Grilled Hen Breast {Simple and Juicy!} – WellPlated.com

Whether or not you retain them available for fast lunches or serve them for dinner tonight, a juicy Grilled Hen Breast is the right solution to improve any meal. Right here’s grill excellent ones at dwelling!

Why You’ll Love Juicy Grilled Hen Breast

You Can Use Them In So Many Methods. Lean, wholesome, and versatile, grilled hen breasts are filled with potential (whats up, Grilled Hen Salad, BBQ Hen Salad and Balsamic Hen Salad!).
This Methodology Is Fail-Proof. Grilled hen usually seems dry, bland, and rubbery. (Boneless hen breasts are tough, proper?) With a couple of straightforward suggestions and strategies, you’ll be able to prepare dinner flavorful, tender grilled hen breasts which are match for including to different recipes (like Greek Yogurt Hen Salad or Hen Tortilla Casserole) AND worthy of enjoyment as a stand-alone primary.
It’s Easy and Scrumptious. As with every methodology of hen breast preparation (similar to this Air Fryer Hen Breast or Baked Hen Breast), a couple of easy however important steps will guarantee your grilled hen breast seems juicy, moist, and well-seasoned throughout.

5 Star Evaluation

“I cherished the trace of utilizing a fork to poke some holes within the hen breast and massaging the marinade into it when within the bag. Good and juicy!”

— Larry —

The best way to Make a Grilled Hen Breast

The Elements

Boneless Skinless Hen Breasts. I choose boneless skinless hen breasts to bone-in hen and skin-on hen for grilling as a result of they reduce prep, they’re straightforward to eat, and so they turn out to be deliciously tender and smoky on the grill. Plus, they’re wealthy in protein, nutritional vitamins, and iron. For tips about grilling thighs, see Grilled Hen Thighs.

Hen Marinade. Irrespective of which marinade you select, it’s important to create the juiciest and most flavorful hen breast. You too can merely mix olive oil, lemon juice, kosher salt, and any of your favourite spices and herbs. Paprika, garlic powder, cumin, onion powder, oregano, thyme, and rosemary are all wonderful decisions. For those who’re on the lookout for a BBQ taste, try my Baked BBQ Hen for inspiration.

Topping Concepts

End your grilled hen breast with any of your favourite toppings.

Tip!

You need to use this methodology to grill hen breast on a fuel grill or charcoal grill.

For those who should not have a grill, you should use a grill pan like this to prepare dinner an indoor grilled hen breast on the stovetop.

The Instructions

Pound the Hen Breasts. Ensure the center is pretty even with the ends.

Poke Holes within the Hen. This can assist the marinade soak in additional rapidly.

Marinate. Add the hen to a ziptop bag with the marinade. Seal and marinate at room temperature for at the very least half-hour, or within the fridge for as much as 12 hours.

Grill Hen. Let the hen come to room temperature (if refrigerated). Grill hen instantly on the grill grates at 475 levels F for 8 to 13 minutes, flipping midway via (that’s 4 to five minutes on the primary facet and 4 to eight minutes on the opposite facet).

Three grilled chicken breasts on a plate

Let Hen Relaxation. Let it relaxation for a couple of minutes, add toppings, and DIG IN!

Recipe Variations

Use this recipe as a jumping-off level to your favourite spice rub and seasonings. Along with the go-to hen marinade I’ve prompt within the recipe beneath, listed below are a couple of extra concepts to get you began.

Lemon Grilled Hen Breast. Zest 1 further lemon into your marinade. End the grilled hen with an additional squeeze of lemon juice and extra lemon zest, if desired.
Italian Grilled Hen Breast. Season the hen with Italian seasoning. Serve topped with a handful of grated Mozzarella or Parmesan cheese.
BBQ Grilled Hen Breast. As an alternative of marinating, brine the hen by sprinkling it with kosher salt. Let sit within the fridge for half-hour. Brush off the surplus salt. Baste the hen with Barbecue Sauce earlier than and midway via grilling; it glazes the hen and caramelizes, giving it plenty of taste. Serve with further sauce for dipping.
Buffalo Grilled Hen Breast. As an alternative of brushing the hen with BBQ sauce per the above, brush it with Buffalo sauce. Then use it to high this Buffalo Hen Pizza.
Teriyaki Hen Breast. Create a marinade utilizing 1/4 cup soy sauce, 3 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil. Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade to brush over the completed grilled hen.
Cilantro Lime Hen Breast. Swap the lemon juice within the marinade with lime juice, then end with recent cilantro. Minimize the hen into bite-sized items for hen tacos.

