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• Why You’ll Love This Grilled Chicken Breast Recipe
• Ingredients & Substitutions
• How To Grill Chicken Breast
• How Long To Grill Chicken Breast?
• What Temp To Grill Chicken Breast?
• Tips For The Best Grilled Chicken Breast
• Storage Instructions
• What To Serve With Grilled Chicken Breast
• More Grilled Chicken Recipes
• Tools For This Recipe
• Grilled Chicken Breast (Easy & Juicy) Recipe card
• Recipe Reviews

Some people associate grilled chicken breast recipes with dry chicken compared to dark meats like grilled chicken legs and grilled chicken thighs , but it doesn’t have to be that way! If you make it right, grilled chicken breast can be just as juicy and flavorful. The key is a good marinade and knowing how long to grill chicken breast, so that it’s perfectly tender, not overcooked. I have lots of tips and tricks for you, plus a handy time chart, so you never have to overcook it again!

Why You’ll Love This Grilled Chicken Breast Recipe

• Tender, juicy chicken breast
• Zesty, tangy, and subtly sweet marinade
• Simple ingredients
• Fast cook time
• Naturally low carb, gluten free & healthy
• Best summer chicken recipe for your backyard BBQ

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for grilling chicken breast what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card .

Chicken Breast:

This grilled chicken breast recipe is tried and true for boneless skinless chicken breasts. You can use any size — just use the time chart below. The marinade works for bone-in cuts of chicken too, but the grill time would be different.

Grilled Chicken Breast Marinade:

• Olive Oil – This maked up the base of the marinade. I prefer regular rather than extra virgin olive oil, as it has a higher smoke point. Avocado oil or any heat-safe cooking oil would also work.
• Lemons – The acid in lemon juice tenderizes the chicken. Since you will need both the juice and zest, you’ll need fresh lemons. Limes would work here as well.
• Dijon Mustard – Adds flavor. You can also use yellow or spicy brown mustard if you like.
• Honey – Adds subtle sweetness and balances the acidic lemon juice. You can use regular honey or sugar-free honey .
• Garlic – I used crush garlic, but you could also use minced garlic. Just make sure to scrape it off before cooking, as it will burn on the grill. You can also substitute 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder .
• Spices – Smoked paprika (or sweet paprika works), onion powder , sea salt, and black pepper.
• Dried Herbs – I used dried thyme leaves and dried oregano , but you can use any dried herbs you have on hand, such as basil or rosemary. Italian seasoning also tastes great in grilled chicken breast marinade! You could try fresh herbs if you want to, but I didn’t because they burn more easily.

How To Grill Chicken Breast

This section shows how to cook chicken breast on the grill, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card .

1. Make the marinade. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients: olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, honey, crushed garlic, smoked paprika, onion powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, sea salt, and black pepper.
2. Marinate the chicken. Add chicken breasts to a large zip lock bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken seal, the bag, and move the chicken around to coat well. Refrigerate.

1. Grill. Clean your grill grates and preheat your grill (or a grill pan ) to medium-high heat. Place the chicken breasts on the grill, smooth side down, over direct heat. Grill, flipping once, until cooked through. (See below for grilling times based on the size of your chicken.)
2. Rest. Transfer the chicken to a plate or cutting board, and let it rest before slicing and serving.

How Long To Grill Chicken Breast?

Chicken breast grill time varies depending on their size. For 8-ounce chicken breasts, cook for 6-8 minutes per side or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. If you want them extra juicy, remove from the grill when they are a few degrees lower, and let the internal temp will rise to 165 while resting.

For other sizes, follow my grilled chicken breast time chart, below:

What Temp To Grill Chicken Breast?

The ideal grill temp for chicken breast is medium-high (approximately 375 to 450 degrees F). This high heat helps to sear the chicken quickly, which helps lock in moisture and avoids drying it out.

