Hen breasts marinated in a daring mixture of lemon, garlic, honey, paprika, and herbs, then pounded, grilled, and basted with a light-weight honey-mustard drizzle. Be taught step-by-step strategies and ideas for grilling juicy rooster breasts.

Straightforward, Restaurant-High quality Grilled Hen
My recipe provides you all the ideas for tender, juicy grilled rooster breasts—by no means bland or rubbery—together with a daring marinade, a light-weight honey-mustard drizzle, and the important thing strategy of pounding for even cooking. Should you do not wish to grill, use my recipe for pan-seared rooster breasts.
- Lemon-Herb-Garlic Marinade: I take advantage of a mix of lemon juice, zest, garlic, honey, paprika, Italian herbs, salt, and pepper to tenderize the rooster breasts and infuse them with flavors that stand out from primary oil-and-herb marinades. No extra dry or rubbery rooster breasts! Grilled rooster pairs properly with my creamy garlic parmesan orzo or refreshing Greek orzo.
- Grilling Suggestions: I present step-by-step directions for grilling rooster breasts on a stovetop grill pan or an out of doors gasoline grill, so it’s simple to make year-round—not simply in the summertime. By pounding the rooster to an excellent thickness, I ensure it grills evenly and stays juicy, with no dry edges or undercooked spots.
- Full Meal: I pair grilled rooster breasts with grilled zucchini rounds, however the marinade and sauce work with any grilled veggies—like asparagus, corn, or bell peppers, making it a strong choice for summer season dinners, fast meal prep, or wholesome lunches. You’ll be able to may serve the rooster with my roasted garlic mashed potatoes, baked asparagus with bacon and cheese, Mediterranean orzo salad, or cilantro-lime black bean rice. Or, merely make my grilled rooster salad.

Greatest Hen Marinade
My rooster marinade makes use of these substances: olive oil, lemon juice and zest, honey, paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, and pepper. It provides savory, herby taste and likewise tenderizes the meat for juicier outcomes. This marinade works for any boneless rooster—breasts, thighs, or tenders—with as little as quarter-hour of marinating, and can be utilized for grilling, pan-searing, or baking.

Greatest Hen Breasts for Grilling
I all the time go for skinless, boneless rooster breasts which can be uniform in dimension and thickness. I desire contemporary rooster over beforehand frozen as a result of it holds moisture and texture higher on the grill. If I do use frozen rooster, I ensure it’s totally thawed and pat it utterly dry to take away any extra moisture. If the breasts are thick, I slice them in half or pound them to about ½-inch thickness for even cooking, and I trim off any extra fats or connective tissue earlier than marinating.

Suggestions for Completely Grilled Hen Breasts
- Open Flame Grill (Fuel or Charcoal): Set your grill to medium-high warmth. If utilizing an open flame gasoline grill, enable it to completely preheat earlier than putting the rooster on. For thicker breasts, sear over direct warmth first to get shade, then transfer to a cooler a part of the grill (oblique warmth) to complete cooking with out burning the skin.
- Correct Hen Prep: Pat rooster dry earlier than grilling to encourage browning, and all the time pound rooster to an excellent thickness for uniform cooking. Use tongs to flip the rooster, not a fork, to keep away from piercing and shedding juices.
- Verify for Doneness and Relaxation: Use an instant-read thermometer to examine for 165°F on the thickest level. As soon as cooked, let the rooster breasts relaxation for five minutes off the warmth earlier than slicing to maintain it juicy.
- Keep away from Overcooking: Hen breasts dry out shortly, so preserve a detailed eye whereas grilling. For a juicier outcome, take the rooster off the grill when it reaches 160°F, then let it relaxation—the temperature will rise to 165°F because it sits. Should you’re grilling a number of items, place the thicker components in direction of hotter areas and thinner components in direction of cooler spots.
- Let the Hen Relaxation: Resting is essential—don’t skip it. Cowl the grilled rooster loosely with foil for about 5 minutes after cooking. This permits the juices to redistribute, making each chew moist and flavorful.
- Slice Towards the Grain: When able to serve, slice the rooster breasts towards the grain. This makes it extra tender and simpler to eat, particularly for those who’re serving it over salads or in sandwiches.

