Grilled Chicken

This grilled chicken recipe comes out juicy and flavorful every. single. time.

By Jess Rice
5
from
7
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Prep 40 minutes
Cook 10 minutes
Servings 4 (1/2 chicken breast each)
$9.02 recipe / $2.25 serving
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During grilling season, I make this Grilled Chicken for my family at least once a week. It’s one of those simple recipes that works for even the pickiest eaters! I brine large chicken breasts, then coat them in a sweet and savory spice rub to create the juiciest grilled chicken you’ve ever tasted! Everyone at my house loves this chicken, and the delicious char from grilling takes the flavor to the next level.

overhead view of 2 sliced grilled chicken breasts on a white plate.
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“I made this today on the grill. Absolutely delicious. Chicken can be so bland and this is great! I made a big batch up for meal prep.”

Kristin

Easy Grilled Chicken Recipe

Juicy grilled chicken is a staple at my house this time of year. I never have to worry if my picky toddler will finish her dinner or if my husband will go back for seconds. It’s one of the magical recipes that’s always a winner whenever I make it. The best part is the leftovers are great to use in just about any chicken salad recipe, which makes lunches the rest of the week a no-brainer. To top it all off, using the grill means my house isn’t sweltering hot in the middle of the summer! Need I say more?

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Grilled Chicken

5 from 7 votes
I brine large chicken breasts, then coat them in a sweet and savory spice rub to create the juiciest grilled chicken you've ever tasted!
Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.
Author: Jess Rice
overhead view of 2 sliced grilled chicken breasts on a white plate.
Servings 4 (1/2 chicken breast each)
Prep 40 minutes
Cook 10 minutes
Total 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 large chicken breasts (boneless skinless, (mine weighed 1.61 lbs total) $8.03*)

Brine Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup kosher salt ($0.14)
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar ($0.18)
  • 2 quarts water ($0.00)

Rub ingredients:

  • 1 tsp salt ($0.01)
  • ¼ tsp black pepper (freshly cracked, $0.04)
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper ($0.06)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder ($0.15)
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika ($0.32)
  • ½ tsp onion powder ($0.08)
  • 1 tsp brown sugar ($0.01)
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Instructions 

  • Create your wet brine: Combine ¼ cup kosher salt and ¼ cup granulated sugar in 2 quarts of cold water. Whisk to combine.
  • With a fork, poke holes all over the chicken breasts and then transfer to a Ziplock bag. Pound chicken breasts to ½ inch to ¾ inch with a tenderizing mallet or rolling pin inside a Ziplock bag.
  • Pour the wet brine into the Ziplock bag with the tenderized chicken breasts. Close the bag and allow it to brine at room temperature for 30 minutes, or in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
  • Make the seasoning blend by combining the salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, and brown sugar in a bowl.
  • Remove the chicken breasts from the brine, rinse, and pat dry on both sides with paper towels, drizzle with olive oil, and rub with the seasoning blend on both sides.
  • Preheat grill to 475°F. Note: If you are using an indoor grill, we found putting the chicken on the grill while it’s preheating helps get the middle of the breast to temperature in a timely manner and keeps the outside from overcooking and burning. If your chicken has been in the refrigerator, allow it to come to room temperature for at least 10 minutes before starting the grilling process.
  • Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side, or until the internal temp reads between 155-160°F. The chicken will continue to cook while it’s resting (because it’s so hot and juicy!) so you can remove it a little early, just make sure it reaches the internal temperature of 165°F while resting, or you may need to throw it back on the grill for a couple more minutes.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.


Equipment

  • Indoor Grill

Notes

*For this recipe, 1 serving = 6 ounces per person. 3-4 ounces is a typical serving size for chicken, but I was generous and went with 6 ounces per person for this recipe… so you could easily stretch it further if you needed to!

Nutrition

Serving: 6ouncesCalories: 253kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 36gFat: 5gSodium: 7877mgFiber: 1g
Read our full nutrition disclaimer here.
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how to make Grilled Chicken step-by-step photos

pouring water over sugar and salt in a large white bowl.

Make your wet brine: Pour ¼ cup kosher salt and ¼ cup granulated sugar into 2 quarts of cold water in a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.

pounding chicken breasts in a ziplock bag with a rolling pin on an orange cutting board.