Tips For The Best Grilled Chicken Breast

I spent a lot of time testing this grilled chicken breast recipe to make sure it comes out juicy! Follow these tips for great results every time:

• Choose uniform-sized pieces. If your chicken breasts are all the same size, they will be easier to grill because they’ll cook at the same rate.
• A marinade is key. Since chicken breast is so lean, grilled chicken breast recipes can dry out easily. One of the best ways to prevent this is to use a marinade like this recipe does. Alternatively, you can brine the chicken instead, like I do in my baked chicken breast recipe .
• Marinate for the right amount of time. The minimum is 30 minutes, but you get even juicier results if you marinate it for longer. Just don’t go over 24 hours, or the chicken will be mushy.
• Preheat the grill. This is important for any cut of chicken to reduce the chance of sticking, but especially important for grilled chicken breast recipes because starting at lower heat means they’ll need to cook for longer and have a higher chance of drying out.
• Grill the presentation side first. This would be the smoother side of the chicken breast. The first side tends to get slightly better grill marks.
• Don’t move the chicken around. If you want nice grill marks, keeping the chicken in one spot and only moving to flip is the best way to achieve them.
• Don’t flip too soon. If the chicken sticks, either the grill isn’t hot enough or the chicken needs to cook for longer before flipping.
• Use a meat thermometer. Even with a brine or marinade, the biggest impact for juicy results is how long you grill the chicken breast. You can use my time chart above, but since grills vary, the best way to know it’s perfect is to use a thermometer. You can use a regular instant read thermometer , but my favorite is a probe thermometer because it beeps when your chicken is ready. Cook just until it reaches 165 degrees F, but it turns out even more juicy if you remove from heat when it’s a couple degrees lower, because the internal temperature will rise a few degrees while resting.
• Don’t forget to rest. To ensure a juicy grilled chicken breast, resting after removing from heat is important. This lets the juices settle.
• Slice against the grain. Just like cutting grilled steak against the grain, this helps to break up the muscle fibers so that the chicken is more tender.

Storage Instructions

• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Meal prep: You can make the marinade up to a few days ahead of time, and/or marinate the chicken in the fridge up to 24 hours before cooking. You can also grill chicken breast in advance as a chicken meal prep with healthy side dishes for easy lunches!
• Reheat: Chicken breast is easy to dry out when reheating, so be careful not to overheat. My favorite method is to place it in a baking dish with a little broth at the bottom, seal with foil, and heat in the oven at 350 degrees F. (The broth creates steam to keep it juicy.) You can also reheat chicken breast on the grill over indirect heat, or microwave on medium power (cover with a damp paper towel to keep it moist).
• Freeze: Place the chicken in a zip lock bag or airtight container, and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

What To Serve With Grilled Chicken Breast

There are so many ways to use grilled chicken breast recipes! They can be a main dish with a side dish, served over a salad , or even used in recipes that call for cooked chicken. Here are some ideas:

• Salads – You can’t go wrong with a grilled chicken salad ! You can also use it for a cobb salad or chicken Caesar salad , or make side salads, such as spinach strawberry salad or arugula salad , into a meal. For a cookout-style healthy side, try cauliflower potato salad .
• Vegetables – Since you’re already making chicken breast on the grill, you might as well keep the grill going and make some quick grilled asparagus , tender grilled broccoli with crispy edges, or my favorite grilled eggplant . You can also try some air fryer green beans if you want your main dish and side ready at the same time.
• Potatoes – Make your potatoes on the grill, or for hands-off options that cook while you’re grilling chicken breast outside, try air fryer baked potatoes or classic roasted diced potatoes .
• Sauces – This chicken is juicy all on its own, but if you want to add some sauce, try barbecue sauce (I like sugar-free BBQ sauce ), zesty chimichurri sauce , or even tahini sauce .
• Soups & Casseroles – Throw leftover grilled chicken breast into a chicken bacon ranch casserole or buffalo chicken soup .

