Possible Substitutes And Variations For This Recipe
- Use chicken thighs in place of chicken breasts .
- Try other herbs in place of they thyme such as basil, rosemary, parsley, cilantro, dill, or oregano.
- Substitute fresh herbs for dried and use 1 Tbsp to 2 Tbsp depending on the herb .
- Increase flavor by adding spices such as sweet or smoked paprika, cayenne pepper or onion powder.
- For lemony chicken use 1 Tbsp lemon zest or you could even use lemon juice in place of chicken broth but dont marinate longer than a few hours for a better texture .
- Sugar or maple syrup can be used in place of honey.
- In a pinch water can be used in place of chicken broth, like as done in a standard brining solution.
- Extra virgin olive oil can be used in place of regular refined olive oil if you want a little more flavor from this ingredient.
How Long To Grill Chicken Breast
The amount of time you need to grill juicy chicken breasts will vary based on the size of the breast and how thinly you pound it.
- Small Chicken Breasts : 7 to 8 minutes
- Medium Chicken Breasts : 8 to 12 minutes
- Large Chicken Breasts : 14 minutes or longer
In a hurry? Try making Grilled Chicken Tenders, which cook in about 6 minutes.
- Chicken Marinade. No matter which marinade you choose , its critical to create the juiciest and most flavorful chicken breast. You can also simply combine olive oil, lemon juice, kosher salt, and any of your favorite spices and herbs: paprika, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, and rosemary are all excellent choices.
How To Grill Chicken Breast Without Drying It Out
As with any method of chicken breast preparation , a few simple but critical steps will ensure your grilled chicken breast turns out juicy, moist, and well-seasoned all the way through.
To grill chicken breast without drying it out, be sure to follow these essential tips.
- . Marinades tenderize meat by changing its protein structure which helps it stay juicier for longer. Even 15 minutes can make a major difference in results.
- Pound. Pounding the chicken to an even thickness helps it cook more evenly on the grill so that the ends dont dry out before the center cooks through.
- Poke. While not strictly required, I like to poke holes all over my chicken breast with a fork to help the marinade absorb more quickly.
- Temp It. No matter what other careful steps you take to keep your chicken from becoming dry, NOTHING saves you if you overcook it. For best results, remove the chicken when it reaches the 155 to 160-degree F mark.
- Rest. No matter what kind of meat you are grilling , allowing it to rest is mandatory. Resting allows the juices to reincorporate into the protein. If you cut it right away, those yummy juices will escape onto the plate.
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How Do You Tenderize Chicken Before Grilling
If youre looking to grill chicken, try tenderizing it first. This will help keep the chicken moist and juicy without any excess fat or moisture. Heres how:
Wine Pairing For Grilled Chicken Breasts
Since there is no marinade for this grilled chicken recipe, and the flavors rely on the direct grilling and the savory poultry rub, we have a number of options for pairing here. Chardonnay is one of my favorite pairings for grilled chicken. They tend to be a little fuller in body and can stand up well to the grilled meat, and offer vibrant and lively flavors that balance out the dry rub on the grilled chicken. Viognier is another nice option, as is rosé if youre feeling up for something pink. For reds you cant go wrong with a bolder Pinot Noir, Gamay, or a Grenache for its fruitiness.
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Why This Bbq Chicken With Marinade Is The Best Recipe
- Effortless and so easy: Once the chicken has marinated overnight and the grill has been fired up, the barbecue chicken is cooked in no time and ready in less than 30 minutes!
- Delicious and packed with bright flavors: The garlic stands out in the marinade and makes the chicken filled with rich savory flavors. Your favorite store-bought or homemade BBQ sauce gives the chicken sweet robust elements.
- Healthy and family-friendly: Naturally low-carb and high in protein, the entire family will want to devour this healthy chicken breast recipe. Who doesnt like barbecue?!
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A Simple Marinade Does Wonders
For your grilled chicken marinade, youll need olive oil, lemons, garlic, Dijon mustard, dried thyme, salt, and pepper:
The marinade does double duty here, and is important for both flavor and juiciness. These ingredients will give you the most classic flavor, but you can make substitutions here as well.
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Direct Heat To Finish A Grilled Chicken Breast
The last step to the perfect grilled chicken breast is a direct heat sear. This gives the chicken a few minutes on each side to crisp up and get all of that tasty grilled chicken flavor that we love. The key here is caramelization. The sugars in the marinade and seasoning we used will hit the high heat from the flames and start to bubble and brown.