How Lengthy to Grill Hen Breast

The period of time you’ll want to grill juicy hen breasts with out them drying out will fluctuate primarily based on the scale of the breast and the way thinly you pound it.

Small Hen Breasts (6- to eight ounces every): 7 to eight minutes
Medium Hen Breasts (8- to 10 ounces every): 8 to 12 minutes
Giant Hen Breasts (10 ounces or extra): 14 minutes or longer

No time for cooking hen breasts on the grill? Attempt making Grilled Hen Tenders, which prepare dinner in about 6 minutes.

Grilled chicken breast and salad on a plate

Storage Suggestions

To Retailer. Refrigerate hen in an hermetic container for as much as 3 days.
To Reheat. Gently rewarm leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low warmth or within the microwave.
To Freeze. Freeze hen in an hermetic, freezer-safe storage container for as much as 3 months. Let thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than reheating.

Meal Prep Tip

For those who’re planning to make grilled hen breasts for a crowd, they are often marinaded as much as 12 hours upfront. Grilled hen is straightforward to make in bulk and freeze.

Leftover Concepts

Whether or not on pizza, pasta, salads, or sandwiches, you actually can’t go unsuitable with having leftover grilled hen breasts in your fridge.

Healthy grilled chicken breast and salad on a plate

What to Serve With Grilled Hen Breasts

Tongs. The last word grill device!
Immediate-read Meat Thermometer. Probably the most correct method to make sure hen is cooked via.
Grill Pan. Good for making an indoor grilled hen breast with grill marks and different grilled hen recipes.

Suggestions for Grilling Hen Breast With out Drying It Out

Marinate. Marinades tenderize meat by altering its protein construction which helps it keep juicier for longer. Even quarter-hour could make a significant distinction in outcomes. (Take a look at my go-to Hen Marinade or Hen Thigh Marinade!)
Pound. Pounding the hen to a good thickness helps it prepare dinner extra evenly on the grill so the ends don’t dry out earlier than the middle cooks via.
Poke. Whereas not strictly required, I prefer to poke holes throughout my hen breast with a fork to assist the marinade take in extra rapidly.
Temp It. Whether or not you’re making this grilled hen breast recipe, hen wings, skewers, or perhaps a complete hen, one of the best ways to make sure your hen shouldn’t be dry is to make use of an instant-read thermometer to check the interior temperature. Hen and different poultry are thought-about suitable for eating at an inside temp of 165 levels F within the thickest half. I usually take away my hen across the 155 to 160-degree F mark. The carryover cooking, whereas the hen rests, will deliver it to temperature and guarantee it’s juicy, not dry.

Relaxation. It doesn’t matter what form of meat you might be grilling (e.g., Grilled Pork Chops or Grilled Pork Tenderloin), permitting it to relaxation is necessary. Resting permits the juices to reincorporate into the protein. For those who lower it immediately, these yummy juices will

1 3/4 kilos boneless, skinless hen breasts about 3 medium breasts
1 batch finest Hen Marinade* see notes
Chopped recent herbs crumbled feta cheese, a squeeze of lemon juice, non-obligatory for serving
Oil for grilling

