Grilled BBQ Chicken Breasts

The heat is on this summer, and I love to be outdoors. If there is one thing that reminds me of summer time besides enjoying the sun and going on the water, it’s grilling! I love the simplicity, convenience, and unique flavor of grilling foods. The best part is it usually attracts friends and family to come over.

Grilling BBQ chicken is not much of a “recipe” per sey, especially for those seasoned grillers out there. But I have many people ask “what’s the best way to cook chicken”, and I can remember the time when I was asking this same question. So I wanted to do a blog post on this to share with you that grilling chicken doesn’t have to be scary or difficult.

How To Grill BBQ Chicken Breasts

1. Pre-heat. Heat the grill to a medium heat before placing chicken on the racks.

2. Uniform thickness. Pound chicken breast to 1/2 inch thickness. One of the common mistakes made when cooking chicken is trying to grill different sizes of chicken breast. This makes it difficult to determine doneness and often results in uneven cooking.

3. Season with salt and pepper or additional herbs and spices. You can also marinade chicken for 15-30 minutes prior to seasoning to provide more tenderness and flavor to the chicken.

4. Grill. Place the chicken on the racks and grill uncovered for about 10-12 minutes until cooked through and no longer pink. Flip the chicken half-way through cooking, chicken should easily release from grill when it’s ready to be flipped. When it’s done it should spring back when touching. With 3 minutes remaining, brush BBQ sauce onto chicken breast.

5. Rest. For the chicken to retain all the juices, it’s important to allow it to rest for about 3-5 minutes before cutting into it.

Happy Grilling!

Kristina LaRue, RDN

Hi I’m Kristina LaRue, RD (registered dietitian nutritionist), Peloton addict and mama to two active and hungry boys. On Love & Zest, you’ll find healthy-ish recipes that fuel the whole family. I’m all about veggie-filled breakfast, meal prep recipes, healthier sweets, and easy weeknight dinners made in the Instant Pot or sheet pan.

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Comments

juliemurkerson says

July 31, 2013 at 2:57 am

We love grilling at our house! Well, my boyfriend does the grilling but I prep everything! This BBQ chicken looks so good. Pinned!

- Love & Zest says
  
  July 31, 2013 at 1:42 pm
  
  My hubs does the grilling most often 🙂 I actually had to ask him the details about how he grills chicken for this post! haha
  
Ashley says

July 25, 2013 at 11:22 pm

Kristina, I love your blog! I need to start grilling more and these bbq chicken breast are perfect for dinner. Pinned!

- Love & Zest says
  
  July 26, 2013 at 12:14 pm
  
  Thank you for stopping by and leaving a note! We need to grill more too.. it's so simple.
  
Krista says

July 22, 2013 at 4:13 pm

Yum.. I am all about grilling… especially chicken breasts. These grilled chicken breasts look awesome! What is the BBQ sauce you used with this? Looks delicious!

Krista @ joyfulhealthyeats

- Love & Zest says
  
  July 22, 2013 at 10:40 pm
  
  Thanks!! It's Bulls-Eye “Caroline Style”.. love the mustardy tang mixed with sweetness for BBQ.

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