Be careful to avoid overcooking and burning at this point. It will make your perfectly grilled chicken breasts taste bitter. You are looking for a target internal temperature of 160 degrees. Since chicken is safe to eat at 165 degrees F, this last tip is crucial. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover immediately with a tight layer of foil. The carryover momentum from the heat rising within the chicken will create a little steam oven inside the foiled plate and push the final temperature up to 165 degrees F. This process takes about 5-10 minutes.
The Days Of Dull Dry Chicken Are Over Learn How To Grill Chicken Breast For The Easiest Summer Dinner
If youve never experienced a dry chicken breast, Im truly jealous. Biting into a grilled chicken sandwich or protein-packed salad and tasting a dull, chalky chunk of chicken is just sad. Unfortunately, turning out tasteless poultry is a common problem, especially among new cooks. Chicken is a delicate protein that dries out fast. One minute too long on the heat can take the bird from tender and juicy to boring and blah.
But with a few simple tips from our Test Kitchen, you dont need to worry about making dry chicken again. Well show you how to grill chicken and keep it perfectly juicy and ready for salads, sandwiches and more. Learning how to make grilled chicken has never been so easy!
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What’s The Difference Between Grilling And Barbecuing Chicken
– Grilling chicken is done over direct heat, while barbecuing chicken is done over indirect heat.
– Grilled chicken cooks quickly, while barbecued chicken takes longer.
– Grilled chicken is often cooked at a higher temperature than barbecued chicken.
– Grilled chicken has a more intense flavor, while barbecued chicken has a more subtle flavor.
When it comes to grilling chicken breast, each method has its own benefits. However, both grilling and barbecuing can produce delicious results.
Create Direct And Indirect Heat Zones
It is always essential when grilling to prepare a two-zone fire. This is especially true with chicken, as the addition of sweet sauces can set the stage for flareups.
A two-zone fire means creating direct and indirect heat sources. This indirect area can function as a safe place for a fiery grill or the roasting position for a whole chicken on a long cook.
To create an indirect heat source on a gas grill, leave a burner or two turned off. To create an indirect heat source on a charcoal grill, leave an area on the fuel grate without any coals.
A recipe calling for direct heat is akin to using a griddle, while a recipe calling for indirect heat is no different than using an oven.
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Tips For Buying The Best Meat
Buy quality chicken without added solutions Look for air chilled chicken with no retained water. Yes, the low-quality chicken thats injected with a solution of salt water and additives is cheaper, but it never tastes as good.
Buy smaller chicken breasts If possible, stay away from gigantic pieces of chicken breast, as they tend to be tougher and more difficult to cook evenly. I recommend buying the smallest breast pieces you see. As a rule of thumb, the three pieces of meat I have here weighed 1.25lbs total.
If you cant get smaller breast pieces that are less than 1 thick, you will need to either pound them out flatter with a rolling pin, or slice through the middle to turn them into cutlets, which are just thin-cut chicken breasts. Its easier to start with smaller pieces of meat from the beginning. The ones I bought here didnt need any pounding or prep at all.
Chicken With Red Pepper Sauce
This Red Pepper Sauce is one of a kind. A vodka-sauce-meets-roasted-red-pepper sort of creation, this creamy spread compliments the light flavor profile of grilled chicken with zest and tang. The sauce is also super easy to make, starting with a simple mix of ingredients like red peppers, garlic and onion.
Get the Recipe: Chicken with Red Pepper Sauce
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Helpful Tips For The Best Grilled Chicken
- Use good quality chicken. I think weve all had our fair share of chewy chicken. I like to buy the vacuum pack sealed, air chilled chicken breasts at Costco which havent failed me over the years. The standard or Organic are both good.
- For best results dont skip pounding the chicken to even out its thickness more, otherwise thinner ends will by dry by the time the center is cooked.
- Allow adequate time for the chicken to soak in the marinade for more flavor.
- Use an instant read food thermometer to cook just to 160 to 165 so you dont end up with dry chicken breasts. This is key.
- Let chicken rest for 5 minutes so the interior juices evenly redistribute and dont end up loosing a lot to the cutting board or plate if you slice into the meat early.
- Chicken doesnt have to be exactly 8 oz each piece. It can be a bit larger or smaller, just adjust grill time accordingly.
- If you double the recipe double all ingredients.
How Long To Grill
Generally, about 20 minutes of the grill temperature is correct. Smaller breasts may be a bit less, and larger may be a bit longer. Remember to never cook by time alonecook to the final safe internal temperature of 165°.
The exact time will vary by the grill and the thickness and starting temperature of the meat. The chicken should rest off the heat for about 5 minutes before serving. If longer, tent lightly with foil to keep warm.
You can cook faster if you use a higher temperature, but your chicken will have an overcooked surface and be less tender and drier.
