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This flavorful Garlic and Herb Grilled Chicken Breast is an easy and healthy dinner recipe! With only 5 minutes of prep, the simple marinade yields tender and juicy meat that the whole family will love!
Hooray for grilling season! We’re taking as many of our meals outside as possible, because you just can’t beat the taste of the smoky char on the meat…and fewer dishes don’t hurt, either! That said, you can totally prepare this grilled chicken on the stove or in the oven. Thanks to the delicious lemon, garlic and herb marinade, the meat will taste amazing no matter how you cook it!
If you’re into meal prep, these marinated grilled chicken breasts are the perfect way to cook a lot of healthy protein over the weekend, which you can use in a variety of meals throughout the week. Salads! Pasta! Sandwiches! Wraps! Quesadillas! You name it, the options are endless…
How to make Grilled Chicken Breast at Home:
First, start with the quick marinade for your grilled chicken. Simply whisk together the following ingredients:
- lemon juice and lemon zest
- olive oil
- Dijon mustard
- fresh herbs
- garlic, salt and pepper
Place the chicken in a large resealable bag, pour the marinade over the meat, and toss to coat. Refrigerate the chicken for about 2 hours (or up to 4 hours) before grilling.
How long do you grill chicken breasts?
The length of time that it takes to cook your chicken will depend on the size and thickness of your meat. When grilled over medium-high heat (on the outdoor grill or indoor on the stovetop), a thin, small chicken breast will require about 5 minutes per side. Larger, thicker pieces of chicken will need up to 10-12 minutes per side.
I always recommend using a meat thermometer to know when your chicken breast is perfectly done. The meat should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Are Grilled Chicken Breasts healthy?
Yes! This chicken is a high-protein, low-calorie entrée. The marinade also includes plenty of healthy fats and micronutrients thanks to the fresh herbs, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil (source).
How long does Grilled Chicken Breast last in the refrigerator?
Wrapped tightly, the grilled chicken breast will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can also store the chicken in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in the freezer for up to 3 months.
What goes with Grilled Chicken Breast?
You can serve this versatile chicken in a variety of ways! Prep a big batch over the weekend and then enjoy it in salads, wraps, sandwiches, and pasta dishes all week long. Here are a few delicious ways to use the chicken:
- Ethel’s Curry Chicken Salad
- Southern Chicken and Rice Salad
- Grilled Chicken Caprese Sandwiches
- Grilled Chicken and Nectarine Salad
- Dump-and-Bake Summer Pasta with Corn, Zucchini, Tomatoes and Chicken
Cook’s Tips and Recipe Variations:
- Two hours is the perfect amount of time to marinate the chicken. You can leave the meat in the marinade for up to 4 hours, but I don’t recommend marinating for much longer than that. Too much time in the acidic marinade can cause the chicken to become mushy.
- Pick your favorite herbs! I used a combination of rosemary, thyme and parsley; however, fresh basil, chives, oregano or cilantro would all work well.
- You can use this grilled chicken marinade for chicken thighs as well.
- For a shorter cooking time, cut large chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create thinner pieces of meat.
- To bake the chicken breast in the oven, remove the chicken from the marinade and bake in a 425 degree F oven for 30-40 minutes (for thin, small chicken breasts) or about 45-55 minutes for very thick, large chicken breasts.
- Prepare this grilled chicken breast on the stove by using a nonstick skillet or griddle, or an indoor grill pan. Heat the pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat and cook the chicken according to the instructions below.
- Since the size and thickness of chicken breasts can vary greatly, I suggest using a meat thermometer to know when your chicken is done. The meat needs to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Other easy grilled chicken breast recipes that you might enjoy:
- “No Work” Marinated Grilled Chicken Breasts
- Teriyaki Grilled Chicken Breasts
- 5-Minute Tuscan Chicken Marinade
- Maria’s Ranch Chicken Kabobs
Garlic and Herb Grilled Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
For the Marinade:
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh herbs (I used a combination of rosemary, thyme and parsley, but fresh basil, chives, oregano or cilantro will all work well)
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a large zip-top plastic bag. Set aside.
