Grilled Chicken Breast
This grilled chicken breast recipe is one I make on repeat all summer long. A simple marinade makes it incredibly flavorful, and it's quick to make. Whether you add it to a salad or serve it with your favorite sides, juicy boneless chicken breast off the grill never disappoints!
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Grilled Chicken Breast Recipe
I love this easy recipe on weekdays when I want something that won't take a lot of effort to cook. Grilling season is always a favorite because just a few minutes on the BBQ can make incredibly tasty food.
One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it's meal prep friendly. You can mix up the marinade in the morning and let the chicken soak it in all day. By the time dinner rolls around, all you have to do is fire up the grill!
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Grilling locks in flavor, making the meat tender and juicy, and creates those gorgeous seared grill marks. It's one of my favorite ways to cook chicken breast, and once you try it this way, I think it will be yours too.
Why You'll Love this Recipe
Here are just a few of the reasons why this boneless chicken breast recipe is worth making:
The marinade in this recipe pulls double duty. It coats the chicken while it marinates and then doubles as a salad dressing, so you've got a built-in sauce ready to go with no extra effort.
Grilled chicken breast also stays good for a few days, making it one of the best proteins for meal prep. Cook a batch at the start of the week and you've got easy lunches and dinners ready to go.
And once the chicken hits the grill, it cooks fast. It just needs a few minutes per side and you're done! Use it for a grilled chicken salad or pair it with grilled asparagus and dinner is served.
Ingredients
With just a few simple marinade ingredients, you can make the most flavorful juicy chicken breast on the grill. Here is what you will need:
Honey and lemon juice are the base of the marinade, giving it a bright, slightly sweet flavor. You can swap the lemon juice for fresh lime juice if that's what you have on hand.
White wine vinegar adds a little tang . If you don't have it, red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or balsamic vinegar all work as substitutes, though each will shift the flavor just a bit.
For the protein, you'll need boneless skinless chicken breast. Pounding it thin or butterflying it before marinating helps it cook evenly on the grill. If you prefer dark meat, see my grilled chicken thighs recipe.
Want to mix things up? A splash of soy sauce, coconut aminos, or Worcestershire sauce will give the marinade a deeper flavor. You can also add freshly minced garlic or dried onion powder and garlic powder for extra seasoning, or a pinch of red pepper or cayenne if you like a little heat.
How to Grill Boneless Chicken Breast
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full step by step instructions! ⬇️
Jump to RecipeTo make this recipe a success, you'll need to first make the marinade, then marinate the chicken, and then grill it. Here's a step by step guide to success:
- Add the honey, lemon juice, and white wine vinegar to a small bowl or large glass measuring cup and stir to combine.
- Next, add the dijon mustard, dried rosemary, salt, and olive oil.
- Whisk everything together until the marinade is smooth and fully combined. This recipe makes more than you need for the chicken, so set aside ½ cup of marinade to use as a salad dressing later.
- Before marinating, take a minute to use a meat mallet to pound the breasts to an even thickness, or just slice each breast in half through the middle, creating two thinner pieces.
- Place the chicken in a mixing bowl and pour the marinade over it, making sure each piece is fully coated. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 12 hours.
- Let any excess marinade drip off before placing the chicken on the grill grates, then use a basting brush to coat each piece with the remaining marinade from the bowl for an extra flavor boost.
- Flip the chicken over half way through grilling. You'll know it's ready to flip when it releases easily from the grates.
When it reaches an internal temp of 163°F., take the meat off the grill and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing.
Madison's Tips for Success:
I've tested this recipe and have successfully grilled chicken breast many times. Use my tips to ensure that it turns out perfectly for you, too!
- Be sure to clean your outdoor grill before you start. Any residue left on the grates can affect the flavor of what you're grilling, and also cause it to stick.
- Don't marinate the chicken for longer than 12 hours. At that point, the citrus starts to break down the proteins and can actually work against you. That said, you can mix up the marinade well ahead of time and just add the chicken whenever you're ready.
- Never reuse marinade that has been in contact with raw chicken. The reserved half cup is set aside before the chicken goes in - that's the portion that's safe to use as a salad dressing.
- Since the marinade has honey in it, keep an eye on the grill while the chicken cooks . Honey can cause flare-ups, and you don't want the chicken to burn.
- Let the breasts rest for a few minutes after grilling. This is what keeps the chicken juicy rather than losing all those good juices the moment you cut into it.
Grilled Chicken Breast Recipe FAQs
Cook time will vary depending on the thickness of the pieces, which is why I recommend pounding or cutting the breasts first to make them the same thickness. Plan for about 7-8 minutes total cook time.
Yes! Place the chicken and marinade together in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Before grilling, thaw in the fridge overnight. The chicken will marinate as it thaws, so it will be ready to go straight to the grill.
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, place the breasts in a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat, use 80% power in the microwave, or bake them in a 350°F. oven, until the chicken reaches an internal temp of 165°F.
Did you make this recipe?
If you make and love this recipe, please leave a ★★★★★ review below! It means so much to me when you try my recipes, and I'd love to know how it goes. Please leave a comment below if you have any questions.
Grilled Chicken Breast
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup honey plus 1 tablespoon
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- ¾ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
Instructions
- Combine the marinade ingredients (¼ cup honey, ¼ cup lemon juice, 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons dijon mustard, ¾ cup olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon dried rosemary) in a small bowl or glass measuring cup and whisk well.
- You will have 1 ½ cups, or 12 ounces of marinade, which is more than you need for 1.5 pounds of chicken. Reserve ½ cup for salad dressing or another use.
- Slice the 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast pieces in half horizontally to make thinner cutlets, or pound the breasts thin with a meat mallet.
- Cover with 1 cup of marinade and let sit in fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours. *Avoid marinating for more than 12 hours, as the acidity of the lemon juice will begin to break down the proteins in the chicken.
- Preheat your grill to medium heat or 400℉ (204℃).
- Place chicken on the hot grill grates and brush some of the leftover chicken marinade onto the chicken. Optional, but adds a boost of flavor!
- Grill chicken breast on first side for 3 minutes, then flip and continue cooking for 4-5 minutes or until chicken breast reaches an internal temperature of 163℉ (73℃) .
- Remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest on a cutting board for at least 5 minutes before slicing or plating. During that time, it will continue to cook to a safe internal temperature of 165℉. (74℃)
Notes
Nutrition
Other Grilling Recipes
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