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All-Star Grilled Chicken

Classic grilled chicken made with an easy marinade for juicy, balanced flavor. Grilled to 165°F with a simple rest time for clean slices and perfect grill marks.
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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: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken marinade
  • 2.5 lb chicken pieces
  • 0.3333 cup olive oil
  • 0.25 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 4 garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp paprika

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the marinade
  1. Whisk the olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, brown sugar, black pepper, and paprika together until smooth and evenly combined, about 1 minute. Visual cue: the mixture looks uniform with no brown sugar clumps.
Marinate the chicken
  1. Place the chicken pieces in a sealed container or zip-top bag and pour in the marinade, turning to coat all sides. Visual cue: every piece has a thin, glossy coating.
  2. Refrigerate the chicken to marinate for 2 to 8 hours. Visual cue: the chicken looks slightly darker and more infused after time in the fridge.
Grill the chicken
  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat before cooking. Visual cue: grill grates are hot and ready, with steady heat at the surface.
  2. Grill the marinated chicken, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Visual cue: juices run clear and you see browned grill marks as you turn.
Rest and serve
  1. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Visual cue: it looks settled and less steaming right after resting.

Notes

For best flavor, keep the chicken in a single layer while marinating if possible. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days; freeze cooked chicken up to 2 months. If you want a lighter option, use low-sodium soy sauce and reduce the brown sugar to 1 tbsp while keeping everything else the same.