Description
This Quick Grilled Chicken is juicy, flavorful, and ready in under 45 minutes. The zesty marinade of vinegar, mustard, garlic, citrus, and brown sugar brings bold flavor with minimal effort. Perfect for weeknight dinners, meal prep, or summer cookouts.
Ingredients
Scale
- ¼ cup cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- 3 tablespoons coarse-ground mustard (or Dijon for milder flavor)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 lime, juiced
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ½ cup brown sugar (or honey/maple syrup)
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt (or to taste)
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 6 tablespoons olive oil (or avocado oil)
- 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (or thighs for juicier meat)
Instructions
- Mix the Marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, garlic, lime juice, lemon juice, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and olive oil.
- Marinate the Chicken: Place chicken in a resealable bag or shallow dish and coat with marinade. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours for deeper flavor).
- Preheat the Grill: Heat grill to medium-high and oil the grates lightly to prevent sticking.
- Grill the Chicken: Cook chicken 6–8 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Avoid pressing down on the chicken to keep juices in.
- Rest and Serve: Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing or serving. Garnish with fresh herbs or citrus wedges if desired.
Notes
For faster prep, make the marinade the night before and store in the fridge. This recipe also works great with chicken thighs. To add spice, mix in chili flakes or hot sauce to the marinade. Leftovers store well in the fridge for 3 days or freezer for 2 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 510mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 95mg