Description
This Best Grilled Chicken Breast recipe features flavorful boneless, skinless chicken breasts marinated in a tangy lemon, honey, and Dijon mustard blend with smoked paprika and thyme. Perfectly grilled to juicy, tender perfection, it's an easy meal ideal for quick weeknight dinners or weekend cookouts.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless-skinless chicken breast thin cutlets (approximately 1 ½ – 2 pounds total weight)
Marinade
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- ⅓ cup canola oil
- ¼ cup honey
- 3 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Place the boneless-skinless chicken breast cutlets in a large, heavy-duty zip-top bag and set aside.
- Make the marinade: In a mixing bowl, whisk together fresh lemon juice, canola oil, honey, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper until fully combined.
- Marinate the chicken: Pour the marinade over the chicken inside the zip-top bag. Seal the bag, squeezing out as much air as possible, then place it onto a plate and refrigerate for 1-2 hours to allow flavors to penetrate the chicken.
- Preheat the grill: Heat an outdoor gas grill to 400°F (204°C) to ensure it is hot and ready for cooking.
- Grill the chicken: Place the marinated chicken breasts on the grill, close the lid, and cook for 8 minutes.
- Flip and continue grilling: Flip the chicken over and grill for an additional 8 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and the chicken is cooked through.
- Rest the chicken: Remove the grilled chicken breasts from the grill, place on a plate, and allow them to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. This helps retain the juices.
Notes
- Using pre-portioned chicken breast cutlets makes preparation quick and easy. If thicker pieces are used, consider butterflying or pounding them to uniform thickness for even cooking.
- The marinade quantity can be doubled or halved depending on the chicken amount.
- This is a versatile marinade that yields moist and tender grilled chicken every time.
- If using thicker or bone-in chicken breasts, marinate up to 8 hours and increase grilling time accordingly.
- Canola oil can be substituted with olive oil, vegetable oil, or avocado oil.
- Dried thyme is recommended for convenience, but if using fresh thyme, increase to 2 teaspoons as fresh herbs are less potent.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast cutlet
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
