My Fearless Kitchen

Quick tips and easy recipes to chase the fear out of your kitchen.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

  • mfk_utensils
  • Recipes
      • Quick and Easy
      • Slow Cooker
      • Grill
      • Freezer Friendly
      • Dips & Snacks
      • Breakfast & Breads
      • Dessert Recipes
      • Main Dish Recipes
      • Side Dish Recipes
      • Soups & Salads
  • Kitchen Tips, Tricks, & More
  • About Farming & Food
    • About GMOs
    • Antibiotics
    • Meat
    • Pigs
    • Eggs
    • Poultry
  • Disclosure, Disclaimers, & Privacy Policy
Home » Basic Grilled Chicken

Basic Grilled Chicken

By Marybeth Feutz 10 Comments

This Basic Grilled Chicken can be used as a base for a fast weeknight meal! Grill up a big batch, eat some tonight, and freeze some for later.

sliced grilled chicken breast on a dark plate with broccoli

{Referral links are used in this post.}

Spring seems to have finally arrived in Southern Indiana. The weather has been up and down and all over the place, but it looks like we’re in line to have a stretch of nice, springy weather. That means there is lots to do on our farm now! We’ve got some repairs to do from a recent wind storm. (It blew the metal siding right off our garage!)

father and son fixing a wall on a barn

There are momma cows to watch over as they have their calves. There is fence to fix. There is a weedy garden plot to get ready. There is hay equipment to service. And this year John and his dad are replacing the floor on the big trailer we use to haul hay.

And of course, there are tractors to (pretend to) ride on. This farm kid just loves his tractors! This spring and summer are going to be pretty fun. Little Doc is two and a half, and he loves being outside. He is also just about old enough to “help” – in terms of “please bring me that screwdriver” and “don’t run away!” Hopefully John and I will both be able to get some more work done outside this summer!

little boy pretending to drive a big tractor

While we may not be out in the field planting corn and soybeans like many of our neighbors, we definitely have a busy spring while the hay fields are growing.

This busy season makes me get planning ahead for dinners! With John either at work or working in the barn until it gets dark, we don’t have a lot of time for meals. My slow cooker comes in really handy this time of year! And I also love to grill. Even better? The basics for a meal that I can grill ahead, freeze in smaller portions, and get out when we’re ready for it. This Basic Grilled Chicken is just that!

Basic Grilled Chicken

The prep for this Basic Grilled Chicken recipe is super simple. Mix three ingredients (vinegar, oil, and a seasoning) to make a marinade. Put the chicken in a Ziploc bag, pour the marinade over the chicken. Pop that whole thing in the refrigerator for a couple of hours (or even overnight). Then toss the chicken on the grill!

Grilling the chicken is pretty quick – about 20 minutes. The trick is to start it on high and then lower the heat to medium. Get your grill preheated on high. Grill the chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side to get the outside of the chicken quickly seared. If the chicken sticks to the grill when you try to turn it over, it isn’t quite ready to flip yet.

grilled chicken breast sliced on a cutting board

After the chicken is seared, lower the grill’s heat to medium. Leave the chicken on for another 10-15 minutes, turning it over once or twice to get it evenly cooked. A meat thermometer is your best friend when you’re grilling chicken. It is impossible to tell if chicken is fully cooked without using a thermometer. You want the internal temperature of the chicken to be 165 degrees F to know that it’s done.

I love probe thermometers like these. But I don’t use them with my grill (anymore). I thought I was being pretty smart one time, and used a probe thermometer on the grill. I closed the grill lid on the cord and came back a few minutes later to find that the heat of the grill lid had melted through the cord. Whoops. Oven doors = insulated. Grill lids = not insulated. So now I only use digital thermometers like this when I’m grilling.

grilled chicken breast and broccoli on a dark plate with a white and green napkin

Between the marinade and the sear, this chicken stays tender and juicy after cooking. Serve it as is with some vegetables and Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes. Slice it up and put it on top of a salad or this Garlic-Parmesan Mac & Cheese. Grill up a family pack of skinless, boneless chicken breasts, slice them, and freeze for a quick weeknight meal when everyone is too busy to cook.

Do you want to see more recipes for your grill? Leave me a comment and tell me what you’re looking for!

Enjoy!

3 Ways to Take the Fear Out of This Recipe

  • Is This Chicken Done?
  • What is the Paper Inside the Chicken Package?
  • What is the Best Seasoning for Chicken?