- In a bowl or measuring cup, whisk together all of the marinade ingredients until completely combined.
- Pour marinade into the bag with the chicken. Seal the bag and gently toss to make sure that the chicken is completely coated in marinade. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours.
- When ready to cook, remove chicken from the bag and discard marinade.
- Heat a nonstick pan, grill pan, or outdoor grill over medium-high heat. Coat grill or pan with about a teaspoon of oil so that the chicken doesn’t stick. Sear or grill chicken on each side until golden, crispy and cooked through (about 5 minutes per side for small, thin chicken breasts or up to 10-12 minutes per side for larger, thick chicken breasts). The meat is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Allow meat to rest for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Two hours is the perfect amount of time to marinate the chicken. You can leave the meat in the marinade for up to 4 hours, but I don’t recommend marinating for much longer than that. Too much time in the acidic marinade can cause the chicken to become mushy.
- Pick your favorite herbs! I used a combination of rosemary, thyme and parsley; however, fresh basil, chives, oregano or cilantro would all work well.
- You can use this grilled chicken marinade for chicken thighs as well.
- For a shorter cooking time, cut large chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create thinner pieces of meat.
- To bake the chicken breast in the oven, remove the chicken from the marinade and bake in a 425 degree F oven for 30-40 minutes (for thin, small chicken breasts) or about 45-55 minutes for very thick, large chicken breasts.
- Prepare this grilled chicken breast on the stove by using a nonstick skillet or griddle, or an indoor grill pan. Heat the pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat and cook the chicken according to the instructions below.
- Since the size and thickness of chicken breasts can vary greatly, I suggest using a meat thermometer to know when your chicken is done. The meat needs to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Wrapped tightly, the grilled chicken breast will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can also store the chicken in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Grilled chicken! Can’t wait to cook this recipe. Thank you so much. This is one of my favorites to cook and to eat. I probably cook this for our dinner. I hope it will be perfect.
Wonderful! Enjoy! 🙂
This is really a great chicken recipe. I’m not the biggest fan of chicken. But I eat it in our weekly rotations . But let me tell you I will makes this anytime, it’s great! Maybe the best I have ever eaten. This is probably about the seventh time my husband and I have eaten it so far. My husband will say, let’s have that really good grilled chicken . It’s a winner here.
Thank you, Linda! I’m so glad to know that this recipe appeals even to those folks who don’t necessarily love chicken! 🙂
We loved this recipe! Because it was raining, we chose to bake it instead of grilling. I put the marinaded breasts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Besides the wonderful marinade flavors, which included fresh rosemary, basil, parsley and cilantro, the chicken had a crispness on the outside, which sealed in the juiciness of the breasts.
Thanks, Cindy! I appreciate you taking the time to leave a note. I’m so glad that it was a hit!
I eye-balled it for all the measurements (I’m not even sure how much chicken I had) and it came out GREAT! I’d definitely make this again.
That’s great, Helena! Yes, this is definitely a recipe that you can eyeball — it should still taste great. 🙂 Thanks for your note!
I love your website. What tool did you use to build it?
Hi, Robert! It’s a WordPress hosted site, and Grits Design does the maintenance and design. 🙂
Thanks, Blair. I made this recipe last night with parsley, rosemary and thyme from my herb garden and put it on a Cranberry Spinach Salad. It was amazing. Thanks.
That sounds perfect, Robert! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
If I froze the prepared chicken, how would I thaw it so that it wasn’t soggy?
Hi, Claire! I would thaw the chicken in the refrigerator overnight, and then reheat it in a dry skillet so that any surface moisture can evaporate. Hope that helps, and enjoy!
I made this last night for my very picky husband. We are low sodium, so I used salt alternative and no sodium mustard. For herbs, I took your advice and plucked oregano, chives, basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary, and cilantro from the garden; just to mix it up a bit. Sealed it in my food saver for 2 hours and grilled it. My husband literally licked his plate and asked for seconds. That NEVER happens. Its nice to have some low sodium chicken marinade options for us and this one I will definitely keep on hand!
I’m so happy to hear that, Wendy! Glad that you could make it work for your needs, and that your husband approved! Thanks for your note. 🙂