Mastering the Art of a Juicy Grilled Chicken

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In my opinion, mastering the art of grilling chicken is such a crucial skill in the kitchen, and you’ll be so happy you’ve achieved it! That’s what I’m here to help you with today! I love grilling chicken at least once a week, including this simple recipe and my favourite marinade in myItalian Herb Chicken recipe.

But that’s what today’s post is about. We’re keeping things super basic so I can walk you through how to truly grill the best chicken. You can experiment with different marinades afterwards, but let’s focus on the technique for now!

I will slice each chicken breast in half and pounding it thin, which is great for all you new to cooking and those who are nervous about raw poultry. This allows the chicken to cook faster, and more evenly without overcooking. You may be thinking that simply seasoning your chicken with salt and pepper is boring, but trust me, this will go a long way! I’ll show you how you can pair this basic chicken with pasta, burgers and salads as you read on! Though if you wanted to eat this alone with some veggies and potatoes on the side, you certainly could!

This chicken is perfect for meal prepping. You could grill plenty of chicken at a time, and save the cooked chicken for later to use in sandwiches, pasta or wraps. A great source of delicious protein would be waiting for you in your fridge!

You certainly can’t go wrong with salt and pepper grilled chicken breast! Fast and simple and relatively inexpensive, you’ve got chicken breast that’s bursting with deliciousness, and it will be perfectly tender and tasty every single time once you’ve got the perfect chicken nailed down!

How to Make Grilled Chicken with Salt and Pepper

Pound Chicken Breast

For whole chicken breast: Place the chicken breasts in a Ziploc bag or between two plastic wraps and pound thin using a meat tenderizer (about 1/4 inch thickness) or a heavy object.

For sandwich portions: If using a large chicken breast (>150 g) cut the chicken into smaller portions by cutting it diagonally in two equal halves. Place the portions in a Ziploc bag or between two plastic wraps and pound thin using a meat tenderizer (about 1/4 inch thickness) or a heavy object.

If you don’t have a meat tenderizer, don’t worry because I don’t either. I simply use a rolling pin or a heavy pan to pound the chicken to about 1/4 inch thickness.

Season Chicken Breast

My go-to seasoning is coarse Himalayan Pink Salt and fresh crushed black pepper. To season well, sprinkle the salt and pepper from at least 1 foot from the meat. I bet you have seen chefs season food the same way, it's not just a fancy trick, it's a technique that helps ensure the meat is seasoned evenly. There is nothing worse than biting into a chunk of salt!

Fine, look at it but keep the other two points in mind. Let the chicken cook, for 2-4 minutes. This will be enough time to give a grill marks on the pan, and the chicken is so thin, it will cook really quickly. The chicken will tell you when it is time to flip if you look for the signs.

The chicken will start turning white from pink as it starts to cook and the color will keep rising to the top. As the white starts to creep up the sides, gently lift the chicken with a pair of tongs and look for the sear. The chicken is probably ready to flip and will release from the pan easily, which is a good sign.

Season the other side and flip the chicken, turn the heat down to low and literally cook for a minute. And that’s it!

The final chicken will be juicy, grilled and great for any one of your chicken needs.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them!

• Not letting the meat come up to temperature. Searing chicken that ice cold in the centre would mean that the outside would have to be overcooked, just to cook the centre. Let the chicken out, season and let it sit and marinate in the salt and pepper for 15-20 minutes to get the chill out.
• Use the right pan: Pans that conduct heat well and can withstand high heats are great for grilling or searing chicken. I would use cast iron or stainless steel skillets over non-stick ones.
• Grilling the chicken on a pan that’s not hot enough. If your pan is not hot enough, by the time you wait for the grill marks appear, the chicken would have boiled and turned pale white, like poached chicken. A hot pan is required to get those classic grill marks. Things are a bit different when it comes to a barbecuing, but the concepts remain the same.
• Allow the chicken to rest. This allows the juices of the pan to remain trapped, in that chicken. Rest for at least as long as you cooked the chicken for and you will thank me later.

What to Serve Chicken Breast With

You can do so much with this chicken. It’s pretty much a blank canvas! Here are some recipes I recommend you use this simple chicken in. The salt and pepper is all you’ll need because we’ve got lots of other goodies going on in these recipes!

• Quick & Easy Chicken Sandwich
• Healthy Chicken Caesar Salad

Variations

I can only list so many ways to grill chicken. Honestly, you can experiment so much! Here are some recommendations that I have in mind right now!

• Simple Italian Garlic and Herb marinade: I make a marinade with oregano, olive oil, vinegar, chili flakes and garlic, as described here. It’s great for pasta and sandwiches.