How to Grill Juicy Chicken Breasts

Everyone loves chicken breasts, or so they say. They're low-fat, low-carb and endlessly versatile. However, they can also be dry and flavorless if they're overcooked, which is all too easy to do. Following these quick tips will help you grill perfectly moist and juicy chicken breasts every time!

Room Temperature Meat
Having your chicken breasts at room temperature is a must. If the meat is cold, the inside will take too long to cook, leaving you with a dry and rubbery exterior. Make sure that frozen chicken breasts are thoroughly thawed before cooking, and take refrigerated chicken breasts out of the fridge around 30 minutes before you plan to cook them.

Uniform Thickness
Chicken breasts are naturally thinner on one end, which makes cooking them evenly a little difficult. By pounding them to a uniform thickness, you can eliminate the issue of overcooked spots. Simply place the chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound the thicker portion with the flat side of a mallet until it matches the thickness of the thinner portion. Alternately, you can butterfly the breast, cutting crosswise through the thickest portion and opening up the meat like a book. Although you can certainly grill a great chicken breast without this step, it can make your job a little easier.

Marinades
Chicken breasts are okay plain, but marinating them can both flavor and tenderize them. Make sure to choose a marinade that has an equal ratio of fat to acid (or more fat than acid), though, because too much acid will dry and toughen the meat. Italian salad dressing is a great pre-made option, but you can also make your own marinades by mixing equal parts oil and vinegar, lemon juice or other fruit juice with seasonings to taste. Make sure to season well with salt and pepper before grilling, too.

Grilling Technique
Start with a hot grill, and don't fuss with the chicken too much! The key to keeping chicken breast juicy and getting those great grill marks is to cook it quickly over high heat. Cook the chicken fully on one side without moving it, then flip it once and cook the other side until the chicken breast is done. Most people overcook chicken breasts because they're worried about possible salmonella contamination from raw meat. While that is a valid concern, there is no need to cook the meat to death. Chicken breasts need about 10-12 minutes of total cooking time per inch of thickness, so for the average breast, 5 minutes per side will do just fine, especially if the meat is room temperature. Try to arrange the meat so that the thinner part is on a cooler section of the grill to help the whole chicken breast cook at the same rate. Chicken breasts that have been pounded out to uniform thickness or butterflied will take even less time, perhaps 2-3 minutes per side. If you're not sure the meat is done, don't cut into it to find out! Instead, use an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat. It should read around 165 degrees - any hotter than that and you're losing juice and flavor without any health safety benefit.

The Final Step
All grilled meats, but especially chicken breasts, require resting time before serving. Remove the chicken breasts from the grill and allow them to rest on a cutting board for at least 5 minutes before serving or slicing. This will allow their juices to redistribute, resulting in a succulent and moist piece of chicken. If you cut into chicken breasts when they're fresh off the grill (or even worse, while they're still on the grill), those juices will be lost to the cutting board or the fire.

Chicken breasts are an easy, healthy and popular choice for grilling, but they can be tricky to get just right. Follow these simple tips and your chicken breasts will be perfect and juicy every time!