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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 Greek salad or Caesar salad. Bonus: the recipe is quick and easy. You do all the prep ahead of time and won’t even dirty a single bowl. It’s also great for meal prep—make a double batch and freeze the extra for salads, pastas, and sandwiches.
“Truly the best grilled chicken. Juicy and flavorful and oh so easy.”
What You’ll Need To Make The Best Grilled Chicken
The marinade is a simple combination of olive oil, garlic, dried thyme, oregano, and lemon zest. I use lemon zest rather than juice because acidic ingredients like lemon juice and vinegar can give lean chicken breasts a leathery texture when marinated too long. The zest adds plenty of bright lemon flavor without affecting the chicken’s tenderness.
How to Make Grilled Chicken Breasts
Pound the chicken: Place the chicken breasts in a 1-gallon freezer bag and pound to an even ½-inch thickness. This tenderizes the meat and ensures even cooking, so the thinner ends don’t dry out before the thicker portions are done. If you don’t have a meat mallet, use a rolling pin or saucepan.
Make the marinade: Using a Microplane or fine grater, zest the lemon, rotating it as you go and avoiding the bitter white pith underneath. Combine the zest with the remaining marinade ingredients (except the chicken) in a 1-gallon zip-lock bag. You can reuse the bag from pounding the chicken if it’s still in good shape.
Marinate: Add the chicken breasts to the bag and massage the marinade into the meat until evenly coated. Seal the bag, place it in a bowl to catch any leaks, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Grill: Preheat the grill to high heat and oil the grates. Grill the chicken, covered, for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F. If the chicken sticks when you try to flip it, give it another 30 seconds; it should release naturally.
Rest: Transfer the chicken to a platter and let rest for 3 to 4 minutes before slicing. This helps keep the juices in and the chicken moist.
Can You Make Grilled Chicken Without an Outdoor Grill?
Absolutely! You can use a grill pan or your oven’s broiler.
Grill pan: Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F. There’s no need to cover the pan.
Broiler: Preheat the broiler and position an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source. Arrange the chicken on a foil-lined, broiler-safe baking sheet and broil for about 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F.
Storage, Freezing & Reheating
Storage: Store leftover cooked chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
Freezing: Let the chicken cool completely, and keep the breasts whole rather than slicing them. Wrap each piece individually in plastic wrap, then place them together in a zip-lock freezer bag. This prevents the pieces from sticking together and allows you to thaw just what you need.
Reheating: Thaw frozen chicken overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat, covered with foil, in a 325°F oven until heated through to 165°F.
Video Tutorial
Grilled Chicken Breasts (Juicy)
Ingredients
- 1¾ lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ teaspoons lemon zest, from 1 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-in (13-mm) 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, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F. Transfer the chicken to a platter and let rest for 3 to 4 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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.
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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.