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Grilled chicken on a white plate with a salad.
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5 from 1 vote

The Best Grilled Chicken Breast Recipe

The BEST Grilled Chicken Breast recipe for moist, tender, and juicy grilled chicken breasts! Easy recipe for perfect grilled chicken every time!
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time1 hour 12 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Author: Robyn Stone

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 4 (4.5-ounce) chicken breasts
  • 1 Chicken Marinade or use Lemon Marinade from Recipe Variations in notes

Instructions

  • Pound the chicken. Place the chicken breasts into a 1-gallon zip-top bag. I prefer to use a freezer-safe bag as they tend to be thicker than a storage bag. Use a heavy rolling pin, meat mallet, or saucepan and pound the chicken to 1/2-inch thickness. This process is key to tender chicken. The marinade flavors the chicken, rather than tenderizing as many believe.
  • Make the marinade. Stir together the ingredients for the chicken marinade. You can use the same ziptop bag used for pounding (if it is still in good condition) or transfer the pounded chicken breasts to a non-reactive mixing bowl, such as a glass bowl and pour the marinade over the chicken.
  • Marinate the chicken. Allow the chicken to rest in the marinade for 1 hour to overnight covered with wrap in the refrigerator.
  • Grill the chicken. Preheat the grill or a grill pan to 400º F. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator as the grill preheats. Grill the chicken breasts over direct heat at 400º F for 6 to 8 minutes. Carefully flip the chicken breasts and cook until the chicken reaches 160º F - 165º F when checked with an instant-read thermometer, about 6 to 8 more minutes. Remove from the grill and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving or slicing.

Notes

Nutrition for this recipe does not include the marinade.

Lemon Marinade

Combine 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons Stone House Seasoning, and the juice and zest of one lemon.

Storage Tips

To store. Store leftover grilled chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To make ahead. Prepare the chicken marinade and add to the chicken in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Massage the marinade over the chicken to make sure coated. Freeze for up to 3 months. To cook, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then grill as directed. Additional cooking time may be needed since cooking for being refrigerated.
To freeze. See the to make ahead instructions above to freeze uncooked chicken. To freeze cooked grilled chicken, cool completely, portion into airtight, freezer-safe containers, and freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat to serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 158kcal | Protein: 29g | Fat: 5g

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