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    🏠Home » Recipes » Chicken Breast Recipes

    Italian Grilled Chicken Breasts

    Jul 16, 2010 · Modified: Apr 16, 2021 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan · 9 Comments

    Recipe Table of Contents    
    4.38 from 16 votes

    These simple Italian Grilled Chicken Breasts are super moist and packed full of amazing flavor! A nice change of pace from the usual BBQ on the grill. Just follow these easy step by step photo instructions.

    Italian Grilled Chicken Breast from 101 Cooking for Two

    Jump To:
    • 🐓 The Chicken
    • 🇮🇹 Italian Seasoning
    • ♨️ The Grill
    • 📖 Grilled Chicken Recipes
    • 🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
    • 📝Recipe
    • Pro Tips

    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    Introduction

    These juicy and flavorful chicken breast will be your new favorite dinner idea. Pair it with a simple salad or some pasta, and you have a complete eloquent Italian dinner.

    Start with some nicely trimmed skinless boneless chicken breasts. Do a brine for tenderness and moisture if you have time.

    Add some nice Italian seasoning. Now some careful grilling, and you have a very nice grilling change of pace.

    My Rating

    My rating system of a 4 out of 5 so very nice.

    A nice solid 4

    🐓 The Chicken

    When you pick your chicken breasts, try to get approximately the same size and thickness. If one is significantly thicker, flatten it out some with a meat mallet or bottom of a heavy pan.

    These breasts can dry easily on a grill, so a brine is always good if you have time. I suggest a brine of 2 cups of water, 2 tablespoons salt and 2 tablespoons sugar.

    This brine will work fairly quickly, so about 1 hour is a good time. 30 minutes will do fairly well and probably 2-hour max.

    If you use a brine, do not add extra salt.

    We not longer rinse chicken ( see  Chicken… To Rinse or Not To Rinse? ) except after a brine, the breast should be rinsed.

    🇮🇹 Italian Seasoning

    You can use dry Italian seasoning. If you brine, please check that you are not adding salt with the seasoning.

    I'm a big believer in individual spices and only use mixtures if it is something I use all the time so I can keep it fresh. I don't keep Italian seasoning for that reason. So the recipe includes instructions for individual spices if you don't have the mix.

    ♨️ The Grill

    Grill temperature is very important when cooking skinless boneless chicken breasts. You generally want a surface temperature of about 450° for chicken.

    See A Beginners Guide to Grill Temperature on a Gas Grill for more details.

    📖 Grilled Chicken Recipes

    How to Grill Chicken Breasts on a Gas Grill

    Grilled Blackened Chicken Breasts

    This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.

    Chicken Breast Recipes, Chicken Recipes, Grill Recipes, Italian Recipes
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

    trimming chicken breasts on a white board

    Trim the chicken breasts. Even out the thickness some with a meat mallet if there is a significant difference.

    adding chicken to the brine

    Optional: Mix brine of 3 cups water, 3 tablespoons table salt, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, and ½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional). Add chicken and submerge and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

    clean and oil grill crates

    Clean and oil grill grates and preheat to a surface temperature of about 450°, which is about medium-high on most grills. I recommend a surface thermometer to be able to control your grill well.

    spices for Italian seasoning

    If making your own seasoning, then use equal parts dried basil, oregano, marjoram, rosemary, and thyme. I used 1 tablespoon each and saved the extra in a small airtight container suitable for storage.

    Mixing Italian seasoning into oil in white bowl

    Mix oil and 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning.

    brushing chicken breast with seasoning on white board

    Pepper lightly on both sides and salt if not brined. Then brush both sides with the oil mixture. Place on grill over direct heat with the grill lid closed.

    Italian Chicken Breast on white plate

    Flip about every 5 minutes until internal temp is 165°. About 25-30 minutes total on the grill. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.

    Italian Chicken Breast on white plate
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    📝Recipe

    Italian Grilled Chicken Breast from 101 Cooking for Two

    Italian Grilled Chicken Breasts

    From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
    These simple Italian Grilled Chicken Breasts are super moist and packed full of amazing flavor! A nice change of pace from the usual BBQ on the grill. Just follow these easy step by step photo instructions.
    Tap to leave a Rating
    4.38 from 16 votes
    Print Email CollectionCollected
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings #/Adjust if desired 2

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Convert to Metric
    • 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • salt and pepper
    • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

    Homemade Italian Seasoning (will be almost a tablespoon, enough for this recipe but I make more for later.)

