A medium-thick chicken breast (2 cm) takes 5–6 minutes per side, or 10–12 minutes total, on a grill over medium-high heat. It is ready when its internal temperature reaches 74°C / 165°F.
Why does chicken breast dry out easily?
Chicken breast is a very lean muscle, so it loses moisture quickly when overcooked on the grill and becomes stringy and dry. Even a few extra minutes can make a difference. Checking the temperature with a thermometer is much more reliable than estimating by sight.
Does pounding the chicken change the cooking time?
Pounding a chicken breast to an even thickness shortens the cooking time and, more importantly, helps it cook evenly. An unpounded breast may dry out at the thin end while the thick end is still raw. A pounded breast may be ready on the grill in 7–9 minutes.
Does marinating affect the cooking time?
Marinating does not change the cooking time, but it can increase the meat's ability to retain moisture and help protect it from drying out. Chicken breast marinated for at least 30 minutes, or ideally 2–4 hours, stays juicier on the grill.
Does bone-in chicken breast take the same amount of time?
Bone-in, skin-on chicken breast takes much longer than boneless chicken breast. It needs 25–30 minutes over indirect heat on the grill because the bone slows heat transfer and the meat is thicker.
How should you set the grill temperature?
Very high heat can char the outside while leaving the inside raw. Medium-high heat, around 200–220°C / 390–430°F, helps brown the outside while cooking the inside evenly. Chicken placed directly over the flame can burn in 2–3 minutes.
Does the chicken need to rest?
Let grilled chicken breast rest for 5 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices inside the meat to redistribute. Chicken sliced immediately may lose its juices onto the plate and seem drier.
Can frozen chicken breast go directly on the grill?
Grilling frozen chicken breast directly can create a high risk of burning the outside while the inside remains raw. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before grilling. Thawed chicken breast cooks in the usual 10–12 minutes.
Does pan-cooking follow the same rule?
Chicken breast cooked in a covered pan should still reach the same internal temperature target (74°C / 165°F), but it may take a little less time. Cooking it over medium heat with the lid on usually takes 8–10 minutes because heat is distributed more evenly than on a grill.
Does a sugary marinade affect the cooking time?
Chicken marinated with honey or grape molasses browns faster on the grill because of its high sugar content. To keep the outside from burning, lower the heat slightly and extend the cooking time by 2–3 minutes. Sugar-free marinades carry much less risk of this happening.
Does chicken thigh take the same amount of time?
Boneless chicken thigh takes slightly longer to cook than chicken breast because its muscle is denser. It usually takes 12–14 minutes on the grill. Thigh meat has more fat than breast meat, which makes it somewhat more resistant to drying out.