Marinated for maximum flavor and grilled to perfection, these juicy and tender grilled chicken breasts are a satisfying addition to any meal.
There is nothing worse than dried out chicken breast. It's tough to eat and usually lacks any flavor. By marinating the chicken breast first and following a few grilling suggestions you can unlock my tried and true method for the best juicy grilled chicken breast!
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Why I Love This Recipe
- Packed with flavor: The combination of soy sauce, Italian dressing, lemon juice, and herbs provide loads of flavor in each bite.
- Easy to make: Marinate for as little as 1 hour or up to 24-just a few simple ingredients either way!
- Goes well with everything: Pair the grilled chicken with sides like green beans, rice, asparagus, or potatoes for a complete meal.
Ingredients
The soy sauce gives depth of flavor and the Italian seasonings with lemon give it a nice zest. Boneless skinless chicken breast are best here and easiest to grill.
- 4 boneless skinless chicken brest
- Italian dressing
- Low sodium Soy Sauce
- Fresh lemon Juice
- Minced garlic cloves
- Dried thyme and oregano
- Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Step 1: Make the marinade
Combine the marinade ingredients together in a bowl, whisk to incorporate. Then place chicken into an airtight container (Ziplock bag, Tupperware, etc) and carefully pour marinade over the chicken.
Step 2: Marinade the chicken
Allow the chicken to marinade in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before grilling or up to 24 hours for maximum flavor.
Step 3: season then Grill your chicken
Remove the chicken from the marinade, pat them dry with a paper towel. Then season your chicken lightly with salt, pepper and garlic powder and grill over medium high heat.
Step 4: Rest, Slice and Serve!
After removing the chicken off the grill, allowing them to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with your favorite sides and enjoy!
Hint: Allow your grill to heat up for 10-15 minutes before grilling the chicken breast. After searing both sides, finish cooking over indirect heat to avoid burning.
"My family loved this recipe!"
This was the best recipe ever - my family absolutely loved it! Will definitely be adding this to our rotation.
Substitutions
Here are some substitutions for you if you need them!
- Use Chicken thighs - Try chicken thighs if you prefer the flavor of them over chicken breast. They have more fat in them and are more forgiving on the grill.
- Add some spice - Use crushed red pepper flakes or a few tablespoons of your favorite hot sauce to kick it up a notch.
- Try them baked - Don't feel like firing up the grill? Try them baked in the oven at 350 degrees.
Equipment
You can use any kind of grill that you prefer. When grilling chicken I prefer the taste of charcoal but a gas grill and pellet smoker both do a great job!
Storage
Store any leftover chicken breast in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
FAQ
For best results cook your chicken to 165 degrees. Try using an internal meat thermometer so you can keep track instead of guessing.
To get good grill marks you have to make sure to preheat your grill first. The hot grates will put nice lines on your chicken and also help give them a nice char flavor.
No, you shouldn't wash raw chicken before grilling (or cooking in general). Washing it can actually spread harmful bacteria like salmonella or campylobacter around your kitchen through water splashes. Instead, just pat the chicken dry with paper towels if needed, and let cooking kill any bacteria.
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Chopped Chicken Bacon Ranch Subs
Grilled Chicken Drumsticks with Alabama White Sauce
Juicy Grilled Chicken Breast
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ½ cup Italian dressing
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Garlic powder, to taste
Instructions
- Make the Marinade: In a bowl, whisk together Italian dressing, soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, thyme, and oregano.
- Marinate Chicken: Place chicken in a Ziplock bag or container, pour in the marinade, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 for best results.
- Prep Grill: Preheat grill over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes.
- Season Chicken: Remove chicken from marinade, pat dry, and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Grill: Grill chicken for 4-5 minutes per side until grill marks form, then finish over indirect heat until internal temp reaches 165°F.
- Rest & Serve: Let chicken rest for 10 minutes, then slice and serve with your favorite sides.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
Tim Clowers says
This is a process that never fails. Chicken done right if you follow this recipe.
Jordan Hanger says
Thank you Tim!