Grilled Chicken Breasts

Chicken breasts marinated in a bold mix of lemon, garlic, honey, paprika, and herbs, then pounded, grilled, and basted with a light honey-mustard drizzle. Learn step-by-step techniques and tips for grilling juicy chicken breasts.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword grilled chicken breasts, how to grill chicken breasts

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 581kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

For the marinade + chicken:

⅓ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon paprika powder
2 teaspoons dried Italian herbs
5 cloves garlic minced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 lb chicken breasts skinless and boneless (4 chicken breasts)

For the sauce:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt to taste
1 ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 ¼ tablespoons honey

To serve with:

2 medium zucchini (zucchini rounds grilled)
Fresh herbs chopped, like parsley, thyme, or rosemary

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the marinade:

In a bowl, add olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, paprika powder, dried Italian herbs, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
Whisk until well combined. Reserve around 3 tablespoons of the marinade and set aside.

Marinate the chicken:

Place the chicken onto a chopping board and cover with plastic foil. Pound the chicken with a meat mallet until ½-inch thick evenly across the surface.
Add the chicken to the prepared marinade and coat well. Marinate the chicken in the fridge for 4 hours, flipping the chicken halfway through. This will ensure all the chicken pieces are coated evenly.

Grill the chicken:

Lightly oil the pan: Use a paper towel dipped in high-smoke-point cooking oil to lightly coat the pan before cooking. Don't use too much oil, as it can cause smoking.
Preheat the grill pan to get hot over medium-high heat before adding the chicken. This helps create good grill marks and prevents sticking.
Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade and discard the marinade.
Add the chicken and grill for 4-5 minutes per side, without moving. Don’t overcrowd the pan: Leave space between the pieces so heat circulates and the chicken sears rather than steams.
In the last minute, brush with the reserved marinade (3 tablespoons). Let the chicken rest.
EXTRA TIPS for using a grill pan:
Use a spatula or grill press to gently press the chicken into the ridges for better grill marks and even cooking.
Keep the kitchen vent on: Grill pans can get smoky. Turn on the exhaust fan or open a window for better ventilation.
Finish with a Lid (if Needed): For thick chicken breasts, cover the pan with a lid after flipping to help the inside cook through without burning the outside.
Set the chicken aside to rest while you prepare the mustard sauce. Always let the chicken rest for a few minutes after grilling to keep it juicy.

Serving sauce (honey-mustard sauce):

Add extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt to taste, Dijon mustard, and honey in a mini food blender or a bowl. Blend or whisk until emulsified and thick.
Serve the grilled chicken with grilled zucchinis and drizzled with honey-mustard sauce.

Notes

How to grill zucchini: Slice zucchini into thick rounds and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder or fresh minced garlic before grilling. Grill zucchini about 5–7 mins, turning once or twice.
Pound the chicken: Cover your chicken with plastic foil before pounding it with a meat mallet to prevent the chicken from splattering across the kitchen surfaces. It is also a good idea to place a piece of plastic foil under the chicken, as this will prevent your chicken from breaking while being pounded.
Alternative tools: You can also pound your chicken with a rolling pin if you do not have a meat mallet.
Grill undisturbed: When grilling chicken, make sure you do not move it around. Let it grill on one side, without flipping. This will ensure you have those nice grill marks.
Use digital meat thermometer: When the thermometer reaches 165°F, the chicken is cooked.
Serve the chicken with grilled zucchinis, mango avocado salad, peach salsa, grilled peaches, or other desired grilled veggies to make it a complete meal. See more serving suggestions above this recipe card.

Storage, Reheating, Freezing, and Make-Ahead Instructions

Storage: Store leftover grilled chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat the chicken gently in a skillet over low heat or in the microwave until just warmed through. Add a splash of water or extra marinade to prevent drying out.
Freezing: You can freeze cooked chicken breasts for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Sauce is best made fresh.
Make-Ahead: Marinate the chicken up to 24 hours in advance. The honey-mustard sauce can also be made ahead and refrigerated.

Nutrition