More Grilled Chicken Recipes

What better way to celebrate summer than to make dinner on the grill? Try these other ways to grill chicken:

Grilled Chicken Thighs

Bruschetta Chicken

Grilled Chicken Legs

Pollo Asado

Tools For This Recipe

• Grill Pan – When I don’t want to use my grill, I use this grill pan to get the same charred affect.
• Probe Thermometer – My favorite tool to make sure the chicken is cooked but still juicy. It beeps when it’s ready, so there’s no guesswork.

Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

• 4 8-oz Boneless skinless chicken breasts ▢
• 1/4 cup Olive oil ▢
• 4 medium Lemons (juiced and zested; ~4 tbsp juice and ~2 tsp zest) ▢
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard ▢
• 2 tbsp Honey (or sugar-free honey ) ▢
• 4 cloves Garlic (crushed) ▢
• 1 tsp Smoked paprika ▢
• 1 tsp Onion powder ▢
• 1 tsp Dried thyme ▢
• 1 tsp Dried oregano ▢
• 2 tsp Sea salt ▢
• 3/4 tsp Black pepper ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

1. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, honey, crushed garlic, smoked paprika, onion powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, sea salt, and black pepper.
2. Add the chicken breasts to a large plastic bag, add in the marinade and seal. Move the chicken around to coat the chicken well in the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes , or up to 24 hours.
3. Towards the end of the marinating time, preheat your grill or grill pan to medium-high heat (~400 degrees F (204 degrees C)) for at least 10 minutes .
4. Once the grill is hot, remove the chicken breasts from the marinade and shake off any excess. Place the chicken breasts on the grill, smooth side down, over direct heat. For 8-ounce chicken breasts, cook for 6-8 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). See post above for tips and cook times for other sizes of chicken breasts.
5. Once the chicken breasts are cooked through, remove them from the grill and let them rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 grilled chicken breast

Nutrition info uses 1/3 of the marinade (the rest is discarded) and sugar-free honey .

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

Add Your NotesYour Notes

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.

Grilled Chicken Breast

Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List

• Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
• The Basic Keto Meal Formula
• Understanding Macros
• Keto Food Swaps
• Keto Food List
• Electrolyte Basics
• Keto Diet Types
• Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
• Recipe Reviews

Even though I have a great guide to starting a keto diet , people often ask me for a quick keto cheat sheet they can use. That’s why I created this simple keto diet cheat sheet , so that you can have all the info you need handy. We’ll cover the basic keto formula for building meals, foods to eat and to avoid, delicious keto swaps for high-carb foods, electrolyte basics, and 4 ways to follow the keto lifestyle.

You can keep reading to view this info, or download my keto cheat sheet printable pdf to print out or save ad-free on any device (plus the pdf has more details!).

Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?

Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:

1. Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
2. Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
3. Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
4. Keto food swaps (60+ foods) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
5. Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
6. Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
7. Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
8. Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
9. FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.

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The Basic Keto Meal Formula

Eating keto doesn’t have to be complicated! While there are plenty of delicious easy keto recipes to choose from, you don’t even have to cook from a recipe to get started.

Simply follow the keto cheat sheet formula of protein + veggie + fat for your meals.

Be sure to choose a moderate amount of protein, only low carb vegetables (mostly ones that grow above ground), and generous fat to attain an optimal macro ratio. That’s approximately 60-75% of calories from fat, 20-25% protein, and 5-10% from carbohydrates. The table below will give you ideas for what to choose.

Understanding Macros

Macros are macronutrients for short. They include fat, protein, and carbohydrates.

You can calculate your own macros using the macro calculator , but the macro keto cheat sheet below will explain how to look at macros when following a keto lifestyle.

Carbs Are A Limit.

Keeping carbs low is what gets you into ketosis and keeps you there. Ketosis means that you’re using fat as your primary energy source instead of sugar, and requires keeping carbs very low.

