Easy Grilled Chicken
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The best marinade ever! No-fuss and packed with so much flavor. You won’t need another grilled chicken recipe again!
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We are two days into summer so if you haven’t dusted off those grills, that really needs to change immediately so you can whip up the easiest, most tender grilled chicken recipe of all time. Really, it doesn’t get any easier (and flavorful) than this right here. Say goodbye to dry grilled chicken!
reasons to make easy grilled chicken
- Perfect for summer gatherings. Whether it’s a backyard BBQ, picnic, baby shower or big family gathering, this is the most perfect recipe to fire up that grill this summer for those favorited smoky, charred flavors. And this recipe can conveniently be doubled or tripled as needed, prepped and marinating ahead of time for the easiest entertaining.
- Flexible, versatile recipe. Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chicken thighs or even tenderloins, depending on personal preference or what you have on hand. Too cold to use the grill? Use a cast iron grill pan or large cast iron skillet.
- Leftovers are even better. Leftover grilled chicken can be repurposed for salads, enchiladas, pizzas and so much more. The possibilities are endless (and so convenient and welcomed for those super busy weeknights between laundry, soccer pick up and homework).
how to make the easiest grilled chicken
- Marinate the chicken and let it sit in all that balsamic-lemony-herb goodness
- Preheat the grill
- Cook the chicken, get those lovely grill marks and baste as needed (or use a cast iron grill pan)
- Rest, slice and serve
- Keep leftovers for salads the next day
tips and tricks for success
- An outdoor grill is not necessary. Too cold to grill outside? A cast iron grill pan can be used to get those favorited grill marks and charred flavor. These can also be baked at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, brushing with the reserved marinade during the last few minutes of cook time.
- Preheat the grill. Ensure that the grill is properly cleaned (to prevent sticking) and preheated prior to grilling. This will allow for a better sear for those grill marks and evenly cooked chicken.
- Use an instant-read thermometer for the most accurate results. The internal temperature should reach 165°F.
- Use similar size chicken. Chicken breasts come in a variety of sizes – try to use similar-sized chicken breasts, pounding out the chicken as needed into flat, even pieces for even cooking and grilling.
- Let your meat rest. Let your chicken rest for at least 5 minutes prior to serving, allowing the juices to redistribute – this will allow for maximum flavor and juiciness.
- Reheat in the oven. Leftover chicken can be rubbery when reheated. For best results with leftovers, reheat in the oven at 350°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through.
what to serve with easy grilled chicken
Tools For This Recipe
Cast iron grill pan or large cast iron skillet
Easy Grilled Chicken: Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! But because dried herbs are often more potent/concentrated than fresh herbs, you need less when using dry. The correct ratio is 1 tablespoon fresh herbs to 1 teaspoon dried herbs.
No grill, no problem. A cast iron grill pan or a large cast iron skillet will work beautifully here, especially during those winter months when it’s too cold to grill out!
To ensure juicy, moist chicken, marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour, avoid overcooking (use an instant-read thermometer) and let it rest prior to slicing and serving.
Yes! The chicken can be marinated overnight and placed in the fridge.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Easy Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon, brown sugar, Worcestershire, garlic, thyme, oregano and rosemary; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Reserve 1/4 cup and set aside.
- In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken and balsamic vinegar mixture; marinate for at least 1 hour to overnight, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade.
- Preheat grill to medium high heat.
- Add chicken to grill and cook, flipping once and basting with reserved 1/4 cup marinade until cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 5-6 minutes per side.
- Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
Video
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Perfectly easy and tastes perfectly great!
Everyone thinks I’m a genius when I cook this.
This chicken looks delicious! Great recipe 🙂
This chicken was really good. I doubled it and had very little leftovers. The marinade was very good and left a nice glaze on the chicken. This one’s a keeper!
Does this recipe have a strong mustard taste? My husband doesn’t care for Dijon so I was curious if its a strong flavor in the finished chicken.
We really enjoyed this recipe. The sauce was delicious. Wish we had more. Will double next time. Thank you so much for sharing. Next time we will use thinner cutlets and try it that way. Definitely on our anytime menu.
Amazing!!! Best grilled chicken recipe and SO SO EASY!!! Thank you.
REALLY GOOD. ❤❤❤
This marinade has become a family favorite, even our picky 3 year old cleans her plate. Easy to whip together on a week night.
Your recipe has been ripped off by this person;
https://sodamndelish.com/best-juiciest-grilled-chicken-breast/
looks like your site name has been ripped off, too….
This was so easy to make and it delicious, and moist!
Happy to hear it 🙂
Wow, I made this today and it was absolutely incredible. I marinated the chicken all day and then cooked it as kabobs. It was tender, moist, and the flavor was outstanding. Served it with some grilled veggies that I marinated in Greek dressing. Thanks for the excellent recipe.
Great side dishes! Thanks for your feedback.
Made this according to the recipe exactly, two hour marinade, on a Weber grill with charcoal. Wonderful.
Sweet!
Wonderful idea, Just love it, can’t wait to make it for my family.
I have some marinated to grill after we return from the beach today
I am using boneless skinless thighs as I think they are tastier and more tender than the breasts.
I added a chicken stock cube to the marinade for that extra flavour. I substituted honey for the sugar.
You are all invited to my house this afternoon.
Oh what is that? You don’t know where I live,?
Oh, that is so bad for you
🙂
Haha, thank you for your feedback!
Would it make a difference if I baked the chicken in the oven rather than grilled ?
Yes, it will be different. Both baked and grilled chicken will create juicy, tender chicken but grilled chicken gives it that smoky flavor and char.
I made this tonight and it was delicious. I doubled the recipe and ended up using 3/4 of it for the chicken.
I was thinking of using some of the leftover marinade (it never came into contact with the chicken) as a salad dressing.
Is there any reason not to do this?
Thanks!
I never actually had it as a salad dressing. Let me know how it turns out!
Would this be a good chicken recipe for Chicken Alfredo?
Yes, absolutely!
Thanks for the reply! Making it tonight for my husband’s birthday dinner 🙂
Wow! Absolutely amazing. I got so many compliments. Lots of people said, “It’s a keeper!” Couldn’t agree more. Thank you 🙂
This marinade is delicious! I let the chicken breasts marinate for about four hours in fridge and then cooked them in my air fryer and it was the best best chicken I’ve ever had!! So So Good!! Thanks for the recipe, Chungah!
I cooked the chicken in a non stick grill pan on top of the stove and basted the chicken halfway through. It wasn’t dry at all. However, we just didn’t like the flavor of the marinade. Could have been the brown sugar…….
My husband is diabetic, does omitting the brown sugar change the flavor?
Yes, a little bit!
I made it. Served with baked beans & potato salad. I’m from the Caribbean (Puerto Rico) but have been living in the South (Alabama) for quite a few years so most of my meals I prepare southern style.
Just want to say thank you for the best chicken I’ve eaten. I’m really not a chicken lover, but since I’m on a fixed income I buy chicken and mostly fry it, but now I can eat chicken in a healthier and very healthy way without busting my budget. Thank you so much Chungah.
If you are using fresh herbs how do you modify he recipe? summer in Ohio so we actually have fresh herbs right now!
The ratio for dry to fresh herbs is typically 1:3. Hope that helps!