Grilled Chicken Breast

User Reviews

4.6

15 reviews
Excellent
  • Prep Time

    20 mins

  • Cook Time

    20 mins

  • Marinating Time

    12 hrs

  • Total Time

    12 hrs 30 mins

  • Servings

    4

  • Calories

    296 kcal

  • Course

    Main Course

  • Cuisine

    American

Grilled Chicken Breast

This grilled chicken breast recipe will be the JUICIEST you’ve ever had. The secret is a marinating technique borrowed from Chinese cooking.

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Ingredients

Servings
  • 1 pound boneless chicken breasts (with or without skin)
  • ⅓-½ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic 
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ¾ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
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Instructions

  1. Pound the chicken breast on both sides with the back of a Chinese cleaver/chef’s knife, rotating the chicken 90° to make a crosshatch pattern. (You could also use a meat mallet.) This process will loosen the meat texture so the marinade can better penetrate.
  2. In a large bowl, mix the chicken breast with the water, a couple of tablespoons at a time, massaging it in with your hands until the chicken absorbs it. Keep adding it a couple tablespoons at a time until the chicken stops absorbing water. The process takes about 10 minutes.
  3. To make the marinade, strip the tender thyme leaves off the woody stems and discard the stems. Do the same with the oregano. Finely chop the herbs. Next, mince the garlic.
  4. Add the chopped herbs and garlic to the bowl with the chicken, along with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours.
  5. Take the chicken out 1 hour before grilling so it’s not stone cold when it hits the hot grill. Preheat your grill. You want to start with a brushed grate and a hot temperature (in the ballpark of 400-500°F/200-260°C).
  6. If you’re using skin-on chicken, place the chicken skin side down. Use any remaining marinade to baste the chicken at the beginning of the grilling process. Rotate the chicken a half turn to get nice grill marks before flipping. The chicken should take about 6-8 minutes to cook depending on how hot your grill is (3-4 minutes per side). Try not to flip the chicken too many times during the grilling process.
  7. We grilled ours on a gas grill, and it took closer to 8 minutes. If we were using very hot charcoal, it probably would be done in about 6 minutes. Thinner pieces will also cook faster. When in doubt, use an instant read thermometer. We consider chicken to be done at around 160°F-ish. It will continue to come up to 165°F as it rests. Let the chicken rest under an overturned plate or foil for 5-10 minutes before serving!

Notes

  • Total time includes 12 hours marinating time (overnight). 

Nutrition Information

Show Details
Calories 296kcal (15%) Carbohydrates 2g (1%) Protein 24g (48%) Fat 21g (32%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Polyunsaturated Fat 3g Monounsaturated Fat 12g Trans Fat 0.1g Cholesterol 73mg (24%) Sodium 509mg (21%) Potassium 286mg (8%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 0.1g (0%) Vitamin A 199IU (4%) Vitamin C 3mg (3%) Calcium 45mg (5%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 296 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories 296kcal 15%
Carbohydrates 2g 1%
Protein 24g 48%
Fat 21g 32%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g 18%
Monounsaturated Fat 12g 60%
Trans Fat 0.1g 5%
Cholesterol 73mg 24%
Sodium 509mg 21%
Potassium 286mg 6%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 0.1g 0%
Vitamin A 199IU 4%
Vitamin C 3mg 3%
Calcium 45mg 5%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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Overall Rating

4.6

15 reviews
Excellent

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