The Best Grilled Chicken Recipe

This is hands down the best grilled chicken recipe we’ve ever made, and trust me, we’ve tried a LOT of methods over the years! What makes this recipe so special is a simple marinade that creates incredibly juicy, flavorful chicken breast every single time. Once you try this method, you’ll never go back to dry, bland grilled chicken again!

My husband and I have been working on improving our grilled chicken game since we became homeowners almost 15 years ago. We’ve tried countless marinades, brines, and techniques, but over the past 2 to 3 summers we’ve really dialed it in thanks to what is now our go-to marinading process. The backstory: my aunt got me a Cook’s Illustrated subscription for my birthday 3 years ago, and my husband is the one who’s become obsessed with it, reading every issue cover to cover. This marinade is born out of a process and base recipe from an issue a few years back, and we’ve tweaked and tinkered with it to absolute perfection.

Once grilling season hits (late spring through fall for us), we grill chicken almost weekly. We LOVE bulk prepping it, cooking up 4 pounds at a time so we have a lean, high-quality, and flavorful protein stocked in the fridge to enjoy throughout the week. This recipe is for 2 pounds of chicken, but it’s incredibly easy to double for larger batches. Whether you’re grilling for a weeknight dinner or meal prepping for the week ahead, this is the recipe you need!

Ingredients Needed

Marinade Ingredients

• Water. Helps distribute the marinade evenly and keeps the chicken moist.
• Fish sauce. This is the secret ingredient that adds incredible umami and depth of flavor. Don’t worry, it does NOT create a fishy flavor when used correctly! Fish sauce also helps to tenderize our chicken and in combination with the brown sugar helps to create an almost crispy glaze once grilled. The key is timing. Marinate for 30 minutes and you get pure savory goodness. Let it sit too long and it can start to taste a bit fishy, so stick to the recommended marinating time.
• Brown sugar. Adds a touch of sweetness and helps with caramelization on the grill for those beautiful grill marks.
• Salt and pepper. Season the chicken and enhance all the other flavors.
• Gochugaru (optional but amazing). These Korean red pepper flakes have become a favorite in our household and add a bright, vibrant heat without being overwhelming. This is optional, but we highly recommend it! Look in your grocery store’s ethnic aisle, visit an Asian market, or buy gochugaru online.

Additional Ingredients

• Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast. Our base recipe is for 2 pounds.
• Seasoning. This is used to add flavor and pizazz to the outside (whereas the marinade really enhances the inside and overall product). We’ve tried a lot of different seasonings with this marinade, and you definitely have lots of options. You can keep it classic with a salt/pepper/garlic blend or various poultry seasonings, but we’ve found the Fire & Smoke Society Sweet Pepper Honey Chicken seasoning to be our favorite for this.

Complete ingredient measurements and all recipe details can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Choosing the Right Chicken Cuts and Preparing the Chicken

For this recipe, we use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. They’re lean, cook relatively quickly, and are incredibly versatile for meal prep throughout the week. When shopping for chicken breasts, try to choose pieces that are similar in size and thickness so they cook evenly on the grill.

No matter the thickness of your chicken breasts, we recommend pounding them to an even thickness with a meat tenderizer (or if they’re particularly thick, you can also butterfly them). The goal is to have chicken that is less than 1″ thick when done.

While this recipe is written for boneless, skinless chicken breasts, the marinade also works beautifully with bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces or chicken thighs. Just adjust your cooking time accordingly, as bone-in pieces will take longer to cook through.

Preparing the Marinade

Prepare the marinade by whisking together the water, fish sauce, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and gochugaru (if using) in a bowl, measuring cup, or container you’ll be marinading your chicken in until the sugar and salt are dissolved.

Place your tenderized chicken breasts in a large zip-top bag or shallow dish and pour the marinade over them (or place the chicken into the container you’ve made the marinade in) and make sure each piece is well coated. Seal and refrigerate. If using a shallow dish or container, flip the chicken around the 15-minute mark to ensure all sides get coated with marinade.

How Long To Marinate For The Best Flavor

Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes before grilling. This timing is crucial! Thirty minutes is the sweet spot where the chicken absorbs all that amazing flavor without the fish sauce imparting a fishy taste.

We’ve tested shorter and longer marinating times, and 30 minutes consistently gives us the best results. Don’t marinate for less than 30 minutes or the flavors won’t fully penetrate the chicken. And going longer than 30 minutes risks your chicken starting to have that unwanted fishy flavor. Set a timer so you don’t forget!

Prepping The Grill: Temperature And Technique

Whether you’re using a gas grill (like we typically do) or a charcoal grill, you’ll want to preheat it until it reaches 400°F to 450°F. This temperature is hot enough to get good sear marks and caramelization on the chicken.

