How to Grill Chicken Breasts

Turning out tasteless poultry is a common problem, especially among new cooks. Chicken is a delicate protein that dries out fast. One minute too long on the heat can take the bird from tender and juicy to boring and blah.

But with a few simple tips from our Test Kitchen, you don’t need to worry about making dry chicken again. We’ll show you how to grill chicken breast and keep it perfectly juicy and ready for salads, sandwiches and meal prep.

How to Grill Chicken Breast

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Learning how to make grilled chicken has never been so easy! First, tenderize the meat so it’s nice and juicy when it comes off the grill. Next, marinate it for a little while to infuse some extra flavors. Then it’s finally time to grill. After it’s got a great sear and is cooked through, let it rest for a while to make sure it’s absolutely succulent. That’s all there is to making grilled chicken breast. Let’s get started.

Grilled Chicken Breast Ingredients

• Boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• Balsamic vinegar
• Olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Lemon-pepper seasoning

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the meat

First things first: Tenderize the meat a bit. This step helps cook the chicken evenly, keeping one end from drying out before the other has time to cook. Place a large piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap on your work surface, place the chicken on top and cover the chicken with another piece of parchment or plastic.

Next, grab a meat mallet or rolling pin and give the thickest part of the chicken a few firm whacks—if you’ve ever learned how to butterfly a chicken, these are the same first steps. You don’t need to pulverize the cut, but do flatten it slightly so the breast is an even thickness from end to end.

Step 2: Marinate the chicken

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Now it’s time to marinate that bird. Place the vinegar, oil, lemon juice and lemon pepper into a medium-size bowl or pan, then add the chicken. Turn and flip the chicken to coat, then cover. Thinking about skipping this step? Think again. Marinade is a crucial part of keeping your chicken juicy (and adding extra flavor). Take a look at these marinade recipes for more options.

Once covered, pop the chicken in the fridge. After 30 minutes or so, drain and discard the marinade.

Test Kitchen Tip: Compared to beef and pork, chicken doesn’t need to marinate for long—especially if the marinade includes acidic ingredients such as vinegar, lemon juice or buttermilk. All it takes is 30 minutes to a couple of hours at most for an acidic marinade to work its way into the meat. If you’re running short on time, remember that some time spent marinating is better than none at all.

Step 3: Clean and grease your grates

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When it comes to grilled food, it’s best to start with clean grill grates. Check to make sure the grill is free of stuck-on food before you begin. The quickest way to clean a stainless steel grill is to turn up the heat to burn off the gunk, let it cool and scrub it down.

Once clean, you’ll want to brush the grill rack with oil. Moisten a paper towel with cooking oil, then use long-handled tongs to carefully rub it over the grill rack.

Step 4: Start grilling

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Turn the heat up to medium, then use tongs to place the chicken breasts on the grill. If using a charcoal grill, you can gauge the temperature by holding your hand five inches above the cooking grate. If you can keep it there comfortably for four to six seconds, it’s at medium heat.

Cover the grill and let the chicken cook for five to seven minutes, then use tongs to flip the breasts over. Grill for five to seven minutes longer. For best results, pull out your meat thermometer. A fully cooked chicken breast will reach a temperature of 165°F.

Test Kitchen Tip: If you plan to brush on a sweet glaze such as barbecue sauce, wait until the last few minutes of cooking. Sugary sauces tend to get dark quickly.

Step 5: Let the chicken rest

When you first learn how to make grilled chicken, you’ll probably want to eat it the second it comes off the grill. However, it’s best to be patient.

Remove the chicken from the grill, cover with foil and let the chicken rest. This is absolutely key to keeping the chicken tender! Letting the meat rest for about five minutes gives the juices inside time to redistribute (instead of running out on your plate). By the time the table’s set, your juicy grilled chicken will be ready for you to chow down.

Grilled Chicken Variations

If you’re looking to get creative, flavorful chicken breast recipes can make any meal better. Once you get the hang of it, our healthy grilled chicken recipes are delicious options, too. If you’re looking to add even more variety, our chicken dinner ideas are perfect for every night.

Tips for Grilling Chicken Breast

Is organic chicken better when grilling chicken breast?

When it comes to cooking chicken breasts, there’s no difference between organic and non-organic chicken. Organic means that the birds are raised without pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, additives or animal by-products, and have access to the outdoors. But, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the chicken will cook better.  Here’s more on how to read the labels on a pack of chicken.

What are the best kinds of marinades for chicken?

We love the simple and flavorful marinade of this recipe, but if you want to switch things up a bit, check out these amazing marinated chicken recipes.

How can you tell when grilled chicken breast is done without a thermometer?

The safest, and only foolproof, way to check if chicken is at a food-safe temperature is with a meat thermometer.

If you don’t have a meat thermometer, you can test doneness by cutting into the thickest part of the chicken. If the meat is completely white and the juices run clear, the chicken should be done cooking. However, this can cause your chicken to dry out (all those juices running out!) and doesn’t prevent overcooking the chicken.

Grilling up a different cut? Here’s a quick guide to chicken cooking temperatures:

How do you serve grilled chicken?

Grilled chicken is a healthy, delicious main course to serve by itself—but there are tons of ways to dress it up, too. You can put grilled chicken in just about anything: sliced on top of salads, stuffed into sandwiches, shredded for chicken soups or skewered on a kabob. Or top the dish off with a heaping pile of grilled veggies and you’ve got yourself dinner!