A good starting point is 20-25 grams net carbs per day, but you can experiment after a few weeks to see if your body stays in ketosis at higher levels. People who are very active may be able to do more and stay in ketosis, up to around 50 grams per day.

“Carbs are a limit” means that you set a limit for how many carbs to eat per day and don’t exceed it. You don’t have to hit that limit, so if you’re under that’s okay, just don’t go over. Ideally most of your carbs would come from low carb vegetables, and if you’re eating enough veggies, you’ll usually get close to the limit naturally.

A common misconception is that reaching ketosis requires a certain macro ratio, but it’s really only restricting your carb intake that gets you there [ * ]. In the absence of sufficient carbs to use as energy, the body will switch to using fat as fuel. This is called the metabolic state of ketosis.

Protein Is A Goal.

Protein is made up of amino acids, the building blocks of all our cells. It’s a crucial for keeping our muscles strong and for many cellular functions [ * ].

“Protein is a goal” means that you always want to eat enough protein to reach the goal each day, but not exceed it too much. You want enough for your needs, but excess protein can trigger gluconeogenesis, which is protein being converted to sugar [ * ] and can kick you out of ketosis.

Fat Is A Lever.

Fat is the primary macronutrient in a keto lifestyle, because being in ketosis means that fat is your primary fuel source. Fat as a fuel source will come from your food, and if you are losing weight, from your body.

A big advantage of a keto lifestyle is the high fat intake. It keeps you full and satisfied, making it easier to stick to, and using it as the primary fuel source makes it easier on your body to burn body fat, with a lower chance of breaking down your muscle (provided you get enough protein).

Aside from reaching your protein goal and limiting your carbs, the remainder of your calories on a keto diet comes from fat.

Don’t fear fat – it’s your main energy source on keto, and getting enough of it trains your body to use fat for fuel instead of sugar. That means that as long as you are not overdoing your overall calorie intake, you’ll efficiently burn your body fat for fuel as well.

“Fat is a lever” means that you can increase or decrease your fat intake depending on your goals and hunger levels. Increase it (along with exercise) to gain muscle, or decrease it to lose weight.

Keto Food Swaps

One of my favorite challenges is creating recipes, or just discovering, keto food swaps. These are delicious keto replacements for traditionally high-carb or high-sugar foods.

So, I created this keto diet cheat sheet with all the swaps in one place! I also have more keto food swaps in my Easy Keto Cookbook .

Keto Swaps For Breakfast

Keto Swaps For Bread

Keto Swaps For Meals & Side Dishes

Keto Swaps For Snacks & Sauces

Keto Swaps For Cooking & Baking

Keto Swaps For Drinks

If you’re looking specifically for keto alcohol options, browse the full keto alcohol guide .

Keto Food List

When looking for a keto cheat sheet printable, the most-requested information is a keto food list.

The great thing is that keto doesn’t have to feel restrictive. It’s incredibly satisfying and there’s such a wide variety of foods you can eat!

Foods To Eat On Keto

• Leafy greens – Such as spinach, chard, and lettuce.
• Above-ground veggies – Such as peppers, zucchini, and cauliflower.
• Full-fat cream & cheese – Such as heavy cream, sour cream, and full-fat hard cheeses.
• Natural meats – Such as beef, lamb, and pork.
• Berries – Such as raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries.
• Avocados
• Unsweetened nut milks – Such as almond milk and coconut milk.
• Almond flour and coconut flour
• Eggs
• Healthy fats – Such as coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil and butter.

Foods To Avoid On Keto

• White flour & sugar
• Rice & grains – Such as barley, wheat, and corn.
• Milk & yogurt – Such as fruit on the bottom yogurt, sweetened Greek yogurt, and all milk.
• Cereal
• Processed food – Such as granola bars, candy
• Most fruit – Such as apples, bananas, and grapes
• Hydrogenated fats – Such as vegetable oil, soybean oil, and margarine
• Sweetened beverages & condiments – Such as soda, ketchup, and sweet dressings
• Starchy veggies – Such as peas, carrots, and beets.
• Potatoes – Such as sweet potatoes and white potatoes.

