One of the most essential recipes to have in your back pocket for no-hassle summer grilling is this juicy grilled chicken breast recipe with citrus marinade. This one is perfect for a weeknight dinner, workday lunch, or Sunday barbecue. Luckily, this recipe from Epicurious utilizes a savory, citrus-based marinade to ensure that the chicken breasts are imbued with a strong, smoky flavor and are juicy all the way through.
Ingredients for Summer Grilling Recipe
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, approximately weighing 1½ pounds
- 2 large shallots, finely chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, finely grated
- 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice
- ¼ cup of either sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
- ⅔ cup of extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the grill
- ½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon of Diamond Crystal Salt or 1¾ teaspoon of Morton Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
Directions for Summer Grilling Recipe
- You’ll be beginning this recipe by preparing the marinade for your grilled chicken. To start, you’ll want to begin by finely chopping your two large shallots and finely grating your 4 cloves of garlic. Then, in a medium-sized bowl, whisk together your two large shallots, 4 garlic cloves, ⅔ cup of extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ cup of vinegar (either sherry or red wine), 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, your preferred salt according to the measurements above, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and ½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Whisk the ingredients thoroughly to ensure that they’re well-combined. Then, set ⅓ cup of this marinade aside for later.
- Next, take out a baking dish and arrange 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts onto a singular layer in the dish. Not including the ⅓ cup of marinade you’ve set aside, pour the remaining marinade over the chicken breastsand turn them to coat the chicken fully in the marinade. Cover the dish with either a plastic lid or aluminum foil and set it in the refrigerator to chill. You’ll chill the chicken in the marinade for at least 30 minutes but not longer than 4 hours. Either way, turn the chicken halfway through.
- When you’re ready to begin grilling the 1 ½ pounds of marinated chicken breasts, you’ll prepare a grill for medium-high heat and use your extra-virgin olive oil to properly oil the grill’s grates.
- After the chicken breasts have chilled and the grill is properly set at medium-high heat with the grates oiled, you will remove the chicken from the marinade and let the excess marinade drip back in the dish. Place the chicken pieces onto the grill and dispose of the marinade in the dish, as it’s contaminated by the uncooked chicken.You’ll now grill the chicken for about 10-14 minutes until they’re cooked through and blackened grill marks appear. You should turn the chicken halfway through the grilling, and once they’re finished and registering at a safe internal temperature, transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board.
- Let the chicken breasts rest for 5-10 minutes prior to serving them with the reserved marinade spooned over them. Serve as the main protein component of a meal or as a delicious side dish.
- Enjoy!
Notes:
- If you’re looking to vary this recipe by adding a powerful, yet impactful ingredient to the marinade, consider adding a few tablespoons of freshly grated ginger root to the marinade and set some aside for later. Additionally, you can add a dash of sesame oil and soy sauce for more flavor.
- If you’d like to pair these chicken breasts with fresh greens for a salad, consider preparing some mixed greens like sliced kale or cabbage and softening them with a squeeze of lemon. Add some chopped green onion, sliced red pepper, a ripened stone fruit, sliced avocados, sliced radishes, bean sprouts, diced Persian cucumbers, and/or fried wonton strips.
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