These Grilled Chicken Breasts grill up juicy and tender every time. A simple Dijon lemon marinade adds savory flavor and makes them perfect for salads, sandwiches, or dinner tonight.
Serve with pasta salad and grilled corn on the cob for an easy summer dinner.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights: Grilled Chicken Breasts
Why Make It: The marinade uses pantry staples, adds lots of flavor, and helps keep grilled chicken breasts juicy.
Flavor: Savory, tangy, and lightly zesty with garlic, herbs, and smoky grilled char.
Technique: Pounding thicker pieces to an even thickness helps the chicken cook more evenly. Use a rolling pin or the flat side of a meat mallet. A quick marinade adds bold flavor and helps keep the chicken tender.
Serving Suggestions: Serve it on salads, in a wrap, on a grain bowl, or pair with grilled vegetables and grilled red potatoes.
Total Time: 25 Minutes (plus marinade time) Serves: 4 Cooking Method: Grilled
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken: Choose chicken breasts that are similar in size for even cooking. If they are very thick, pound them to an even thickness before marinating so they cook evenly and stay juicy.
- Oil: Helps the marinade coat the chicken well. Olive oil adds extra flavor, while vegetable oil offers a more neutral taste.
- Vinegar and Lemon Juice: They add tang and brightness to the marinade. Red wine vinegar gives a slightly bolder flavor than apple cider vinegar.
- Sugar: A little sugar balances the tangy ingredients and helps the chicken caramelize nicely on the grill. Swap for brown sugar or honey in a pinch.
- Seasonings: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper give the marinade a simple, savory flavor that works with almost any side dish. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little heat.
Variations
Chicken Thighs: This marinade also works well with boneless or bone-in chicken thighs. Adjust cook time as needed.
Pork Chops: Use the same marinade for pork chops for a quick grilled dinner.
Herb Swap: Use Greek seasoning, poultry seasoning, or lemon pepper in place of Italian seasoning for a different flavor.
Optional Heat: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne for a little spice.
Optional Fresh Herbs: Add chopped parsley or basil after grilling for freshness. Skip them for a simpler pantry version.
How to Make Grilled Chicken Breasts
- Mix the marinade. Add the chicken and turn to coat well.
- Refrigerate. Preheat the grill (full recipe below).
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and let the excess drip off.
- Grill the chicken. Rest the chicken and then slice.
Juicy Chicken Secrets
- Pound the Chicken: Pound thick chicken breasts to an even thickness so they cook at the same rate.
- Marinate: Do not marinate longer than 4 hours since the acid can affect the texture. Let excess marinade drip off before grilling to reduce flare-ups.
- Preheat the Grill: Preheating the grill helps the chicken get good grill marks and release more easily.
- Use an Instant-Read Thermometer: Cook to 165°F for best results. Remove the chicken around 162°F, since the temperature will rise slightly as it rests.
- Slicing: Slice chicken against the grain for the most tender bite, especially for salads and wraps.
Save Every Slice
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze cooked chicken breasts for up to 3 months.
- Reheat gently in the microwave at lower power, in a covered skillet with a splash of broth or water, or in the oven wrapped in foil.
Fresh Sides for Grilled Chicken
Did you enjoy this Grilled Chicken Breasts Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.
Equipment
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup olive oil or vegetable oil
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt or to taste
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Instructions
- Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl or freezer bag. Add the chicken and toss well to coat.
- Cover or seal the chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
- Preheat grill to medium high heat.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing the excess to drip off. Discard the remaining marinade.
- Place chicken on the grill for 7 to 8 minutes. Flip over and cook for an additional 7 to 8 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Transfer to a plate and let rest 3 to 5 minutes before slicing.
Video
Notes
- Chicken should be cooked to 165°F. I prefer to remove it from the heat at 162°F as the temperature will continue to rise as it rests.
- This marinade can also be used on pork chops or chicken thighs.
- Nutritional information includes 25% of the marinade, as the remainder is discarded.
- Leftover chicken can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Main Course
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This is a fantastic marinade!
this was so good! I didn’t have dijon so I subbed regular mustard with a couple dashes of cayenne pepper and omg it was perfect. I got mad at my husband for flipping the chicken several times on the grill :D despite that came out amazing even my super super picky eater kids enjoyed it. I want to try this on a skillet next time, I wonder if it will come out as good?
Hi Liza, to cook chicken breast on a stovetop I love this recipe! You can follow step 2 for my stovetop instructions. Enjoy!
Very good! I’m a dark meat lover but I always fix chicken breasts AND usually eat around it. lol! But with this recipe, it was moist and tender and delicious. I ate it all!
This is one of the best grilled chicken recipes I’ve come across! The blend of sweet, tangy, and savory flavors in the marinade sounds fantastic. I also appreciate the advice on avoiding over-marinating—it’s really useful!
Very good! Definitely a “do over” for my wife & me. Very good taste with the marinade.
This was Delightful!
Had a Summer dinner party and everybody loved the chicken! Followed the instructions exactly and they were moist, tender and tasty!
Great recipe! All my guest are impressed with the taste
This chicken is Great! I completely followed the recipe (I typically change recipes up). It was a hit with the whole family. Next time I am going to let it marinate overnight, but regardless the flavor was spot on.
hi Summer, did you have a chance to marinate overnight? How was the texture? I find chicken meat get a little mushy on some recipe when marinated too long.
This is 100% the best chicken breast recipe ive found.
Can I use it on Drumsticks as well? Bought a bunch for the Super Bowl!
I haven’t tried it but I don’t see why not. The cooking time will need to be adjusted.
Can I shove this in the oven rather than grill it after marinading?
You can follow this oven baked chicken breast recipe for the best instructions to prepare it in the oven.
We absolutely love this recipe! I’m wondering if I could use this to marinate a turkey to go on the smoker? How long would I marinate it? 20 pound turkey… ❤️
I have never tried but I would love to hear how it turns out for you, Jeannie!
This is THE BEST chicken breast I have ever had.
Stays so moist. So so flavourful. I make 8 breasts at a time with 1 batch of marinade. Pound them in a ziploc bag, then let them marinade in the bag.
Use leftovers for wraps, salads, fried rice, fettucini alfredo, quesadillas.
You must invest in a a meat thermometer to avoid over cooking.
Follow directions exactly-and you will be in for a real treat.
Loved this recipe, for grilled chicken breasts.
The volume suggested to make this marinade is IMHO an order of magnitude too much. I would halve (or more) the suggested ingredients. I ended up with a mason jar of unused marinade (seriously wasteful)
Thanks for trying our recipe, Michael!
Flavorful, tender and delicious!
A savory dish with a little tang. a little sweet, and just a bit of heat. This is my new favorite grilled chicken recipe. 5 stars for sure.