This is one of the Grilled Chicken Recipes that carries a zesty marinade full of lemon juice, garlic, and spices-all scoring amongst the top favorites for grilling I’m excited to share all my tips for making the most tender and juicy grilled chicken breast!

Table of Contents

Secrets to the Best Grilled Chicken

Marinate the chicken. Marinating chicken breasts flavors and tenderizes them. I make this recipe often, and no matter how I am serving it, it contains one of my favorite go-to marinades-just a few common ingredients.

Pound the chicken to an even thickness. In order to have tender, evenly cooked chicken, you must pound it to an even thickness. Commercial chicken breasts are rarely ever even on either side of the breast; pound the chicken to be sure it is evenly cooked and to aerate the meat for tenderness. Do not skip this step!

Grill clean. Start with clean, oiled grates for those perfect grill marks.

Grill over medium heat. That way, one is likely to avoid burning or overdrying chicken.

Use an instant-read thermometer. Do not let it get too dry. If at all possible, use the instant-read thermometer to measure the internal temperature because that will be the best check of doneness.

Let it rest. Allow the grilled chicken to rest for 5 minutes before cutting or serving.It allows the juices to redistribute through the meat.
Cutting too soon will have all the juices run out and you definitely want them in the chicken, not on your cutting board.

Grilled Chicken Marinade

This grilled chicken recipe features a simplified version of my favorite chicken marinade. What you will need:

Lemon Juice: It lends a great citrusy, bright, fresh flavor to chicken, but in addition to that, it tenderizes the meat so well. To give it an extra citrusy flavour, two lemons zest can be added. The fact is that lemon juice chicken should marinate in not more than 2 hours, and otherwise acid starts toughening the meat.It should be marinated for at least 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Olive Oil: It will keep the chicken moist as well as let the flavors of the marinade penetrate the meat. Also, it will balance out lemon juice’s acidity so your chicken would come out all juicy and tender.

Garlic: Fresh garlic adds unbeatable flavor to the mix.

Dried Oregano: Italian seasoning works just as well if you prefer.

Chili Powder: Subtly imparts depth of flavors without making the chicken spicy.

Salt and Peppercorns: Necessaries to season and unlock all the goodness in other ingredients.

Feel free to personalize the chicken by adding your favorite herbs, either fresh or dried to the marinade. For an additional flavor boost, you can mix a little Dijon mustard in. Another great option would be my Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken recipe-one of my all-time favorites!

How to Grill Chicken

Finally, beat the marinade ingredients in a small bowl.

Place the chicken breasts in a zip-top plastic bag and pound using a meat mallet or rolling pin to about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thickness.

Pour the marinade over the chicken in a bag. Seal the bag and gently turn or press the bag to spread the marinade around the chicken. Refrigerate this for at least 30 minutes or longer but no longer than 2 hours.

When you’re ready to cook, clean and oil the grates of your gas or charcoal grill. Preheat the grill to medium-high, between 375 and 450°F.

How Long to Grill Chicken Breast

First, whisk the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl.Grill the chicken breasts 5-8 minutes per side, covered, or until cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 165°F.

It’s sensible to sear on the hotter area of the grill for a few minutes then finish cooking in a cooler region for juicy chicken with the right grill marks. The two-zone method guards against burning or drying out and thoroughly cooks through the chicken.

Let the chicken rest on a clean plate for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Troubleshooting: Why is my Chicken Tough?

Nutrition Facts

1 servings per container

Amount Per ServingCalories258
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 13g 20%
- Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 97mg 33%
Sodium 371mg 16%
Potassium 584mg 17%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
- Dietary Fiber 0.3g 2%
- Sugars 0.3g
Protein 32g 64%

Vitamin C 6%
Calcium 17%
Iron 1%

* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

If the exterior of your chicken is browned and even charred before the interior has reached a safe internal temperature, you likely had the heat too high. Next time, try to grill your chicken a little slower with lower heat.

If your chicken turns out tough and dry all the way through, it is probably cooked too long. This is often a problem when you’re cooking larger chicken breasts that haven’t been pounded out to an even thickness. To yield the best results, try to get your chicken pounded to 1/2-3/4 inch.

If you overcook your chicken, a simple sauce can make it juicy again. BBQ sauce, chimichurri, or honey mustard are all good options.

Grilled Chicken Serving Ideas

This is a very versatile grilled chicken recipe; here are some ideas on how to enjoy it:

BBQ: Enjoy with the classic barbecue or cookout sides. Combine it with potato salad, macaroni salad, fruit salad, corn salad, tabbouleh, or cilantro lime rice.
Grilled Chicken Salad: Serve over a bed of lettuce with your favorite salad ingredients, or include it in one of these salad recipes.
Grilled Chicken Sandwich or Wrap: Grill up a breast, pile onto toasted bun, lettuce, tomato, onion, and sauce. Or wrap up for lunch
Burrito Bowl: Add grilled chicken to your favorite burrito bowl for an amazing meal
Pasta: Slice the grilled chicken up to add to pasta salad, pesto pasta, or caprese pasta.
Meal Prep: Grill additional chicken so that meal prep will be easier for the rest of the week.