garlic herb grilled chicken

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 juicy chicken breast that sings with flavor. And check out my no-muss-no-fuss marinade!

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

Equipment For Garlic Herb Marinade

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 resealable bag (aka a Ziploc) and a meat mallet with a smooth side.

Note: if your chicken is frozen, here are tips on how to safely thaw chicken. 

Pound Garlic and Chicken in The Bag

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 mallet.

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. You’re looking for it to be an even thickness. (Ideally the fat side will be as thin as the thin side.)

Make The Marinade

• Then, create a crazy-flavorful marinade with lots of vinegar.
• For the herbs, dried herbs work best (fresh just burn up.) For convenience I like to use an herb mix, like Italian Seasoning, Herbes de Provence or this Shepherd Herb Mix.
• 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.

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.

• Preheat the grill—preheating 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.
• Remove Excess Marinade– liquid will prevent the chicken from browning. So if you dab off excess marinade with a paper towel, you’ll end up with better grill marks. 
• Oil The Grill- To prevent the chicken from sticking to the grill, you can oil it just before you set the chicken down on it. To do so, soak a paper towel with oil. Hold the towel with long handled tongs. Then pull the towel along the grill grates toward you to avoid flare ups.
• Flip the chicken only once—if possible, flip the chicken only once during the grilling process. You can do a quarter turn if you want to make cross hash marks. 
• 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 allows the proteins in the cooked chicken to relax so the juices inside time to redistribute. That means it will  be super juicy!

Seriously, this Garlic Herb Grilled Chicken will be the hit of your next cookout! And if you want to make it a complete dairy-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!

More Summertime Cookout Recipes

This easy Healthy Coleslaw is a simple side dish for any summer cookout!

This sweet and savory twist on broccoli salad is always a hit: Broccoli Salad with Sweet Miso Dressing 

Red White and Blue Potato Salad with Horseradish and Bacon: Super savory and the blue cheese is amazing!! 

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Green Beans and Chevre if you love fresh tomatoes, you have to try my family’s tomato salad recipe.

Grilled Corn with Chipotle Lime Butter Eating fresh seasonal food cannot get any better than sweet corn in the summer!

Greek Yogurt Garden Macaroni Salad with Cheddar I adore sharp cheddar and it adds so much to macaroni salad!

LINK LOVE

No Mayo Coleslaw by Simply Recipes

Bacon Sriracha Potato Salad by Peas & Crayons

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

★★★★★

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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.

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Scale 1x2x3x

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

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Instructions

1. 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.
2. 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.

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Notes

Grilling Tips:

• Preheat the grill—preheating 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.
• Remove Excess Marinade– liquid will prevent the chicken from browning. So if you dab off excess marinade with a paper towel, you’ll end up with better grill marks.
• Oil The Grill- To prevent the chicken from sticking to the grill, you can oil it just before you set the chicken down on it. To do so, soak a paper towel with oil. Hold the towel with long handled tongs. Then pull the towel along the grill grates toward you to avoid flare ups.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 3 1/2 ounces each
• Calories: 166
• Sugar: 0 g
• Sodium: 489 mg
• Fat: 10 g
• Saturated Fat: 2 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 1 g
• Fiber: 0 g
• Protein: 20 g
• Cholesterol: 70 mg