Juicy Grilled Chicken Breast

Grilled chicken breasts with visible char marks served on a white plate, garnished with lemon wedges.

This grilled chicken breast recipe delivers juicy, flavorful chicken with a simple marinade that keeps every bite tender. It is an easy option for weeknight dinners, meal prep, or summer grilling.

Course Main dishes

Cuisine American, International

Keyword best grilled chicken breast, chicken breast recipe, chicken breasts, grill chicken, grill chicken breast, grilled chicken breast recipe, juicy, marinade, olive oil, skinless chicken breasts

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 14

Chill Time 4

Servings Pieces

Calories 383kcal

Author Zuzana Paar

Equipment

1 Mixing Bowl
1 Whisk
1 Resealable Bag or Shallow Dish
1 Grill
1 Tongs

Ingredients

4 Chicken Breasts skinless, boneless
¼ Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 Juice Lemon
1 Zest Lemon
3 Cloves Garlic Cloves finely minced
1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
½ teaspoon Sea Salt
¼ teaspoon Black Pepper freshly ground

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Mince the garlic, zest and juice the lemon, measure the seasonings, and preheat the grill.
Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Coat the chicken in the marinade and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 4 hours.
Grill 6–7 minutes per side until the chicken reaches 165°Fahrenheit (75°Celsius), then rest 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Do not skip the marinade time: Even 30 minutes makes a big difference. The lemon and oil soak into the meat and keep it from drying out on the grill. If you can, marinate it overnight for even better results.
Let the juicy chicken breasts rest before cutting: Do not slice into it right away. Give it 5 minutes to rest so the juices settle back into the meat. Cut too soon, and all that good juice runs right out.
Do not move the chicken around on the grill: Put it down and leave it alone for the full cooking time on each side. This is how you get those nice grill marks and a good sear on the outside.
Use a meat thermometer every time: Guessing is how you end up with dry or undercooked chicken. Pull it off the grill when it hits exactly 165°Fahrenheit and it will be perfect every time.

Nutrition