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How Do You Grill Chicken Breasts Without Drying It Out
The key is to cook on direct heat for the first 8-10 minutes , but then switch to indirect heat for the last 5-7 minutes. ALSO do not leave it on the grill until it reaches an internal temp of 165 remove it from the grill when it is around 160 and then let it rest off the grill. As it rests, it will continue to cook and the temp can continue to rise nearly 10 degrees! So imagine if you did leave it on the grill until it reached 165? It would continue to cook and might reach 175 before you eat it! It would be over-cooked and dry.
Ingredients For Grilled Barbecue Chicken
Chicken breasts: Thick and juicy, boneless skinless chicken breasts are ideal for this recipe because they become super tender and enjoyable. You will need four chicken breasts. Olive oil: High-quality olive oil is used for the marinade and gives the chicken its juicy rich flavors. Salt and pepper: A simple blend of sea salt and pepper is all you need for this BBQ chicken breast recipe. BBQ sauce: Use your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce or make it yourself. You can use any kind of flavorful BBQ sauce.
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How To Grill Chicken Breasts That Are Sooo Juicy
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How long do you grill chicken breasts for? Do they need to be brined or marinated? How do you get good grill marks? How do you grill the juiciest chicken breasts? All your grilled chicken breast answers are here!
With summer and grilling season coming up, its a great time to grill up some chicken as an entree, to put onto salads, or to use in your favorite chicken recipes. Its therefore a good idea that we take a moment to tackle the conundrum of grilling chicken breasts.
Grilled Chicken Breasts With Shiitake Mushroom Vinaigrette
Mushrooms aren’t just for side dishes or grilling as a vegetarian substitute to the classic burger. No way! Instead, use them to amp up the flavor of grilled chicken breast. By utilizing the mushrooms as the base for a vinaigrette, you’ll develop a super earthy foundation for layers of flavors, like balsamic vinegar and spicy whole-grain mustard all of which elevate simple, perfectly charred chicken.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Chicken Breasts with Shiitake Mushroom Vinaigrette
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The Best Chicken For Grilling
For the juiciest, most flavorful grilled chicken, use bone-in, skin-on pieces. Place the chicken on a paper towel-lined tray and pat it dry. This removes excess moisture, which prevents the skin from getting crispy. Remember to wash your hands and all equipment after handling raw chicken.
Next, season both sides generously with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper and allow the chicken to come to room temperature for 15 minutes. This helps it cook evenly and gives the salt and pepper a chance to work their magic. Keep in mind that sweet sauces like glazes and barbecue sauce shouldn’t be applied until the chicken is finished cooking. They will burn before the chicken is fully cooked.
Trim The Chicken Breasts
Picking the right ingredient is always a key step to ensuring you end up with great results. Make sure you are buying boneless, skinless chicken breasts. These often come untrimmed in the package with minimal processing. You can also buy them trimmed .
If youre not a fan of trimming chicken, buying them hand trimmed from the butcher can be a great time saver, just be aware it will usually cost you a bit extra per pound. If you want to save yourself some money, trimming yourself is a great way to go! Remove any dangling pieces of fat, rib meat, connective tissues, or loose pieces of chicken meat to create nice, uniform breasts.
No matter if you buy trimmed or trim yourself, be sure that your chicken is fully defrosted before you attempt the next steps. Having chicken that is frozen in the middle can cause several issues during the marinating and grilling steps. My favorite way to defrost is to set the chicken in a zip top bag and then onto a plate and onto the bottom shelf of your refrigerator. Make sure your bag is open to allow the chicken to breathe while defrosting. Most chicken breasts will defrost within 24 hours in the fridge.
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Tips For Grilling Chicken Breast On Gas Grill:
– Pound chicken breasts to an even thickness before grilling to help them cook evenly. If using boneless, skinless chicken breasts, consider wrapping them in foil or placing them on a grilling basket to prevent them from sticking or falling through the grates.
– Brushing chicken with a flavorful marinade or BBQ sauce before grilling will add extra flavor and helps to create a nice char on the outside of the chicken.
– If you’re looking for added grill marks, rotate the chicken a quarter turn after flipping it halfway through cooking.
– Keep an eye on the temperature of your grill if it gets too hot, chicken can cook too quickly on the outside while still being raw in the middle. Likewise, if the grill is not hot enough, chicken can take forever to cook.
– Be careful not to overcook your chicken breast it should be juicy and moist, not dry.
And finally, always be sure to let your chicken rest for a few minutes after grilling before cutting into it. This will allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat and keep it juicy and tender.
With these tips, you can enjoy delicious grilled chicken breast on your next cookout! Give it a try the next time you fire up the grill!
