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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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This is a fantastic recipe. The chicken turns out so flavorful and juicy. Will be making again!
Truly the best grilled chicken. Juicy and flavorful and oh so easy. This is my 4th time making it in the last two months. Thanks so much!!!
Another excellent recipe. I’m making this chicken for dinner along with a salad. Thank you for all your work. You are truly a blessing. All the best to you.
Hi Jenn,
This is a phenomenal recipe! So flavorful, juicy and simple!! What’s the best way to reheat the leftovers? Thank you!
Hi Iryna, So glad you like it! I’d reheat it, covered with foil, in a 325°F-oven until hot.
Can I over grill this? Thank you!
Hi Jini, I believe there’s a typo here. Are you asking if you can grill/ broil this in the oven? If so, the answer is yes, and the cook time will be about the same as that for the grill.
I love this recipe! I’ve made it several times to rave reviews. Very moist and flavorful chicken breast. Can you substitute fresh rosemary for the thyme and oregano? I have some I’d like to use up.
Sure, Nina that’s fine (and I’m glad you like it)!
Can you give the timing if I grill on a George Foreman grill since it cooks on both top and bottom at the same time? I don’t want to overcook the chicken.
Would lime zest be a good alternative to lemon zest and would I use the same amount?
And unrelated – can you tell me if adding wine vinegar to a marinade makes the meat tough the same way that lemon juice would?
Thanks Jenn,
I know this will turn out great because your recipes never fail. I say this as I munch on your american potato salad.
Hi Marilyn, as you said, because a George Foreman grill cooks both sides of the chicken at once, it should take about half the time to cook, but keep a close eye on it. Lime zest will change the flavor of the marinade a bit, but it’s certainly fine to use it, and you’d use the same amount. And, yes, wine vinegar in a marinade (for boneless breasts) would also make them tough. It’s the acid present in both vinegar and lemon juice that causes that.
I really enjoy your recipes Jenn. If I am reducing the number of chicken breast that I use, do I reduce the amount of marinade? If so, by what proportions ?
Thank you
Hi Shanna, so glad you liked the recipes! Regarding the marinade, it depends on how much you’d like to cut back on the chicken, but in general, you can reduce the marinade proportionately.
I made this for an extended family dinner yesterday. It was a hit. Flavorful and tender. I will definitely make it again.
Hi Jennifer, I made your grilled chicken breast recipe for the first time last night and they were absolutely delicious, tender and juicy! Will definitely add to the dinner rotation. 🙂 I didn’t have luck pounding them thin so I just cut them in half. Worked great! I look forward to trying more of your recipes.