minutes or up to 6 hours before cooking.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, or place a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat and generously brush it with olive oil.
- Grill the chicken on each side for 7-8 minutes, or until it is no longer pink in the center and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve.
Video
Notes
Tips to consider:
- If your boneless chicken is not flat, use a meat mallet to flatten it out so it cooks evenly. No meat mallet? Use a rolling pin or a heavy can.
- Marinate for up to 8 hours for the most tender, juicy, and flavorful chicken.
- Always ensure the internal temperature of your chicken reaches 165°F before serving.
- For those without a meat thermometer, slice your chicken at the thickest part. If the juices are clear, the meat is safe to consume.
- Let your chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving, allowing it to reabsorb its juices.
- Make a whole bunch of grilled chicken and freeze it in individually serving bags to grab a piece whenever you need one for a recipe or a quick meal. Remember to thaw it overnight first, though.