Grilled Chicken Breast
A four hour soak in garlic, lemon zest and herbs, then six minutes on a screaming hot pan. Juicy every single time.
Ingredients
Tap an ingredient to check it off as you prep.
Cooking steps
Put each chicken breast inside a zip bag or between two sheets of cling film and pound it with a rolling pin until it is an even 1 cm thick all over.
Zest half a lemon and mince the garlic.
In a bowl or zip bag, mix the olive oil, garlic, thyme, oregano, salt, pepper and lemon zest.
Add the chicken and rub the marinade into every surface. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Set a grill pan or heavy tawa on high heat until it is smoking lightly, then brush it with a teaspoon of oil.
Lay the chicken on the pan and leave it alone for 2 to 3 minutes until dark grill marks form, then flip and cook the other side for 2 to 3 minutes. It is done when the thickest part reads 74C or the juices run clear
Move the chicken to a plate and rest for 3 minutes before slicing and serving.
Grilled Chicken Breast
- The pounding is not optional. An even 1 cm slab cooks through in six minutes before the outside dries out. A thick end and a thin end means one of them is wrong.
- Four hours is the minimum marinade. The salt and lemon zest need that long to get inside the meat.
- Do not move the chicken for the first two minutes. That is where the grill marks and the crust come from.
- Chicken thigh for breast: boneless thighs forgive overcooking and take the same marinade. Give them 4 to 5 minutes a side.
- Kasuri methi for thyme: a teaspoon of crushed dried fenugreek leaves turns the same recipe Indian without touching the method.
- Cooked chicken keeps 3 days in the fridge in a sealed box. Slice it cold into salads or wraps rather than reheating whole.
- Raw marinated chicken can go straight into the freezer in its bag for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and it is ready to grill.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this without a grill pan?
Yes. A heavy cast iron tawa or any thick-bottomed pan on high heat works. You lose the stripes, not the flavour.
Can I marinate for less than 4 hours?
30 minutes gives you flavour on the surface. Four hours gives you flavour all the way through. If you are short on time, it still works, it is just less seasoned inside.
Why is my chicken dry?
Almost always overcooked or unevenly thick. Pound it flat, pull it at 74C, and rest it for 3 minutes so the juices settle back in.