3 More Recipes to Try

  • Honey-BBQ Grilled Chicken Thighs
  • Cheddar Bacon Ranch Burgers
  • Grilled Ham with Pineapple

Printable Recipe Card for Basic Grilled Chicken

Basic Grilled Chicken

Marybeth Feutz
This Basic Grilled Chicken can be used as the base for any meal. Grill a bunch, freeze them, and you've got dinner ready in an instant!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 4 hrs
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 4 hrs 20 mins
Course Main
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 to 2-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/3 cup cider vinegar
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil or sunflower oil
  • 1-1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Instructions
 

  • Pour vinegar, oil, and Italian herb seasoning in a bowl. Whisk to combine the marinade.
  • Put chicken in a Ziploc bag. Pour marinade over chicken.
  • Refrigerate chicken for 4 hours, or overnight.
  • Heat grill to high. Grill chicken 2-3 minutes on each side to sear it.
  • Reduce grill heat to medium. Grill chicken 10-15 minutes more, turning once or twice, until cooked.
  • When fully cooked, a meat thermometer will read 165 degrees F at the center of the chicken.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

weekend potluck  Southern Bite Meal Plan Monday

 

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Grill, Main Dish Recipes, Recipes Tagged With: chicken, chicken breast, food, grill, grilled chicken, marinade, marinated chicken, recipe

« How to Store Garlic
15 Mother’s Day Brunch Recipes »

Trackbacks

  1. Grilled Cilantro-Lime Chicken - My Fearless Kitchen says:
    02/11/2018 at 9:18 pm

    […] knows that you can grill chicken breasts. They are pretty easy to do. And with marinades and spice rubs, you can add a lot of flavor to […]

  2. Should I Use Chicken Breasts or Chicken Thighs? - My Fearless Kitchen says:
    03/01/2018 at 9:46 pm

    […] breasts can be used in lots of ways – on the grill, in a skillet, in the oven, in a Crock-Pot, or in an Instant Pot. You can marinade them, brine […]

  3. Honey-BBQ Grilled Chicken Thighs - My Fearless Kitchen says:
    03/08/2018 at 11:55 am

    […] Basic Grilled Chicken […]

  4. Classic Homemade Macaroni and Cheese - My Fearless Kitchen says:
    03/11/2018 at 1:50 pm

    […] Basic Grilled Chicken […]

  5. Easy Weekly Meal Plan #65 - My Fearless Kitchen says:
    04/03/2018 at 3:53 pm

    […] to use up your leftover ham (here are some more ideas), a delicious main-course salad (add some grilled chicken breast if you want), and a bright and summery tomato salad for a side […]

  6. Slow Cooker Pineapple Meatballs - My Fearless Kitchen says:
    06/29/2018 at 3:40 pm

    […] get plenty of it with your meatballs. And save any leftover sauce – it’s delicious over chicken, rice, or however you want to eat […]

  7. How to Use a Meat Thermometer - My Fearless Kitchen says:
    07/29/2018 at 1:02 pm

    […] you are cooking a thin piece of meat – chicken breasts, steaks, pork chops, or hamburgers – you should still check the internal temperature before […]

  8. Grilled Garlic-Basil Chicken Thighs - My Fearless Kitchen says:
    07/30/2018 at 10:52 am

    […] do grill chicken breasts sometimes, but I prefer to cook chicken thighs on the grill. Not sure what the difference is? Find […]

  9. What is the Best Seasoning for Chicken? - My Fearless Kitchen says:
    08/04/2018 at 9:17 pm

    […] Basic Grilled Chicken […]

  10. Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Legs - My Fearless Kitchen says:
    08/10/2018 at 10:29 am

    […] Basic Grilled Chicken […]

Comment Policy

I welcome comments and conversation. All comments are moderated, and may not appear immediately. As long as you are respectful and courteous, your comment will be approved.
(Read my comment policy for more details.)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hi! I'm Marybeth, the blogger behind My Fearless Kitchen! Jump in, and let me share what I'm learning about food, farming, quick kitchen tips, and easy recipes to chase the fear out of YOUR kitchen! Read more.
Follow Us On Pinterest

Popular Posts

Half-Sour Refrigerator Pickles

Honey-BBQ Oven-Baked Ribs

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
Comment Policy — Disclosures, Disclaimers, & Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 · My Fearless Kitchen

 

Loading Comments...
 

You must be logged in to post a comment.