    • ½ teaspoon dried basil
    • ½ teaspoon oregano
    • ½ teaspoon marjoram
    • ½ teaspoon rosemary
    • ½ teaspoon thyme
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    Instructions

    • Trim chicken breasts. Even out the thickness some with a meat mallet if there is a significant difference.
    • Optional: Mix brine of 3 cups water, 3 tablespoons table salt, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, and ½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional). Add chicken and submerge and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
    • Clean and oil grill grates and preheat to a surface temperature of about 450°, which is about medium-high on most grills. I recommend a surface thermometer to be able to control your grill well.
    • If making your own seasoning, then use equal parts dried basil, oregano, marjoram, rosemary, and thyme. I used 1 tablespoon each and saved the extra in a small airtight container suitable for storage.
    • Mix oil and 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning.
    • Pepper lightly on both sides and salt if not brined. Then brush both sides with the oil mixture. Place on grill over direct heat with the grill lid closed.
    • Flip about every 5 minutes until internal temp is 165°. About 25-30 minutes total on the grill. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
    See the step-by-step photos in the post. Some recipes have an option to display the photos here with a switch above these instructions but the photos DO NOT print.

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    Recipe Notes

    Pro Tips

    1. Brining is optional but recommended. If you brine, rinse carefully after and do not add any more salt.
    2. Try to get approximately the same size and thickness of chicken breasts. If one is significantly thicker, flatten it out some with a meat mallet or bottom of a heavy pan.
    3. As with all grilled chicken, you need to get the surface temperature correct, or you will have poor results.
    4. Use the Italian season you want, or I have included a recommended homemade version.
    5. Grill to 165°, and be sure to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
    6. Serve with salad or pasta.

    To adjust the recipe size:

    You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.

    Nutrition Estimate

    Nutrition Facts
    Italian Grilled Chicken Breasts
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 331 Calories from Fat 153
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 17g26%
    Saturated Fat 2g10%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
    Monounsaturated Fat 11g
    Cholesterol 140mg47%
    Sodium 1119mg47%
    Protein 48g96%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Serving size is my estimate of a normal size unless stated otherwise. The number of servings per recipe is stated above. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
    Course : Main Course
    Cuisine : Italian

    © 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.

    Editor's Note: Originally Published July 16, 2010. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.

    Molly

    More Chicken Breast Recipes

    • Super Moist Grilled Reversed Seared Chicken Breast with Marinade
    • Pan Seared Oven Baked Chicken Breasts
    • Grilled Chicken Marinade with Lemon, Garlic, and Butter
    • Waldorf Chicken Salad

    Reader Interactions

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    1. Jane Leaf

      April 22, 2020 at 6:36 am

      5 stars
      I added a clove of crushed garlic, my husband loved it.

      Reply
    2. Anita

      April 20, 2019 at 7:42 am

      The grilling time seems o be a little long for just 2 boneless breasts, especially at 450* over direct heat. Won’t they burn and dry out?

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        April 20, 2019 at 11:08 am

        Hi Anita,r
        Welcome to the blog.

        That is about the right cooking time if your grill surface temperature is 450. But there are a lot of variables. Total size and thickness of the breast. The starting temperature of the meat etc. So as always, cook to a final internal temperature of the thickest part of the meat. Never cook by time alone.

        If you have smaller/thinner breasts or if you flatten the breast some, that time will decrease by 5 minutes or more.

        Dan

    3. Ruby Holbert

      February 13, 2014 at 9:02 pm

      We purchased this Italian Brand Bruchetta flavor boneless skinless chicken breast from a salesperson that came to our neighborhood in Pearland, Texas several months ago. We really loved it and all the other meat products we bought. He has not been back. We do not have a phone number or address to contact him. Please let us now where we can contact someone to purchase more meat products as soon as possible.

      Thanks

      Reply
      • DrDan

        February 16, 2014 at 6:59 pm

        No clue... But try this recipe and make your own.
        DrDan

    4. Dr Dan

      July 17, 2010 at 11:02 am

      Really almost any spice recipe works. Just know your grills hot spots and avoid them or turn the heat down and take a little longer

      Reply
    5. Sage

      July 17, 2010 at 10:22 am

      This looks really good.Wonder if I would used my fresh herbs to make this juicy recipe.
      Rita

      Reply
    6. Dr Dan

      July 16, 2010 at 10:14 pm

      I remember using it 20 years ago but I much prefer the make your own method if possible for most recipes.
      I'm working on a Jerk recipe and I think I will wimp and reach for the jar. Way more work than I want to do but Italian was simple.

      Reply
    7. Chris

      July 16, 2010 at 9:49 pm

      Laugh if you want, but bottled Italian dressing was the first chicken marinade when my buddies and I were 18/19 learning to cook on our own.

      But taking your approach is much more tailored to personal tastes! Then again, I didn't have such a nice grill back then either:)

      Reply

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