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Home » Recipes » Dinner » Meat + Chicken » Grilled Chicken Breast

May 22, 2020(updated August 23, 2022)

Grilled Chicken Breast

3.38 from 37 votes
By Dani Spies
Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

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This grilled chicken breast recipe uses boneless skinless chicken breasts with no marinade, to make juicy and delicious grilled chicken. Perfect for bbq’s and cookouts and also great for meal prep.

chicken breast on cutting board

Grilled chicken breast is an easy, family-friendly dinner that pairs well with so many delicious sides. We love serving this grilled chicken with coleslaw, quinoa tabouli, kale quinoa salad, and/or potato salad (just to name a few).

I also love adding this chicken to my weekly meal prep. It’s a great head-start ingredient!

How Do You Make Grilled Chicken Breast Without Drying It Out?

The secret to keeping your grilled chicken breast moist and juicy is to pound out the chicken before cooking.

Chicken breasts are usually thick on one end and thin on the other. This makes it hard for the chicken to cook evenly.

Use a meat mallet, rolling pin, or can of soup to pound out the chicken so it has a uniform thickness all around. This will make it easy to cook the chicken evenly and avoid overcooking.

You can see the chicken below has an even thickness all the way around.

raw chicken pounded out evenly

Tips For Grilled Chicken Breast

  • Always buy the best quality chicken you can find. I always look for local and/or organic options.
  • If you have super fat chicken breasts, slice them in half and then pound them out.
  • Brushing on some bbq sauce (or any other sauce you prefer) towards the end of cooking, is an easy way to add extra flavor without taking the time to marinade your chicken before hand.
  • You can easily double or triple batch this recipe so you have extra grilled chicken breast to use throughout the week.
  • This chicken will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container (these are the ones I like to use).
  • It’s best to cook this chicken over medium to medium high heat.
cooked chicken sliced for meal prep

How Long Do You Grill Chicken Breast?

Chicken needs to cook for 4-5 minutes per side. This grill time depends on the size and thickness of the chicken breast. If you prefer a thicker cut, you may need to cook it a bit longer.

How Do You Know When Your Chicken Is Done?

The easiest way to tell whether your chicken is done is to slice into the chicken. If the meat is opaque and juicy, it’s ready to go.

Alternatively, you can use a thermometer. Cooked chicken needs to reach a temperature of 165 degrees F to be cooked through and safe to eat.

cooked grilled chicken

More Clean & Delicious Chicken Recipes:

  • Chicken Burrito Bowls
  • Rotisserie Chicken Salad
  • Lemon Garlic Baked Chicken Breast
  • How-To Make Baked Chicken Breast

I’d love to know if you try this (or any) recipe! Tag @clean_and_delicious on Instagram to let me know and be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy, delicious recipes straight to your inbox. 

grilled chicken
Print Recipe
3.38 from 37 votes

Grilled Chicken Breast

This juicy grilled chicken breast is easy to make and requires no marinade. Double or triple the recipe to have extra chicken on hand as a head-start ingredient.
Course: dairy free, DIET, DINNER, meat + chicken, paleo, recipes, VIDEO
Cuisine: American
Author: Dani Spies
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time20 mins
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 381kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup bbq sauce, optional

Instructions

  • Prepare the grill. Clean the grates and set to a medium high heat. You want the temperature somewhere between 400-450 Farenheit.
  • Place chicken breast between two pieces of wax paper and pound with a meat mallet until the chicken has a uniform thickness all around. This will help the chicken to cook more evenly.
    meat mallet pounding chicken
  • Brush both side of the chicken with avocado oil.
    brushing on avocado oil
  • Season generously with salt and pepper. Be sure to get both sides.
    season with salt and pepper
  • Place the chicken smooth side down on the grill and close the lid. Cook for three minutes and then rotate the chicken 90 degrees for an additional minute (this will create cross-hatch grill marks).
    chicken on grill
  • Flip the chicken and cook for an additional three or four minutes. If you want to brush some bbq sauce on the chicken, so that now.
    flipping chicken on grill
  • Flip the chicken one last time to add additional bbq sauce if desired.
  • Serve and enjoy!
    grilled chicken breast on wood cutting board

Notes

  • Don’t have a meat mallet?  No problem.  You can use a heavy bottle, a rolling pin or even a can of soup.
  • You can use any type of sauce or marinade you prefer.  It’s an easy way to add extra flavor without marinading the chicken.
  • This chicken is also delicious plain, no sauce needed.  I love making it plain and keeping it on hand for salads, sandwiches, wraps, quesadillas, etc.

Nutrition

Serving: 1chicken breast | Calories: 381kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 629mg | Potassium: 919mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 148IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg

Dairy Free, Diet, Dinner, Gluten Free, How-To, Kitchen Basics, Low Carb + Keto, Meat + Chicken, Nut Free, Paleo, Recipes, Video, Whole 30

About Dani Spies

Dani Spies is the founder and host of Clean & Delicious; a weekly cooking show on YouTube and a healthy eating blog that celebrates real, whole foods! She takes a holistic approach to health and wellness and is loved for her approachable, down to earth style both in and out of the kitchen.

Learn MoreWork With Me

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