Go Back

All-Star Grilled Chicken

Classic grilled chicken with an easy marinade that keeps the chicken juicy while delivering perfectly balanced BBQ-style flavor. Grilled to tender, golden-brown edges with clear 165°F doneness and simple prep steps.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
marinating 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 540
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and marinade
  • 2.5 lb chicken pieces Use bone-in or boneless; pieces should be similar size for even cooking.
  • 0.333 cup olive oil
  • 0.25 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 4 clove garlic, minced Minced fresh garlic for best flavor.
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp paprika

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the marinade
  1. Whisk together olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, brown sugar, black pepper, and paprika until smooth and evenly combined, with no streaks of mustard.
  2. Move chicken pieces to a nonreactive container or bag and pour the marinade over them, turning to coat thoroughly so every surface is covered.
Marinate
  1. Refrigerate the chicken for 2 to 8 hours to let the flavors soak in; keep it covered and cold for consistent seasoning.
Grill the chicken
  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, keeping the grate hot so chicken gets grill marks quickly.
  2. Place chicken on the grill and cook, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F when checked in the thickest part.
  3. Continue grilling in batches as needed to maintain medium-high heat and avoid steaming, and stop as soon as 165°F is reached.
Rest and serve
  1. Let the grilled chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving so the juices redistribute and the meat stays tender.

Notes

For best results, marinate longer toward 8 hours but never below 2 hours for meaningful flavor. Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days; freeze cooked chicken up to 3 months. If you want a lower-sodium version, swap the soy sauce for low-sodium soy sauce while keeping the rest of the marinade the same.