Grilled Marinated Chicken

the recipe I make on repeat, plus tips for getting over your grilling fears

This Chicken

When I asked my boyfriend what he wanted for dinner the night before a four-day backpacking trip, he didn’t hesitate: this chicken.

I’m usually simple when it comes to cooking meat: good quality sourcing, salt, pepper, olive oil, done. But this recipe is one I keep coming back to. It uses stuff you probably already have in your pantry, which has definitely become our collective home cook superpower over the last few years. I love using both fresh and powdered garlic for that throwback ’90s Italian dressing flavor. And honestly, I go through a wild amount of onion powder. It adds this sneaky layer of savory depth, kind of like how you don’t always notice the salt in a cookie, but you’d miss it if it wasn’t there.

Grilled boneless, skinless chicken is a great place to start if you’re just getting into grilling. I lived in NYC for ten years without “suburban luxuries” like a grill, a car, in-unit washer/dryer or dishwasher (still don’t have that last one). So whenever I’d visit home in Upstate New York, I couldn’t wait to (wo)man the grill. It’s really just a big stove outside. Nothing to be afraid of.

Marinate the chicken the night before, pop it in the fridge, and tomorrow’s dinner is basically halfway done. It goes with anything, but I’ve included a few of my favorite side pairings below, plus some dream dinner party combos.

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Tips for grilling 🔥

• For a gas grill, preheat for about 20 minutes so it’s nice and hot.

• When the grill is hot, use a grill brush to clean the grates. Clean grates = better grill marks and less chance of sticking.

• Carry your food out to the grill on a foil or parchment-lined sheet tray. After transferring to grill, toss the foil/paper and you’ve got a clean surface to rest your chicken without extra dishes to wash.

• Tips for grilling boneless chicken:

  • Pat dry your chicken a bit before grilling to prevent sticking. Some marinade is OK, but you want to avoid is sopping wet for the best sear.

  • When your chicken releases from the grill, it’s ready to flip. Expect about 4-5 minutes per side on medium-high, then lower heat or move chicken to a cooler side of the grill to continue cooking.

  • An instant read thermometer is your friend. I pull chicken breasts around between 155-165F to account for carryover cooking. Thighs are more forgiving and I cook until internal temp reaches 165F.

  • For a quick cooking paillard-vibe, consider pounding chicken breasts or slicing them in half (butterflying.)

Check out my grilling & kitchen essentials here.

The Recipe: Grilled Marinated Chicken