Grilled Chicken Breast

This juicy boneless grilled chicken breast recipe is full of flavors like honey and dijon mustard, and is easy to make—just mix, marinate and grill!

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Table of Contents

Grilled Chicken Breast Ingredients
How To Make This Grilled Chicken Breast Recipe
How To Serve
Storage
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This recipe for the best grilled chicken breast is the perfect family dinner or choice for a summer cookout. The easy chicken marinade is a combination of lemon juice, dijon mustard, honey, and spices, making it the perfect balance of tangy and sweet for flavorful chicken breasts off the grill.

close up shot of sliced Grilled Chicken Breast

Grilled Chicken Breast Ingredients

Grilled Chicken Breast raw ingredients that are labeled

You’ll need:

4 boneless skinless chicken breast thin cutlets, approximately 1½-2 pounds total weight (I used Perdue brand pre-packaged cutlets)
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
⅓ cup canola oil
¼ cup honey
3 tablespoons dijon mustard
¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

PRO TIP:

When I use the packages of pre-portioned chicken breast cutlets, it makes preparing this recipe very quick and easy. You can also buy your chicken in large frozen bulk bags as well. Be mindful that sometimes those cutlets tend to be on the large size so you can carefully butterfly them, or pound them out to make them a more uniform thickness. This will allow them to cook at the same rate.

SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS

CHICKEN: Instead of boneless chicken breasts, you could also use this marinade with other cuts of chicken such as chicken thighs, legs, or drumsticks.

OIL: You can substitute olive oil, vegetable oil, or avocado oil for the canola oil in this recipe.

THYME: I used dried thyme leaves for this marinade because I can keep them in my pantry and whip up this marinade for dinner at any time. You can certainly use fresh thyme leaves as well but you may want to increase the amount to 2 teaspoons as fresh herbs are not as strong as dried ones.

How To Make This Grilled Chicken Breast Recipe

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

This marinade can easily be doubled, or cut in half, depending on the amount of chicken you will be grilling.

STEP ONE: In a large, heavy-duty Ziploc bag, place the boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets. Set aside.

STEP TWO: In a small bowl, add the fresh lemon juice, canola oil, honey, dijon mustard, smoked paprika, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Whisk together until fully combined.

PRO TIP:

This is a great universal marinade that will yield moist and tender grilled chicken.

marinade ingredients whisked together in a bowl

STEP THREE: Pour the marinade over the chicken that is inside the zip-top bag. Seal the bag, squeezing out as much air as possible, and place the bag onto a plate and inside the refrigerator to marinate for 1 to 2 hours.

PRO TIP:

If you want to use thicker chicken breasts or even bone-in chicken breasts, you can leave the chicken in the marinade for up to 8 hours. The thinner cutlets do not need to marinate that long of a time. You will want to note that your grilling time will be longer if you are using the thicker, or bone-in, pieces of chicken breasts.

marinade ingredients poured over the chicken in a ziploc bag

STEP FOUR: Preheat the outdoor grill to 400°F. Place the marinated chicken breasts on the grill, close the lid, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes.

PRO TIP:

Evenly space the chicken apart on the grill grates so that it has plenty of room to cook.

STEP FIVE: Flip the chicken over and cook for an additional 6-8 minutes or until cooked through and a meat thermometer reads an internal temperature of 165°F.

STEP SIX: Remove the grilled chicken to a plate and turn off your grill according to factory instructions.

STEP SEVEN: Allow the grilled chicken to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

How To Serve

Chicken is so versatile and can be paired with just about any side dish. You could serve your grilled chicken breast with vegetables like these glazed carrots or simple sauteed veggies. Or, you could go for a delicious potato side like these campfire potatoes or scalloped potatoes. The options are endless!

When having a family barbeque, you can’t go wrong serving up your main course with a classic summer side dish. These recipes for classic coleslaw and dill pickle pasta salad are two of our go-to summer salads.

Storage

IN THE FRIDGE: If you have leftover grilled chicken breasts, you can store them in the fridge in an airtight container or wrap them tightly in heavy-duty aluminum foil or plastic wrap. If stored this way, your chicken will last in the fridge for up to 2 days.

IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze these tender juicy chicken breasts for quick and easy meals later on. I recommend slicing the chicken into smaller pieces to freeze. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a Ziploc bag for up to a month.

close up shot of slices of Grilled Chicken Breast on a plate with a fork picking one up

This delicious grilled chicken breast recipe is mouthwateringly juicy and the marinade is the perfect blend of zesty lemon and sweet honey flavors. Not to mention it pairs well with most side dishes, from a cold pasta salad to hearty potatoes. This is one meal that’s sure to get a thumbs up from the whole family.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Could I use chicken thighs, chicken drumsticks, or chicken legs with this chicken marinade?

This easy recipe works not only for a boneless skinless chicken breast meal but also with any other type of chicken you’d like.

Can I cook this chicken on a charcoal grill, or is a propane or gas grill better?

This easy chicken recipe will cook well on either type of BBQ that you have.

How long does it take to grill chicken breasts?

You’ll want to grill your chicken for about 6 to 8 minutes per side. Use a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken to ensure the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

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Grilled Chicken Breasts

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This juicy boneless grilled chicken breast recipe is full of flavors like honey and dijon mustard, and is easy to make—just mix, marinate and grill!

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 1 25

Servings

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Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breast thin cutlets, approximately 1½ to 2 pounds total weight (I used Perdue brand pre-packaged cutlets)
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
⅓ cup canola oil
¼ cup honey
3 tablespoons dijon mustard
¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

In a large, heavy-duty Ziploc bag, place the boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets. Set aside.
In a small bowl, add the fresh lemon juice, canola oil, honey, dijon mustard, smoked paprika, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Whisk together until fully combined.
Pour the marinade over the chicken that is inside the zip-top bag. Seal the bag, squeezing out as much air as possible, and place the bag onto a plate and inside the refrigerator to marinate for 1 to 2 hours.
Preheat the outdoor grill to 400°F. Place the marinated chicken breasts on the grill, close the lid, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes.
Flip the chicken over and cook for an additional 6-8 minutes or until cooked through and a meat thermometer reads an internal temperature of 165°F.
Remove the grilled chicken to a plate and turn off your grill according to factory instructions.
Allow the grilled chicken to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

When I use the packages of pre-portioned chicken breast cutlets, it makes preparing this recipe very quick and easy. You can also buy your chicken in large frozen bulk bags as well. Be mindful that sometimes those cutlets tend to be on the large size so you can carefully butterfly them, or pound them out to make them a more uniform thickness. This will allow them to cook at the same rate.
This marinade can easily be doubled, or cut in half, depending on the amount of chicken you will be grilling.
This is a great universal marinade that will yield moist and tender grilled chicken.
If you want to use thicker chicken breasts or even bone-in chicken breasts, you can leave the chicken in the marinade for up to 8 hours. The thinner cutlets do not need to marinate that long of a time. You will want to note that your grilling time will be longer if you are using the thicker, or bone-in, pieces of chicken breasts.
Evenly space the chicken apart on the grill grates so that it has plenty of room to cook.

Nutrition

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This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

Stephanie Keeping Publisher
Layne Kangas Marketing
Sian Cox Photographer
Lexus Monroe Editorial Assistant
Angela Sessions Recipe Developer

Grilled Chicken Breast

Grilled Chicken Breast Ingredients

How To Make This Grilled Chicken Breast Recipe

How To Serve

Storage

More Recipes You’ll Love