by Elise BauerUpdated August 4, 2019

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How to Grill Juicy Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

Name: How to Grill Juicy Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 cups water; 1/4 cup Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or 3 tablespoons sea salt or Morton's kosher salt); 1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts; 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (plus more olive oil for the grill); 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

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Grill How To Low Carb Paleo Chicken

How to get juicy chicken breasts on the grill? It's all in the brine! Just 30 minutes of brining makes all the difference between dry chicken and perfect chicken.

Photography Credit: Elise Bauer

Grilled Chicken Breast: The Problem

When it comes to grilling, chicken breasts can be problematic, especially boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The meat itself is lean, and without the bones to insulate it or skin to protect it, that naked chicken breast on the grill has a tendency to easily overcook and dry out.

So, what to do?

One method is to marinate chicken cutlets, or chicken breasts pounded to an even thickness, and quickly grill them on high heat. We use this method for our cilantro lime chicken and it works fine.

Grilled Chicken Breast: The Solution (Brine!)

Another way, which doesn’t require you to change the shape of the chicken breasts, is to brine the chicken first.

How Long to Brine Chicken Breasts?

All it takes is 30 minutes in a simple brine solution of 1/4 cup kosher salt dissolved in 4 cups water. This is all the time you need for the chicken breasts to absorb enough moisture so they can better hold up to the heat of the grill without drying out.

With a half an hour of brining, the salt that is absorbed isn’t so much that the chicken becomes salty, but enough so that the flavor of the grilled chicken will be enhanced. We would normally salt grilled chicken breasts, right? You don’t need to do that if you brine.

How to Grill Chicken Breasts

Then it’s a simple rub with paprika (great for color) and olive oil (no sticking on the grill). Onto the hot side of the grill the chicken goes for searing, then the cool side for finishing. And you have beautiful, perfectly juicy grilled chicken breasts!

LOVE GRILLED CHICKEN? TRY THESE RECIPES

Updated August 4, 2019 : We spiffed up this post to make it sparkle and add some extra information to help you make the best grilled chicken breast.! No changes to the original recipe.

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How to Grill Juicy Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Brining time: 30 minutes
Yield: Serves 4

It's always a good idea to use a meat thermometer when cooking meat that's at least an inch thick. We take our chicken off the grill at a little bit lower temp (150°F) than is usually recommended for poultry, but that's because the chicken will continue to cook for a few minutes once it's off the heat. We let the chicken rest for several minutes before eating, so it's safe.

Ingredients

For the brine:

4 cups water
1/4 cup Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or 3 tablespoons sea salt or Morton's kosher salt)

For the chicken:

1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (plus more olive oil for the grill)
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

Method

1 Brine the chicken breast: In a large bowl, whisk the salt in the water to dissolve. Add the chicken breasts to the brine. Put in the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes.

2 Prepare your grill: Arrange your grill so that one side is for high direct heat, and the other side is cooler. Alternatively, you can use a grill pan, set over medium-high heat.

3 Coat chicken with oil and paprika: Remove chicken breasts from brine and pat dry. Coat with olive oil, and sprinkle evenly with paprika.

4 Grill the chicken breasts: Brush some olive oil on the grill grates. Place chicken breasts on the hot side of the grill (or on the grill pan). Let the chicken grill, undisturbed, until the pieces start getting some grill marks (you can lift up one to check).

When the chicken pieces have browned on one side, turn them over, and move them to the cooler side of the grill. Cover, and let them finish cooking.

Remove chicken from grill when the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 155°F.

5 Let the chicken breasts rest: Cover the breasts with foil. The chicken will continue to cook in its residual heat while it rests. Let it rest 5 to 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Serve with grilled peppers, pineapple salsa, or just a squeeze of lime!

Hello! All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. Thank you!

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Elise Bauer

Elise Bauer is the founder of Simply Recipes. Elise launched Simply Recipes in 2003 as a way to keep track of her family's recipes, and along the way grew it into one of the most popular cooking websites in the world. Elise is dedicated to helping home cooks be successful in the kitchen. Elise is a graduate of Stanford University, and lives in Sacramento, California.

30 Comments / Reviews

How to Grill Juicy Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts Cancel reply

T Storn

We used this method today and the breasts turned out so moist. My husband was hesitant to grill skinless chicken because of the meat sticking to the grill. The olive oil solved that issue and everything was incredibly easy to prepare.

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- April 4, 2020
- · Reply
Elise

My first time brining and I was skeptical but it really worked!!

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- April 3, 2020
- · Reply
Thaddeus

My whole family loved this!!!
Thank you for sharing!

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- March 28, 2020
- · Reply
Marta Greet

Great recipe for lunch or dinner! Chicken breast cooked in a pan. Very tasty and juicy recipe!

Try How To Cook Chicken Breast In A Pan –
https://club.cooking/articles/how-to-cook-chicken-breast-in-a-pan/

xxxxxyyyyy
- August 15, 2019
- · Reply
Frank

Wow im going to give it a try now now
- August 4, 2019
- · Reply

JayP

Thanks so much for the great tip, turned my usual dry skinless boneless chicken breasts into a delicacy

xxxxxyyyyy
- June 18, 2019
- · Reply
Kim

I added tonnes of thyme to the brine, and used generic BBQ spice (dried, Selection brand) after the olive oil brushing.

I didn’t have a grill safe thermometer, so once I moved the chicken breasts to the cool side and limed them, I just kept checking for clear juices. I think I could have taken them off just a few moments sooner, but I get nervous about salmonella…!

They were juicy, delicious, and my son rates the recipe a 9.5 out of 5. Thanks so much!

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- · Reply
Shannon

I’m going to use this recipe but I bought boneless skinless chicken breast. Do I still do the brine with the same amount of salt?
- · Reply
- Emma Christensen
  
  Hi, Shannon! Emma here, managing editor. The recipe calls for boneless skinless chicken breasts, so you should be just fine! If you meant that you bought bone-in chicken breast, then no problem, the brine will still be the same. Skip the brine if your chicken is pre-brined or pre-marinated. Enjoy!
  - · Reply
Zas

Thanks again, Elise!! Another wonderful recipe. I can’t remember when I started following you but I’ve been beyond pleased with everything I’ve made from your site. Thank you for sharing such deliciousness!!! May God bless you and your family!

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- · Reply
Cathy

I am making roasted vegetable with orzo and would like to make this chicken ahead of time for a lunch crowd. Would this chicken stay moist ?
Also any other side dish recommendations ?
Thank you
- · Reply
- Emma Christensen
  
  Hi, Cathy! Yes, I think making this chicken ahead of time will work fine for your side dish. Enjoy!
  - · Reply
Jay

Approximately how many chicken breasts is this brine recipe for?
- · Reply
- Wendy
  
  I’m doing 4 now
  - · Reply
Elise Bauer

Hi DinaMom, the longer you keep the chicken in the brine, the saltier it gets. That’s why we say 30 minutes on the brining. If you brined it for 45 minutes, that would make it too salty.
- · Reply
- DinaMom
  
  Thanks!
  - · Reply
anh bia den dep

I followed the recipe to the T very well written and tastes great.
I added garlic powder and garlic salt to the chicken after the pat dry and added Hickory wood chunks to the grill for smoke flavor. Came out great, will make again.

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- · Reply
Debi D.

Cooking times vary;. But, OMGosh!! Juicy, juicy chicken ! I will brine all meats from here on out.

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- · Reply
Mallory

Wow this is such a inspiration because I make chicken and it’s so sad to eat. It’s dry and tough and no taste. I’m on a diet and super excited to try this out!
- · Reply
Jackie Rafael

Dear All, I always want to grill chicken breasts but end up with a smoky kitchen and house! Does this happen to any of you? Any suggestions on how to grill without this getting out of control??!
- · Reply
- Elise Bauer
  
  Hi Jackie, you mean using a grill pan? It helps to have a high powered kitchen fan or stove hood to draw away the smoke. If you don’t, I would just stick to outside grilling or open up all the windows in your kitchen.
  - · Reply
Evelyn

OK, I pounded these flat anyway out of force of habit. Brined them for 45 minutes, coated them in olive oil and paprika, then grilled them on high heat for 2.5 minutes a side. Squeezed lime over. Delicious – perfectly cooked, tender, juicy and flavourful. Thanks for the brining tip!

xxxxxyyyyy
- · Reply
Baltisraul......

No need to rest chicken breasts. Resting is for any type of meat that is over 1″ thick. The only effect you get from resting a pounded chicken breast is that the chicken breast is not served as hot as it should. By the time you get it on the table and everybody is seated, it has rested all it ever needs.
- · Reply
- Elise Bauer
  
  I agree that chicken cutlets or breasts that are pounded thin do not require resting. That said, this how-to is for whole chicken breasts, which are not pounded thin and are often thicker than 1-inch. I’m also recommending taking the chicken breasts off the heat at a lower than normal internal temperature which then requires resting before eating so that that the meat stays at temp for several minutes which from a safety perspective is equivalent to taking the meat off at 165 and eating right away. I stack the breasts and cover them with foil so that they retain their heat.
  - · Reply
  - Baltisraul......
    
    Agreed. I do the same with any bone in but the rest is short after taking off @ 163 degrees internal. Stacking is a great tip. Thanks.
    · Reply
Joe @ Joe's Healthy Meals

Looks fantastic, and I agree that brining is the key. Great post on how to get super moist chicken breasts on the grill.
- · Reply
Brian V

I literally grill, over gas, boneless skinless chicken breast 3 – 4 times a week year round. It’s a staple at our house. There are a few keys that I consider invaluable to being successful every time. The most important is to know your grill. If it has a temperature gauge built into the lid make sure it’s reading accurately. Like any other cooking device it will have hot and cool spots. Second I use olive oil, generously, to coat each breast and then I typically use a dry seasoning on top of that. I wait till the grill is at 400 and then put the chicken on. I leave the burner at medium high and cook directly over the heat. Experience matters here because a quick look/turn will tell you how the meat is doing. Starting a breast at 9 or 10 oclock and rotating to 2 or 3 will give nice sear marks. Flip at the approximately 5 minute mark and then rotate again 3 minutes later. Look for your first sign of clear juice flowing from the thin portion of the breast and within 2 minutes it should start appearing at the top or thicker end. Remove and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Depending on the size the total cook time should be in the 10 – 12 minute range.
- · Reply

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How to Grill Juicy Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

How to get juicy chicken breasts on the grill? It's all in the brine! Just 30 minutes of brining makes all the difference between dry chicken and perfect chicken.

Grilled Chicken Breast: The Problem

Grilled Chicken Breast: The Solution (Brine!)

How Long to Brine Chicken Breasts?

How to Grill Chicken Breasts

LOVE GRILLED CHICKEN? TRY THESE RECIPES