garlic herb grilled chicken

Jump To Recipe June 5, 2017 by Katie // 41 Comments »

With this Garlic Herb Grilled Chicken recipe you will never have to eat bland dry grilled chicken again! Just 6 ingredients (including salt) and only 20 minutes of prep will give you a gluten-free, dairy-free and low-carb entree that sings with flavor. And check out my no-muss-no-fuss way to marinate the chicken!

I originally shared this recipe on June 26, 2012. I have updated the images and some of the text today.

Do you ever find yourself in the grocery store staring at those boneless skinless chicken breasts and think “Ugh, I’m so tired of boring old chicken”? Well, let me tell you my friends you don’t want to miss this really special herb chicken recipe. You will be so shocked at the flavor you get from such a simple marinade.

How to Make Herb Grilled Chicken

Here is a really easy way to make a fast and garlicky marinade for chicken breast without making a big mess or even getting a knife dirty. All you need is a re-sealable bag (aka a Ziploc) and a meat mallet with a smooth side. No need to chop the garlic. Just peel it, pop it in the bag and then get your aggression out by smashing it silly with the smooth side of a meat pounder.

Then open the bag and add your chicken. Taking the time to pound that too will make it so your chicken will cook evenly and won’t dry out. Then, create a crazy-flavorful marinade with lots of vinegar. Unlike other more mild marinades, the acid in the vinegar and the salt will work its way into the meat quickly. Just be sure not to leave the chicken in the marinade for more than two hours. And let the chicken rest for five minutes before slicing. Oops, I guess you’ll need to get a knife dirty for that!

Tips on How to Grill Chicken

If you’re not familiar with grilling chicken, there are a few key things to keep in mind to make sure it comes out juicy and flavorful every time.

Pre-heat the grill—pre-heating the grill is key when grilling chicken. You want the chicken to start cooking as soon as it hits the grill. If you throw the chicken onto a lukewarm grill, it’ll take more time to heat up and you’ll likely wind up with dry, overcooked chicken.
Grill room temperature chicken—let the chicken rest on your counter for a few minutes before you put it on the grill. If you add fridge-cold chicken to the grill, you’re more likely to overcook it (again, because it’ll first need to warm up and then cook).
Flip the chicken only once—if possible, flip the chicken only once during the grilling process. This will create those lovely grill marks on the chicken and will help it cook evenly on both sides.
Wait 5 minutes before slicing—after you’ve taken the herb grilled chicken off the grill, give it a few minutes to rest before slicing into it. This gives the juices inside time to redistribute and gives the chicken a better taste overall.

Seriously, this Garlic Herb Grilled Chicken will be the hit of your next cookout! And if you want to make it a complete diary-free meal serve it with this yummy Dairy-Free Ranch Pasta Salad by Go Dairy Free! Or if you happen to have any leftovers, chop it up and toss it into these amazing Thai Chicken and Sweet Potato Noodle Bowls from Allergy Free Alaska!

And don’t forget to check out a few recipes from my archives and my other blogging friends that will pair perfectly with this delicious chicken to make one spectacular Summer meal…

Skinny Classic Coleslaw

Broccoli Salad with Sweet Miso Dressing

Red White and Bleu Potato Salad with Horseradish and Bacon

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Green Beans and Chevre

Grilled Corn with Chipotle Lime Butter

Greek Yogurt Garden Macaroni Salad with Cheddar

LINK LOVE

No Mayo Coleslaw by Simply Recipes

Bacon Sriracha Potato Salad by Peas & Crayons

Orzo Salad with Roasted Summer Vegetables by Overtime Cook

Fresh Corn Saute with Coconut Milk & Sriracha by Oh My Veggies

garlic herb marinated chicken

Author: Katie Webster
Prep Time: 12 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: Main Course
Method: Grilled
Cuisine: American

★★★★★

5 from 4 reviews

Print Recipe

Description

Garlic Herb Grilled Chicken—6 ingredients and 20 minutes of prep will give you a gluten-free, dairy-free and low-carb entree that sings with flavor.

Scale

Ingredients

3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, tenders separated if included, about 1 pound
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
2 teaspoons dry herb mix such as Provençale or Shepherd Herb Mix

Instructions

Place garlic cloves in a large Ziploc bag, press air out and seal the bag. Smash garlic with the smooth side of a meat mallet. Open bag and add chicken breasts. Press air out of bag and reseal. Pound meat through the bag until the thickest part of the breast is level with the thinnest, about 1/2-inch thick. Open bag again and add tenders if included, vinegar, oil, salt and herb mix. Press out air and reseal bag and agitate until the chicken is coated in the herb garlic mixture. Refrigerate 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade. Grill chicken until no-longer pink in the center, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Alternatively, grill on a indoor grill pan over medium high heat, 6 to 8 minutes per side. Let rest about 5 minutes before slicing.