Extra Hen Breast Recipes
- Basil Pesto Tomato Mozzarella Hen Bake
- Mexican Road Corn Black Bean Hen Bake
- Mediterranean Hen
- Mozzarella Hen with Tomato Sauce and Mushrooms
- Bacon Pineapple BBQ Hen
- Hen with Bacon Mustard Sauce

Grilled Hen Breasts
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Elements
For the marinade + rooster:
- â…“ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon paprika powder
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian herbs
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- Salt and pepper to style
- 2 lb rooster breasts skinless and boneless (4 rooster breasts)
For the sauce:
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Salt to style
- 1 ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 ¼ tablespoons honey
To serve with:
- 2 medium zucchini (zucchini rounds grilled)
- Contemporary herbs chopped, like parsley, thyme, or rosemary
Directions
Put together the marinade:
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In a bowl, add olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, paprika powder, dried Italian herbs, garlic, and salt and pepper to style.
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Whisk till properly mixed. Reserve round 3 tablespoons of the marinade and put aside.
Marinate the rooster:
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Place the rooster onto a chopping board and canopy with plastic foil. Pound the rooster with a meat mallet till ½-inch thick evenly throughout the floor.
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Add the rooster to the ready marinade and coat properly. Marinate the rooster within the fridge for 4 hours, flipping the rooster midway by. This may guarantee all of the rooster items are coated evenly.
Grill the rooster:
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Flippantly oil the pan: Use a paper towel dipped in high-smoke-point cooking oil to flippantly coat the pan earlier than cooking. Do not use an excessive amount of oil, as it might probably trigger smoking.
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Preheat the grill pan to get scorching over medium-high warmth earlier than including the rooster. This helps create good grill marks and prevents sticking.
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Take away the rooster breasts from the marinade and discard the marinade.
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Add the rooster and grill for 4-5 minutes per facet, with out transferring. Don’t overcrowd the pan: Go away area between the items so warmth circulates and the rooster sears slightly than steams.
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EXTRA TIPS for utilizing a grill pan:
Use a spatula or grill press to softly press the rooster into the ridges for higher grill marks and even cooking.
Maintain the kitchen vent on: Grill pans can get smoky. Activate the exhaust fan or open a window for higher air flow.
End with a Lid (if Wanted): For thick rooster breasts, cowl the pan with a lid after flipping to assist the within cook dinner by with out burning the skin.
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Set the rooster apart to relaxation whilst you put together the mustard sauce. At all times let the rooster relaxation for a couple of minutes after grilling to maintain it juicy.
Serving sauce (honey-mustard sauce):
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Add extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt to style, Dijon mustard, and honey in a mini meals blender or a bowl. Mix or whisk till emulsified and thick.
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Serve the grilled rooster with grilled zucchinis and drizzled with honey-mustard sauce.
Notes
- Easy methods to grill zucchini: Slice zucchini into thick rounds and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and somewhat garlic powder or contemporary minced garlic earlier than grilling. Grill zucchini about 5–7 minutes, turning a few times.
- Pound the rooster: Cowl your rooster with plastic foil earlier than pounding it with a meat mallet to forestall the rooster from splattering throughout the kitchen surfaces. It’s also a good suggestion to position a chunk of plastic foil below the rooster, as it will forestall your rooster from breaking whereas being pounded.
- Various instruments: You may also pound your rooster with a rolling pin for those who should not have a meat mallet.
- Grill undisturbed: When grilling rooster, be sure you don’t transfer it round. Let it grill on one facet, with out flipping. This may guarantee you’ve gotten these good grill marks.
- Use digital meat thermometer: When the thermometer reaches 165°F, the rooster is cooked.
- Serve the rooster with grilled zucchinis, mango avocado salad, peach salsa, grilled peaches, or different desired grilled veggies to make it a whole meal. See extra serving strategies above this recipe card.
Storage, Reheating, Freezing, and Make-Forward Directions
- Storage: Retailer leftover grilled rooster in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat the rooster gently in a skillet over low warmth or within the microwave till simply warmed by. Add a splash of water or additional marinade to forestall drying out.
- Freezing: You’ll be able to freeze cooked rooster breasts for as much as 2 months. Thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than reheating. Sauce is finest made contemporary.
- Make-Forward: Marinate the rooster as much as 24 hours prematurely. The honey-mustard sauce may also be made forward and refrigerated.
Vitamin
How To Grill Hen Breasts (in 4 Straightforward Steps)
- STEP 1. Make the marinade: In a bowl, whisk collectively olive oil, lemon juice and zest, honey, paprika, Italian herbs, garlic, salt, and pepper. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the marinade and put aside.

- STEP 2. Pound the rooster: Place the rooster breasts on a chopping board, cowl with plastic wrap, and pound to ½-inch thickness for even cooking.

- STEP 3. Marinate the rooster: Add the rooster to the marinade, coat properly, and refrigerate for 4 hours, flipping midway to make sure all items are evenly marinated.
- STEP 4. Grill the rooster: Warmth 1–2 tablespoons of olive oil in a grill skillet over medium-high warmth. Take away the rooster from the marinade, discard the used marinade, and grill for 4–5 minutes per facet with out transferring. Within the final minute, brush with the reserved marinade. Let the rooster relaxation.

- FOR SERVING. Make the honey-mustard sauce/glaze: mix or whisk collectively extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt, Dijon mustard, and honey till emulsified. Serve the grilled rooster with grilled zucchini slices and drizzle with the honey-mustard sauce.