Place the hen breasts on a reducing board (go away a number of inches between them and work in batches as wanted). Cowl with plastic wrap to maintain issues tidy, and with a meat mallet, rolling pin, or your fist, pound the hen to a good thickness. It does not have to be extremely skinny—simply ensure the center is pretty even with the ends (the hen ought to be about 1/2-inch thick).
With a fork, poke holes all around the hen (it will permit the marinade to soak up).
In a big ziptop bag, mix the marinade substances, then add the hen.
Seal the bag to evenly coat the hen with the marinade. Place in a pan or bowl to catch any drips. Let the hen marinate at room temperature for at the very least half-hour, or refrigerate it to marinate for as much as 12 hours (5 to six hours is right). Even quarter-hour is best than nothing!
When able to grill, preheat the grill to excessive (475 levels F). In case your hen has been within the fridge, take away it and permit it to come back to room temperature for at the very least 10 minutes. Clear and oil the grates.
Place the hen on the grill presentation (clean) facet down, shaking off any extra marinade. Cowl the grill and let prepare dinner for 4 to five minutes on the primary facet, then flip. The hen ought to raise simply off the grill; if it sticks, permit it to prepare dinner one other minute or two.
Recuperate the grill and prepare dinner for a further 4 to eight minutes. Hen is taken into account carried out at 165 levels F. I prefer to take away hen from the grill across the 155-160 diploma F mark and permit it to complete cooking whereas resting. DO NOT OVERCOOK, or your hen can be dry.
Place the hen on a plate and let relaxation for at the very least 5 minutes (resting is necessary!). Add any desired toppings or sauces. Get pleasure from!

*INGREDIENT NOTE: You need to use any of your favourite hen marinades for this recipe. See the weblog publish above for options. At a minimal, marinate the hen in a combination of three tablespoons olive oil, 2 to 4 cloves garlic, 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon floor black pepper, and a couple of to three tablespoons of your acid of selection (lemon juice, lime juice, crimson wine or balsamic vinegar, and many others.). You can also toss in a couple of teaspoons of your favourite dried herbs (I like Italian seasoning).
TO STORE: Refrigerate hen in an hermetic storage container for as much as 3 days.
TO REHEAT: Gently rewarm leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low warmth or within the microwave.
TO FREEZE: Freeze hen in an hermetic, freezer-safe storage container for as much as 3 months. Let thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than reheating.

Serving: 1(of 4); about 7 ouncesEnergy: 226kcalProtein: 42gFats: 5gSaturated Fats: 1gPolyunsaturated Fats: 1gMonounsaturated Fats: 2gTrans Fats: 0.03gLdl cholesterol: 127mgPotassium: 734mgVitamin A: 60IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 1mg

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Often Requested Questions

Can You Grill Hen on the Stovetop?

Sure, you may make grilled hen breasts on the stovetop utilizing a grill pan. Your degree of warmth ought to at the very least be set to medium-high. This can fluctuate relying in your range. The prepare dinner time will stay the identical. Keep watch over the temperature of the hen and in your warmth as nicely.

How Lengthy Do You Cook dinner a Hen Breast on the Grill?

The time a hen breast takes to prepare dinner via on the grill will depend upon its weight and thickness. A small hen breast can prepare dinner in 7 to eight minutes, the place a big one may have 14 minutes. I’ve outlined extra normal tips above.

Can You Grill Hen Breast From Frozen?

Sure. It’s attainable to arrange grilled frozen hen breasts, however it’s tough. You will have to make the most of each direct and oblique warmth to forestall the hen from drying out and make sure the center reaches the right inside temperature for doneness. For finest outcomes, thaw the hen first, both in a single day within the fridge, or in an hermetic bag in a bowl of chilly water. Change the water each half-hour to make sure the hen doesn’t get too heat.

What Temperature Is Finest for Grilling Hen?

I choose grilling hen on excessive, or about 475 levels F. This cooks the hen quicker, retaining it from drying out.

Ought to I Grill Hen With the Lid Open or Closed?

In case your grill has a lid, I like to recommend closing it when cooking. This provides you the perfect of each worlds—an oven-like environment that circulates scorching air across the hen for even cooking, and the direct warmth from the grill for that good sear.

How Lengthy Earlier than You Flip Hen on the Grill?

Flip hen breasts after 4 to five minutes, or as quickly as you’re capable of simply raise them from the grates with out them sticking.

Extra Wholesome Hen Recipes

Lean and loaded with protein, listed below are a few of my favourite wholesome hen recipes: