This easy grilled chicken is seasoned with garlic, onion powder and smoked paprika then finished with a squeeze of lime for tender, juicy and flavorful results every time. This grilled chicken breast recipe will be your new favorite reason to fire up the grill this season.

Grilled chicken recipe sliced and ready to serve with fresh lime.

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Easy Grilled Chicken Breast

Grilled chicken is one of my favorite things to make during the summer, and this is one of my most-used recipes. We make oven baked chicken breast in the colder months, but there’s just something about how juicy and tender the meat gets on the grill, with a delicious charred flavor.

It’s super simple to whip up this grilling recipe and it can be cooked in unison with grilled vegetables, vegetable skewers or grilled corn to make an easy, no-fuss meal.

Then use leftovers to throw on a spinach berry salad or bulk up a caprese pasta salad. There are so many different ways to use grilled chicken…you’ll never get bored!

Recipe Ingredients

Grilling chicken breast is quick and easy! All you need is chicken, oil, a few simple spices and your grill. I love when recipes have little to no clean up involved.

Ingredients for grilled chicken recipe laid out on a counter: chicken breasts, olive oil, and spices.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Chicken: You will need four boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Ideally, they should be about the same size for even cooking time while grilling. (Boneless skinless thighs work too, just grill 5-6 minutes or less per side.)
  • Olive oil: I always use olive oil but any oil such as vegetable oil, canola oil, grapeseed or soybean work.
  • Spices: For flavor I like to use smoked paprika and chili powder or ground cumin.
  • Seasonings: Kosher salt and pepper.
  • For serving: Fresh lime slices or lemon slices and chopped cilantro.

Seasoning and Marinade Variations

When seasoning the meat, I like to keep it simple and use a mixture of salt, pepper, garlic powder, olive oil and some smoked paprika. If you’re not a fan of heat, you can omit the paprika. This blend gives the chicken the perfect easy boost with tons of flavor, while still letting the natural juices shine through.

If you’re looking for a marinade with a bolder flavor, try using my chicken marinade and marinate your meat about 2 hours before grilling. I like to place the chicken in a zip top bag and pour the marinade on top. The flavors infuse a bit more and taste extra delicious!

How to Grill Chicken

The best grilled chicken breast is fast and easy to prepare. It can be on the table in less than 30 minutes!

Four-step photo collage showing how easy it is to grill chicken: trimming, seasoning, grilling, and resting.
  • Prepare chicken breasts. Trim chicken breasts then pat down with a paper towel, if needed. Using a meat mallet, pound each piece of chicken into an even thickness. Rub olive oil evenly over top.
  • Season chicken. In a small bowl, stir together the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, paprika and chili powder. Rub evenly over both sides of the chicken.
  • Grill the chicken. Place breasts on hot grill and grill covered 4 to 6 minutes per side, or until the center is no longer pink and internal temp from a meat thermometer reads 160ºF to 165°F.
  • Rest and serve. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. I often tent with foil or cover with another pan. Serve with freshly squeezed lime juice or lemon juice and fresh herbs like chopped cilantro.

No grill? You can bake the chicken instead. Place seasoned chicken breasts in a 9×13 baking dish and bake at 425°F for 15-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. For more detail, see my oven baked chicken breast recipe.

How Long to Grill Chicken

It may vary how long to grill chicken breasts depending on the heat of your grill and the thickness of your breasts. In general your chicken will take 4-6 minutes per side when grilled over medium-heat with the grill covered closed.

To check for doneness, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast. The internal temperature should register 165°F. As the chicken rests, it will continue to rise a few degrees so I usually take it off a few degrees early to ensure juicy chicken breasts.

Easy grilled chicken breast recipe on a white plate garnished with lime and fresh cilantro.

Tips for the Best Grilled Chicken Breast

  • Clean your grill. Start with clean and oiled grill plates, so that the meat doesn’t stick to the grill when cooking.
  • Prevent tough chicken. Use a meat tenderizer to pound each breast to an even thickness. This softens the muscle fibers for tender results and helps the chicken cook evenly so the thin end doesn’t dry out before the thick end is done.
  • Bring chicken to room temperature. I like to set out my chicken breasts 15 minutes prior to grilling. It helps promote even grilling and fewer juices leak out and evaporate during the cooking process.
  • Don’t flip too early. Wait 4 to 6 minutes before flipping. The chicken will release itself from the grates when it’s ready, which gives you beautiful char marks and keeps pieces from sticking. If it feels stuck, give it another 30 seconds.
  • Sauce at the end. Brush with some tangy homemade barbecue sauce near the end of grilling time.
  • Meat thermometer. Use a meat thermometer to easily check the temperature while grilling. I like to remove my chicken from the grill when it’s about 160ºF. After it rests for a few minutes, the temperature usually rises up to 165ºF.
  • Let rest. Make sure to let the meat rest for at least 5 minutes! If you don’t, the juices will all run out.

Serving Suggestions

Grilled chicken pairs with just about everything, and leftovers are perfect for meal prep later in the week. A few of our favorite ways to serve it:

Sliced easy grilled chicken recipe with a lime wedge.

Love grilled chicken recipes? Try this Chipotle chicken or for something sweeter try my honey garlic chicken marinade or this tropical huli huli chicken.

More Grilled Chicken Recipes

Sliced easy grilled chicken recipe with a lime wedge.

Grilled Chicken Breast

5 from 19 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
This easy grilled chicken is seasoned with garlic, onion powder and smoked paprika then finished with a squeeze of lime for tender, juicy and flavorful results every time. This grilled chicken breast recipe will be your new favorite reason to fire up the grill this season.
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Video

Ingredients 

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder , or cumin (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika , optional
  • freshly ground black pepper , to taste

For serving: Limes and chopped cilantro (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Make sure your meat is thawed and set out at room temperature 15 minutes before cooking.
  • Trim chicken breasts. Pat down with paper towels, if needed. Using a meat tenderizer, pound each piece of chicken into an even thickness. Rub olive oil evenly over top.
  • In a small bowl, stir together the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, paprika and chili powder. Rub evenly over both sides of the chicken.
  • Grill chicken 4 to 6 minutes per side, or until the center is no longer pink and a thermometer inserted in the center reads 160ºF to 165°F. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Serve with freshly squeezed lime and chopped cilantro if desired.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Grilling Tips:
  • Clean your grill. Start with clean and oiled grill plates, so that the meat doesn’t stick to the grill when cooking.
  • Flipping. Don’t flip the chicken until about 4 to 6 minutes have passed. That’s how you achieve those beautiful charred grilled marks.
  • Meat thermometer. Use a meat thermometer to easily check the temperature while grilling. I like to remove my chicken from the grill when it’s about 160ºF. After it rests for a few minutes, the temperature usually rises up to 165ºF.
  • Let rest. Make sure to let the meat rest for at least 5 minutes! If you don’t, the juices will all run out.
Temperature: I like to remove my chicken from the grill when it’s about 160ºF. After it rests for a few minutes, the temperature usually rises up to 165ºF.
Sauce: This is more of a wet rub than a marinade, so try easy chicken marinade or BBQ sauce, if you’d prefer a sauce. 
Marinate: If you have time, marinate your meat about 2 hours before grilling. I like to place the chicken in a zip-top bag and pour the marinade on top. The flavors infuse a bit more and taste extra delicious!
Storing: Grilled chicken will stay fresh stored in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days.
Freezing: Wrap each whole chicken breast (do not slice) in plastic wrap, then place in an airtight container or bag. Store in the freezer up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator over night when ready to enjoy. 

Nutrition

Calories: 329kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 48g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 145mg, Sodium: 699mg, Potassium: 883mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 136IU, Vitamin C: 17mg, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.