Cooking Chicken Breast On The Grill

Tender and juicy Grilled Chicken Breast with 30 minute marinade and simple ingredients. This summer staple turns out delicious every time and can be used in variety of ways – serve on top of salad for a light lunch or with your favorite sides at dinnertime. It's an easy chicken recipe for summer BBQ, no cook dinners, picnics and potlucks.

Instant Pot chicken breast, oven baked chicken or spinach stuffed chicken breast are always on our winter dinner table. Come summer days, this tasty grilled chicken breast recipe becomes a welcome staple!

Grilled Chicken Breast sliced on a cutting board

Why This Grilled Chicken Recipe Works?
Ingredients for Simple 30 Minute Marinade
How to Grill Chicken Breast
Additional Tips for Best Results
Serving Recommendations
Making this Recipe in Advance
More Juicy Grilled Chicken Recipes

Why This Grilled Chicken Recipe Works?

Grilled chicken breast or how to cook chicken breast on the grill that is moist and flavorful. This recipe is how to make tasty grilled chicken breast without spending hours marinating your chicken first. If I don't have time to marinate anything in a Ziploc bag overnight, it means neither do you. (But you can, it's really your preference!) You will be amazed, though, how tender this grilled chicken turns out regardless of the length of marinating time. 🙂

Grilled chicken is amazing with whole wheat pasta, corn on the cob or make healthy chicken salad with it, what the heck?! Love lots of flavor? Try my cilantro lime chicken.

During cooler months I got into a habit of making a batch of air fryer chicken breast or baked chicken breast. In summer, throwing the most expensive cut of chicken on a grill is the answer to the never ending question "What's for dinner?!". Come August and abundance of local tomatoes, you absolutely have to give this European inspired chicken tomato recipe a go – juicy tomatoes break down with lots of garlic while sauteed in olive oil. Delish!

Grilled Chicken Breast served with Chickpea Salad.

Ingredients for Simple 30 Minute Marinade

I'm Ukrainian. So I believe a combination of ingredients including fresh garlic, olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper makes every food shine. And when you use this seasoning, you don't have to marinate chicken long and you are well on your way to a fast grilled chicken dinner. That's it!

I also don't believe in pounding chicken breasts before cooking. It sure helps to cook chicken evenly. I just do not like or have time to do that. Instead for chicken prep for grilling, I slice chicken breasts lengthwise into similar thickness. The result is the best thin sliced chicken breast recipe for the grill that can be served in multiple ways for dinnertime!

olive oil, chicken breasts, lemon, oregano, garlic, salt, pepper

How to Grill Chicken Breast

This recipe was originally posted in 2018. We have improved the recipe and photos, hence video will show an older version of healthy grilled chicken breast recipe. No matter, what, though this easy recipe is perfect for your next summer BBQ.

Cut chicken breasts into halves lengthwise to make them thinner.
Marinate 30 mins-24 hrs. Place in a large bowl along with olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and zest, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir with tongs and let sit for 30 minutes.
Preheat grill on medium-high (450-500 degrees F) and rub with oiled paper towel. Place chicken on the grill, close the lid and grill for 8-10 minutes turning once. Do not overcook. Chicken is done when instant read thermometer reads 165 degrees F. Or I usually cut in with a knife and if juices are no longer pink – grilled chicken is ready.
Remove from the grill, cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. This allows juices to settle inside the meat and not outside on our plate. Making juicy grilled chicken.

Grilled Chicken Breast marinating in a black container

Additional Tips for Best Results

Don't overcook. Long cooking time dries out meat. And breast is already the driest part of chicken.
Cook meat covered so it cooks through with nice grill marks.
Let chicken breast rest after cooking for 5-10 minutes covered – super important!
Yes, you can use boneless chicken thighs – if you love dark and more fatty meat. I know do! And also check my grilled chicken thighs recipe with delicious cilantro coconut chicken marinade.

