The trick to making the juiciest and most flavorful grilled chicken breasts!
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For as popular as the chicken dinner is for families all over the world, it can still sometimes be kinda difficult for some of us to cook chicken breasts to perfection. Even if we’ve done it 100 times. We have this fear of accidentally eating undercooked chicken so that makes it incredibly easy to unintentionally overcook the chicken instead. Or sometimes we just forget to take it off of the grill at the precise moment. Either way, what we sometimes end up with is dry, tough, unappetizing chicken that no one can finish. It can be a sad and heartbreaking situation for any cook. If this is something you struggle with then I have got just the right trick up my sleeve to help you! I’m going to share with you the easiest way to get juicy, perfectly Grilled Chicken Breasts every time!
There are no special tools or secret ingredients needed to accomplish this perfectly grilled chicken. Just a grill, some common kitchen tools, and some simple seasonings. The secret is all in the technique and the timing, but mostly in the technique. Just a few key steps and you’ll be on your way to freshly grilled success and simple summer fun! This grilled chicken is perfect for anything from weekly meal prep to adding some yummy protein to the kids' school lunch boxes, or for just showing off some impressive grilling skills at the next summer cookout. Either way, if you try out my trick then the next time you grill up some chicken it will be the most flavorful and juicy grilled chicken ever!
To cook juicy grilled chicken breasts, all you need is a grill, grilling tools, cooking foil, chicken, olive oil, salt, and pepper. While the grill is preheating, rinse and pat dry the chicken breasts then brush them with olive oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill the chicken for about 5- 6 minutes without lifting the lid. Flip them and cook for another 6- 7 minutes. Remove the breasts and place on a clean baking sheet, cover the tray with foil, and let the chicken rest for 10- 15 minutes. Chicken is ready to serve when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Grilling Equipment
For this easy grilled chicken breast project, you will only need a grill and a few common prep tools and grilling utensils for this cooking project to go smoothly and successfully.
- Silicone pastry brush
- glass mixing bowls
- Cooking foil
- Grilling kit
- Baking sheet
- Disposable Vinyl Gloves
Yummy Grilled Chicken Breast Ingredients
As I promised, there are no special secret ingredients to add for perfectly grilled chicken. Just good ole’ salt, pepper, and olive oil. Or if you have a specific chicken seasoning you would rather use it will work just fine too but don’t skip out on the olive oil.
- 6 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ cup Olive oil
- ½ tablespoon Salt
- ½ tablespoon Pepper
How to Grill Perfectly Juicy Chicken Breasts
Now let’s move on to the part that you’ve been waiting for, the trick to grilling perfectly juicy chicken every single time! So without any further introduction, here is how to cook the juiciest and flavorful grilled chicken breasts ever:
- First, preheat the grill to 500°F. Make sure the grill griddle is clean before starting.
- Next, in a small mixing bowl, combine the salt and pepper.
- Rinse the chicken breasts under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Use disposable gloves to protect your hands from the mess while preparing and seasoning the chicken breasts.
- Then, place the chicken on a baking sheet. Brush the chicken with olive oil and season with the salt and pepper mixture.
- Flip the chicken breasts to season and coat both sides.
- Grill the chicken for 5- 6 minutes on one side. Do not move the chicken or open the grill's lid while cooking.
- Then, flip the chicken and cook for an additional 6- 7 minutes until the internal temp reaches 135- 140F.
- Finally, remove the chicken from the grill and transfer it to a clean baking sheet. Cover the chicken with cooking foil and let rest for 10- 15 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F internal temp.
Storing Grilled Chicken
Whether you have some yummy grilled chicken leftover or you plan to cook up some of this grilled chicken specifically for weekly meal prep, there are certain ways to make sure you store the cooked chicken safely and properly.
To store cooked chicken in the fridge:
- Let the chicken cool, but be sure to store it within 2 hours after cooking.
- Transfer cooled, cooked chicken to an airtight container or wrap tightly with kitchen wrap.
- Chicken can be safely stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. (According to the USDA website)
- Mark the date when storing to keep up with freshness.
To store cooked chicken in the freezer:
- Wrap each chicken breast separately with plastic wrap, then again with kitchen foil. Store the wrapped chicken either in an airtight container or a freezer-safe Ziploc bag.
- If you plan to use cubed chicken for future recipes, pre-cut the chicken into the desired size pieces before freezing.
- Mark the date on the outside with a sharpie marker.
- Store in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Sweet and Savory Summer Serving Ideas
You probably already know tons of chicken recipes by heart. But if you need some dinner suggestions or new serving ideas for these grilled chicken breasts then I’ve got you covered with a few of my (and my family’s) favorites.
These grilled chicken breasts are perfect for:
- kids lunches
- meal prep
- snacks
- salad
- soups
- sandwiches or wraps
- mac and cheese - Chicken mac and cheese is my daughter’s favorite recipe!
- quesadillas
- tacos
- burritos
Other grilled favorites:
Serve with other summer cookout favorites:
More grilling recipes
Grilled chicken breast
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ cup Olive oil
- ½ tablespoon Salt
- ½ tablespoon Pepper
Instructions
- First, preheat the grill to 500°F. Make sure the grill griddle is clean before starting.
- Next, in a small mixing bowl, combine the salt and pepper.
- Rinse the chicken breasts under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.Use disposable gloves to protect your hands from the mess while preparing and seasoning the chicken breasts.
- Then, place the chicken on a baking sheet. Brush the chicken with olive oil and season with the salt and pepper mixture.
- Flip the chicken breasts to season and coat both sides.
- Grill the chicken for 5- 6 minutes on one side. Do not move the chicken or open the grill's lid while cooking.
- Then, flip the chicken and cook for an additional 6- 7 minutes until the internal temp reaches 135- 140F.
- Finally, remove the chicken from the grill and transfer it to a clean baking sheet. Cover the chicken with cooking foil and let rest for 10- 15 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F internal temp.
Nutrition
Food Photography & Video Tips from My Studio
Here’s a peek at the tools, gear, and camera setups I use to film my recipe videos and photograph food at home. Over the years, I’ve tested dozens of different setups, and now I’m sharing what actually works for me—whether I’m filming overhead shots for YouTube or styling still photos for my blog. If you’re curious about how I create the content you see here, these posts are a great place to start.
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