For a gas grill, preheat with all burners on high for about 10 minutes, then reduce to medium-high before adding the chicken. For a charcoal grill, let the coals burn until they’re covered with white ash and you can hold your hand about 6 inches above the grate for 3 to 4 seconds (that’s medium-high heat).

Step-By-Step Grilling Instructions

Remove chicken from marinade. Take the chicken breasts out of the marinade and let any excess drip off. Discard the remaining marinade.

Season the first side of the chicken using your favorite grilling seasoning or poultry seasoning.

Place chicken on the grill. Arrange the chicken breasts on the preheated grill, leaving a bit of space between each piece. Sprinkle the second side with seasoning. Close the lid. Grill the first side for 4-5 minutes without moving the chicken. This allows those beautiful grill marks to form and helps prevent sticking.

Rotate each piece 90° using a tongs, continuing to cook them another 2-3 minutes on the same side. This gives the chicken that classic checkerboard-style grill marks (which leads to even better flavor, since grill marks are essentially just caramelization: the more the better!). Continue to cook an additional 2-3 minutes.

Flip and continue cooking. Flip the chicken breasts and continue grilling for another 4-5 minutes, then repeat the 90° rotation and continue to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Check for doneness and rest. See detailed notes below for when to take your chicken off the grill and why resting is a must!

Checking For Doneness And Resting The Chicken

The most accurate way to check if your chicken is done is with an instant-read thermometer. Insert it into the thickest part of the chicken breast, and when the thermometer reads 160°, remove the chicken from the grill (chicken is fully-cooked at 165°, but through the process of carryover cooking, the chicken’s internal temperature will continue to rise in temperature as it rests. Doing this helps prevent over-cooked chicken).

Placed the grilled chicken onto a clean plate, baking sheet, or cutting board. Let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing or serving. This resting time is crucial! Not only does it allow the chicken to complete its carryover cooking to reach its desired final temperature, it allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring every bite is juicy and tender. If you cut into the chicken right away, all those flavorful juices will run out onto your cutting board instead of staying in the meat.

How To Store Grilled Chicken

Store cooked grilled chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. We love bulk prepping this chicken because it’s so versatile throughout the week! Let the chicken cool completely before storing, and you can either leave the breasts whole or slice them before refrigerating, depending on how you plan to use them.

To reheat, warm gently in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds, or enjoy it cold in salads and wraps. You can also reheat sliced chicken in a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes.

This grilled chicken also freezes well! Wrap individual chicken breasts (or portions) tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Serving Suggestions And Ways To Use Grilled Chicken

This grilled chicken is incredibly versatile! Here are some of our favorite ways to serve it:

Serve it Fresh Off the Grill:

• Alongside grilled vegetables like zucchini, bell peppers, and corn on the cob for a complete summer meal.
• With classic summertime sides like potato salad, coleslaw, fresh watermelon, and some chips. We especially love this chicken alongside our summer corn salad, street corn corn salad, green bean caprese salad, and our old-fashioned cucumber salad.
• With pasta salad like our Mediterranean orzo pasta salad or tortellini pasta salad. Or as the chicken in our pesto pasta salad with chicken!
• As the protein on a big green salad with your favorite dressing for a lighter meal.
• Paired with rice and roasted vegetables for a simple, balanced dinner.

Use Bulk-Prepped Grilled Chicken Throughout the Week:

As previously noted, we’ll often make a double batch of this (cooking up 4 pounds of chicken breast) when we do this so we can have an easy, high-quality protein ready for meals during the week. Here are some of the ways we like to enjoy it:

• In chicken Caesar wraps or other salad wraps.
• Alongside steamed or sauteed veggies like broccoli, green beans, spinach, and kale for a simple, low-carb meal.
• As the protein in grain bowls with either rice or quinoa.
• Use in pasta dishes, it’s great with a variety of sauces from red sauces to cream sauces.
• In sandwiches like a chicken BLT or chicken caprese sandwich.

Marinade Variations And Customizations

• Make it spicier. Increase the amount of gochugaru or add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the marinade for more heat. Also, if you don’t have gochugaru, roasted red pepper flakes work great in a pinch.
• Add fresh herbs. Stir in some minced fresh garlic, ginger, green onions, or cilantro to the marinade for extra aromatics.
• Use honey instead of brown sugar. We’ve done this many times, and it’s delicious too. Just swap it 1-for-1.
• Make it citrusy. Add a tablespoon of lime juice or lemon juice to the marinade for brightness (but don’t marinate longer than 30 minutes, as the acid can start to break down the chicken).
• Skip the gochugaru. If you don’t have gochugaru or prefer no heat at all, simply leave it out. The chicken will still be incredibly flavorful!

Grilled Chicken Breast FAQs