Pound the chicken: Use a fork to poke holes all over 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts and then transfer to a Ziplock bag. Pound the chicken breasts to ½ inch to 3/4 inch with a tenderizing mallet or rolling pin while inside the Ziplock bag.

pouring brine into a ziplock bag with chicken breasts.

Brine the chicken: Pour the wet brine into the Ziplock bag with the tenderized chicken breasts. Now close the bag and let the chicken brine at room temperature for 30 minutes. You can also let it brine in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Don’t skip this step! The brine infuses the chicken with flavor, helps to combat moisture loss, and makes the meat super tender.

spices and brown sugar in a white bowl.

Make the seasoning blend: Combine 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, ¼ tsp cayenne, 1 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp onion powder, and 1 tsp brown sugar in a bowl.

pressing seasoning onto chicken breasts on an orange cutting board.

Season the chicken: Remove the chicken breasts from the brine, rinse, and pat dry on both sides with paper towels. Make sure you rinse the brine off your chicken, or it might end up too salty! Drizzle the chicken breasts with olive oil, and use your hands to rub the seasoning blend on both sides.

2 raw chicken breasts on a grill.

Grill the chicken: Preheat your grill to 475°F. Note: If you’re using an indoor grill, I found putting the chicken on the grill while it’s preheating helps get the middle of the breast to temperature in a timely manner and keeps the outside from overcooking and burning. If your chicken has been in the refrigerator, allow it to come to room temperature for at least 10 minutes before starting the grilling process.

2 fully cooked chicken breasts on a grill.

Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side, or until the internal temp reads between 155-160°F. The chicken will continue to cook while it’s resting (because it’s so hot and juicy!), so you can remove it a little early. Just make sure it reaches the internal temperature of 165°F while resting, or you may need to throw it back on the grill for a couple more minutes.

overhead view of a sliced grilled chicken breast on a plate with salad.

Juicy, tender, and full of flavor, this grilled chicken is a winner every time!

Serving Suggestions

I often serve this grilled chicken sliced over a fresh green salad for a really simple but satisfying meal for my family. But honestly, it’s one of those recipes that goes with just about anything. If you’re craving something cozy, try it with lemon butter green beans, or a scoop of cheesy broccoli rice. On warmer days, I’d pair it with a ditalini pasta salad for an easy backyard dinner. And if you want to give it a little extra flavor boost, a light drizzle of homemade balsamic glaze really takes things up a notch.

Tips and Notes

  1. Make sure to use kosher salt for the brine. The flat, flaky crystals dissolve extremely well in water and create a crystal-clear brine. Just don’t forget to rinse the brine off before cooking. Skipping that step can leave the chicken overly salty.
  2. Don’t skip the brown sugar; it helps develop that beautiful char!
  3. Putting the smooth part of the breast down on the grill first helps ensure you get those glorious grill marks on the top! So, start with the smooth side down to ensure you get some sexy grill marks on that bird!
  4. If your chicken is sticking to the grill, allow it to cook for another minute or two. It should lift off easily when you flip.
  5. Want to make this in the oven? I’d preheat the oven to 450°F and bake the chicken breasts for about 15-20 minutes. The internal temperature will register as 165°F on a meat thermometer once done. Alternatively, you could try our tried and true baked chicken breast recipe!

Storage Instructions

I recommend storing leftover grilled chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To freeze, wrap individual chicken breasts in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place them in a Ziplock bag to store for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium-low heat.

Our Favorite Cost effective grill

When I was looking for a grill for us to use in the Budget Bytes kitchen, I wanted one that was easy to find, simple to set up, easy to clean, and didn’t make me miss my charcoal grill. I went with the Ninja Sizzle Smokeless Grill after contemplating a few different ones that would be widely available at Walmart, Target, and Amazon.

The cheapest grill option I found was a simple and small camping charcoal grill. That’s also a great option if you want to grill outside, get that smokier grill flavor, and don’t mind keeping charcoal on hand.

The Ninja Sizzle Smokeless Grill we ended up deciding on comes with a grill top and a flat top, so it’s perfect as a quick, clean option for grilling at home or even in an RV/camper. (I have since bought one for my chef kit and my in-laws bought one for their camper!)

Our Grilled Chicken recipe was originally published 6/17/24. It was retested, reworked, and republished to be better than ever 7/8/25.

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Ashley
07.08.25 9:55 pm

This was great! Juicy, tender, and didn’t take forever to cook!