That’s the short keto diet cheat sheet version of all the keto food categories, but I recommend downloading the full Keto Cheat Sheet System. It includes a super detailed printable keto food list with over 100 items, including 2 color-coded pages with net carb counts, along with 6 more pages of keto cheat sheets:

Get The Keto Cheat Sheet System PDF (Only $37)

Electrolyte Basics

Getting enough electrolytes is crucial for anyone, but especially so on a keto diet. The reason is that ketosis has a diuretic effect, which increases excretion of water and electrolytes, especially sodium [ * ]. This is often the cause of the keto flu.

For more details on electrolytes and avoiding keto flu, check out the full keto flu guide here .

The important thing to know about electrolytes is that replenishing them will keep keto flu away and keep your body functioning well. I always recommend an electrolyte drink and whole food sources of anything your body needs before resorting to supplements, so I made a list of what to eat to get each of the 3 major electrolytes – sodium, magnesium and potassium.

Here’s your keto diet cheat sheet for getting electrolytes from food:

Keto Diet Types

People follow a keto lifestyle for different reasons. Some do it just to lose weight, others are after better overall health, increased energy, and reduced inflammation.

Strictly speaking, the defining factor of a keto diet is the metabolic state of ketosis, which is achieved by restricting carbs. However, many people (myself included) also reduce or eliminate processed, inflammatory, or low-nutrient foods.

Below is your keto cheat sheet summary of the different ways that people follow keto. You choose what works best for your goals and lifestyle!

• Strict Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, count all calories and macros, and eat clean, unprocessed foods.
• Lazy Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, and track only net carbs OR eat keto foods without tracking.
• Dirty Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, with “if it fits your macros” approach including processed foods.
• Low Carb – Up to 50-100g net carbs daily, less strict.

For a more detailed listing of these different types of keto with pros and cons, grab the Easy Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF below!

Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?

Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:

1. Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
2. Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
3. Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
4. Keto food swaps (60+ swaps) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
5. Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
6. Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
7. Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
8. Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
9. FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.

Get The Printable Keto Cheat Sheet System (75 pages, Only $37!)

Grilled Chicken Breast (Easy & Juicy)

Make the perfect, juicy grilled chicken breast! With easy marinade, tips, and time chart, this recipe makes grilling chicken foolproof.

Scan this QR code with your phone’s camera for the full recipe, including tips, step-by-step photos, and storage, or to save it to your account. You can also find it at: https://www.wholesomeyum.com/grilled-chicken-breast/

Ingredients

• 4 8-oz Boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup Olive oil
• 4 medium Lemons (juiced and zested; ~4 tbsp juice and ~2 tsp zest)
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp Honey (or sugar-free honey )
• 4 cloves Garlic (crushed)
• 1 tsp Smoked paprika
• 1 tsp Onion powder
• 1 tsp Dried thyme
• 1 tsp Dried oregano
• 2 tsp Sea salt
• 3/4 tsp Black pepper

Instructions

1. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, honey, crushed garlic, smoked paprika, onion powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, sea salt, and black pepper.
2. Add the chicken breasts to a large plastic bag, add in the marinade and seal. Move the chicken around to coat the chicken well in the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes , or up to 24 hours.
3. Towards the end of the marinating time, preheat your grill or grill pan to medium-high heat (~400 degrees F (204 degrees C)) for at least 10 minutes .
4. Once the grill is hot, remove the chicken breasts from the marinade and shake off any excess. Place the chicken breasts on the grill, smooth side down, over direct heat. For 8-ounce chicken breasts, cook for 6-8 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). See post above for tips and cook times for other sizes of chicken breasts.
5. Once the chicken breasts are cooked through, remove them from the grill and let them rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 grilled chicken breast

Nutrition info uses 1/3 of the marinade (the rest is discarded) and sugar-free honey .

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. :)