Italian Herb Grilled Chicken | EASY AND DELICIOUS Grilled Chicken Marinade!
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Grilled chicken is such a staple for me. I’ll be honest with you and share that I actually usually don’t think about grilling my chicken when it comes to meals. I usually opt for baked chicken, such as for Juicy Chicken Shawarmas or Chicken Tikka, or pan-frying my chicken, as I do for Hot & Spicy Cajun Chicken Spaghetti. I like to treat grilling chicken as a treat.
I’m not sure why I do that, though, because grilling chicken is quite simple and it’s well worth it! It may seem intimidating, but there’s no need to be worried about getting your grilling game on! For a full in-depth tutorial on making the perfect grilled chicken with tips and tricks, I recommend you read my blog post about Mastering the Art of a Juicy Grilled Chicken.
Seriously, though. There’s something about making some grilled chicken that really hits the spot. You can have it alone or use it in pasta, sandwiches, or burgers. Grilled chicken is so versatile!
Why Make Italian Grilled Chicken?
Apart from a simple grilled chicken as I show in my grilling tutorial, this Italian Herb Grilled Chicken is my favourite marinade for a grilled chicken! It’s really easy to make and really takes the classic grilled chicken up a notch! You just need a few spices and other ingredients to really transform your grilled chicken.
Making some grilled chicken to meal prep is a fabulous idea too to save you time during the week! Because it’s so versatile, you can easily cook up extra chicken breasts and save it for later in the refrigerator, then reheat when you’re ready to enjoy! You’ll always have tasty protein on hand when you’re in a pinch for time!
Ingredients for Italian Grilled Chicken
The marinade will only require a few ingredients that are pantry staples. Check out what you’ll need for this fabulous juicy grilled chicken:
Olive oil: Oil in the marinade will penetrate through the meat, enhancing all the other amazing flavours in it! It’s really important to use a sufficient amount here, as this really helps the chicken to get tender. You can also use the leftover marinade to add to the grill pan!
Lemon juice: Adds a nice zest to the marinade.
Oregano: This is what’s going to make our Italian Herb marinade a success! You can use an Italian seasoning blend as well, but oregano is easy because you probably already have it in your pantry!
Chili flakes: Adds a bit of heat to the marinade.
Salt and pepper: To taste.
White vinegar: A few drops will go a long way here. Don’t overdo it! You just want a bit extra acidity to the marinade.
Garlic: Minced cloves.
How to Marinate the Chicken
Preparing the marinade
Add all the ingredients for the marinade to a bowl and mix well using a whisk. This marinade can be made ahead of time as well and can last in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Portioning the chicken
For whole grilled 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.
Marinate the chicken
Marinate for at least 15 minutes or up to 8 hours.
How to Grill the Chicken
Cooking on a grill pan
Heat a grill pan on medium heat until hot. Check if the pan is hot enough by sprinkling some water on the pan. If the droplets dance around before evaporating, the pan is ready.
Place the marinated chicken on the grill pan and cook for 3-4 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. As the chicken cooks, it will start to turn white.
After 3-4 minutes, 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 herb chicken needs.
What to Serve with Italian Grilled Chicken
Here are some great ways to pair Italian Grilled Chicken!
Watch How to Make Italian Herb Grilled Chicken Here:
Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cookingwithanadi. Thank you!
Italian Herb Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 medium chicken breast
- 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 lemon, juiced (about 2 Tbsp)
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- chili flakes to taste
- few drops of vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- For whole grilled 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.
- Combine all ingredients (from olive oil to salt and pepper) and whisk well to prepare the marinade. Marinate chicken for at least 15 minutes
- Heat a grill pan on medium heat until hot. Check if the pan is hot enough by sprinkling some water on the pan. If the droplets dance around before evaporating, the pan is ready.
- Place the marinated chicken directly on the hot grill, letting any excess marinade drip back into the bowl. Cook for 3-4 minutes on one side until lightly charred.
- Then, flip the chicken, turn the heat down to low and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink. Let the chicken rest for 2-4 minutes before slicing or serving.
Calories
132.36Fat (grams)
9.14Sat. Fat (grams)
2.06Carbs (grams)
2.18Fiber (grams)
0.49Net carbs
1.69Sugar (grams)
0.43Protein (grams)
10.47Sodium (milligrams)
178.72Cholesterol (grams)
39.95