Randi
07.24.24 6:18 pm

My boyfriend has this recipe saved in his calorie tracking app as “Randi’s Best Chicken.” 🤣 I’ve always struggled to grill chicken without drying it out or being raw on the inside and this brine method works like a charm!! And that rub is delightful!

Dari Lou Barber
07.05.24 9:26 am

Do you have a recommendation for asugar substitute? I am not able to eat/consumer regular sugar at all due to health reasons. What is the reason for the sugar in the brine?

Paige Rhodes
07.05.24 9:44 am

We don’t have much experience with sugar alternatives, but I do know that several brands make stevia or monk fruit versions of brown sugar that you can find at larger grocery stores. You’re also welcome to omit it but it does add a subtle sweetness and caramelization to the chicken and the sugar in the brine balances out the salt!

janmaus
07.09.25 8:41 am
Reply to  Jess Rice

I second your recommendation for Swerve–my husband has type2 diabetes, and having fought weight all of my life, it doesn’t hurt me to cut back on sugar, either. Most of the time I use stevia, but Swerve tastes most like sugar and I definitely rely on it for some recipes. It’s available in all of my local supermarkets as well as Walmart. I firmly believe that one problem with using “artificial” sweeteners is that most recipes and most prepared foods use too much. With modest use, it’s usually hard to tell the difference between sugar and other sweeteners.

As a change of subject, you persuaded me to try a brine and my resulting grilled chicken was pretty good. I have been grilling for years, so my normal unbrined results are good, too, but it does take a watchful eye to keep boneless breasts from drying out and the brined chicken is more forgiving. The rub, pretty normal, is nice, too, although I used more garlic and onion powders. Bringing the chicken to room temp prior to cooking is VERY important. This recipe produces wonderful leftovers, and when I cook chicken with any method I cook extra to use for sandwiches, salad or salad toppings, etc.

D
07.04.24 1:43 pm

If you were to use an oven for this recipe, what temperature and time would you do?

Wendy Yellen
06.27.24 9:46 am

Help! I seem to be the only one who had a problem. The taste was delish, the chicken so tender and juicy, but it was so over-salty that we couldn’t eat it. I never have that problem and my husband loves salt, so it was so strange. I used the 1/4 cup kosher salt for the wet brine, and the 1 tsp salt for the rub. Perhaps the brine needs to be rinsed? But by that time it’s well inside the chicken, so I doubt a rinse would help. I did marinate in the brine for 24 hours. What am I doing wrong that it was way too salty?

Mari
06.24.24 5:38 pm

Have made this before and love it – a cost and waste saving tip id thought to pass on. For the brine- using the brine from feta cheese or dill pickles works a charm too and adds a slightly different flavour option. 😀

Sherri
06.24.24 12:49 pm

Can I do this recipe with bone in large chicken breasts?

Paige Rhodes
06.24.24 1:34 pm
Reply to  Sherri

Definitely! You just may have to cook them a bit longer. Checking the internal temp with a meat thermometer is your best bet!

Kristin S.
06.21.24 3:09 pm

I made this today on the grill. Absolutely delicious. Chicken can be so bland and this is great! I made a big batch up for meal prep.

Linda
06.21.24 12:27 pm

I made this the other night using chicken tenders. It turned out delicious and had so much flavor. I did use 1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper knowing how spicy cayenne can be. Thanks for sharing the recipe, I already had a request to make it again.

KBG
06.17.24 9:58 pm

Hi, I was reading through the nutrition facts. It says 7877 mg. sodium for a 6 oz. serving of chicken! Is this correct?

Paige Rhodes
06.18.24 8:19 am
Reply to  KBG

It seems the nutrition counter is basing that on the salt used in the brine. Unfortunately, it’s hard to gauge how much of that actually makes it into the chicken vs is discarded after the brining. But rest assured it would be no where near that in actuality!

Mary Angelini
06.17.24 10:34 am

Can you use a George Foreman grill for this recipe?

Paige Rhodes
06.18.24 12:47 pm
Reply to  Mary Angelini

The ingredients would all be the same, but the cooking time would likely be a little different since you’re cooking the bottom and the top at the same time. I would go by a meat thermometer for the best results!

Becky
06.17.24 9:36 am

The JUICIEST grilled chicken. Love the brown sugar in the rub. Will definitely try this.