Serving Recommendations

A side of whole grain like quinoa or perfect brown rice.
For a low carb meal, serve with a big side of lettuce salad or have you ever tried grilled romaine?! Grill lettuce at same time and you will "kill 2 birds at once" – protein and veggies.
In summer, top with mango salsa, pineapple salsa or guacamole.
With other grilled vegetables, such as balsamic grilled vegetables or grilled zucchini.
As part of a colorful plate with sides such as southwest quinoa salad or kale blueberry salad.
Traditional picnic sides like healthy potato salad or broccoli salad.
Instant Pot summer sides like corn on the cob, baked beans or traditional potato salad made in one pot.
Pictured below: Or make this absolutely stunning colorful grilled chicken salad. YUM!

How long to grill chicken breast?

For best results, preheat your grill for 10-15 minutes so that it reaches an optimal heat of 450-500 degrees F. At this temperature, it should only take 8-10 minutes to grill your meat. Be sure to flip your meat, halfway through cooking so that it cooks evenly. You may even want to re-position your chicken to a different section of the grilling grate while flipping to get beautiful sear marks.

Best method to grill chicken without drying it out?

When using the methods outline in this post, your chicken will not turn out dry. To recap, do not overcook! When chicken reaches 165 degrees F, it is done. Grill chicken covered and immediately after you take it off the grill, cover and let it rest, this allows juices to sink back into the chicken.

How many calories in grilled chicken breast?

If eating a clean diet is important to you, chicken breast is perfect for summertime grilling. Nutritional information is located in the recipe card for those that track caloric intake.

Making this Recipe in Advance

Refrigerate grilled chicken breast in an airtight container. Chicken breast dries out fast, so tight container is key. It is perfect for meal prep and tastes amazing even cold. We snuck grandma's chicken patties from the fridge all the time.

For reheating, I recommend only microwave. Again, if you place breast in the oven to reheat, it will dry out. Or again, try cold cooked chicken and it might be your new favorite too.

Freezing? I can't imagine ever having cooked chicken leftovers because 3 boys in the house. But if you are lucky enough to get to that point, freeze in a tight container or bag for up to 3 months. You don't even have to thaw it too long – place frozen in the lunchbox in the morning and by lunchtime warmed in a microwave it is good as fresh.

More Juicy Grilled Chicken Recipes

Greek chicken – juicy and delish with lemon, garlic and oregano.
Chili lime chicken – flavorful Mexican chicken breast.
Cilantro lime chicken – marinate as little as 1 hour.
Lemon rosemary chicken with green beans for a low carb dinner.
Or pick any from 5 grilled chicken breast marinades and never run out of ideas!

Grilled Chicken Breast

COOKING MODE Prevent your screen from going dark

2-3 lbs boneless & skinless chicken breasts
1 large lemon zest and juice of
2 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves grated
2 tsp oregano dried
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Cut chicken breasts into halves lengthwise to make them thinner. Place in a large bowl along with lemon zest and juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir with tongs and let sit for 30 minutes or marinate for up to 24 hours.
Preheat grill on medium-high (450-500 degrees F) and rub with oiled paper towel. Place chicken on the grill, close the lid and grill for 8-10 minutes turning once. Do not overcook.
Remove from the grill, cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with a side of grain and salad, use in salads or perfect for a meal prep.

Store: Refrigerate covered for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.

For reheating: I recommend only microwave. Again, if you place breast in the oven to reheat, it will dry out. Or again, try cold cooked chicken and it might be your new favorite too.

Recipe originally posted in 2018. We have improved the recipe and photos, hence video will show an older version of the recipe.

Lime will work instead of lemon.
Any dried herb like rosemary or basil would be good too.
Always discard chicken marinade.

Recipes and images are a copyright of ifoodreal.com. It is against the law to republish recipes anywhere including social media, print and all world wide web. Nutritional info is provided for informational purposes only and to the best knowledge.