You should know that there is much significance in me sharing that this Best Grilled Chicken is my favorite summer food. After all, do you know how many great summer foods there are to compete with this chicken?
There’s cold watermelon. There are strawberries, which can be made into this amazing Strawberry Cheesecake Parfait. There’s fresh corn on the cob (hello, I’m from Nebraska). There are peaches and nectarines. There’s asparagus and okra (sure I’m weird, but these actually are summer favorites of mine).
I guess the best news is that all of the above mentioned summer food choices can be served with The Simplest and Best Grilled Chicken, creating the best meal on the planet, amen and amen. (By the way, remember how our grill was broken? My genius husband was able to fix it. I am so very thankful!)
What I love about grilling is that all I have to do is throw out some simple fruit and veggie side dishes to complete the meal. Anything goes with this chicken. Any veggie. Any salad. Any kind of potato, pasta, or rice. Any fruit.
And even better: You can make it with any sauce you like!
Great Sauce and Dressing Ideas to Marinate The Simplest and Best Grilled Chicken
If your time is limited, you can do what I’ve been doing lately and buy a few sauces pre-made to have on hand for Simple Recipes like this. Homemade sauces are awesome, but as I’ve shared, right now I’ve got to pare back to keep my schedule a little lighter. So I’m not making everything from scratch right now (and I’m smiling more often).
I do read the labels (no high fructose corn syrup or other nasty ingredients allowed!). I am searching for good prices. But I’m appreciating the ease of opening a bottle and dumping it on chicken to marinate for our dinner. Sooooo simple!!!!
Do you see how easy it is to make real food for your family? And do you see how delicious real food tastes? (Wait. Can you see how food tastes? Who even wrote that sentence??)
Lemme just say this: If you’re afraid of real food and the word “healthy” makes you cringe and think of sprouted beans and tofu (I cringe at those too!), let go of the fear and make yourself some of this chicken with a slice of watermelon and some steamed green beans on the side. It’s as easy as that and you will learn that real food is the best thing you ever ate!
My Best Chicken Tip
I’ve shared this before, but let me share again that the secret to making perfect chicken on the grill is to use boneless chicken thighs instead of boneless chicken breasts. Breasts get dry quickly. Thighs retain juiciness and the flavor is unbeatable.
Bonus
Boneless chicken thighs are usually less expensive than chicken breasts. Who knew?
Simple Grilled Chicken
- 2-3 pounds boneless chicken thighs
- 2 cups of your favorite marinade (bbq, teriyaki, Italian dressing, etc.)
- Place chicken in a single layer in a 9x13 inch dish.
- Spread dressing or sauce over the top.
- Cover and allow chicken to marinate until grill time or for at least two hours (overnight is fine!)
- Grill marinated chicken on low heat for 20-25 minutes, watching to be sure chicken is cooked evenly on both sides.
What are your favorite summer foods?
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Lilla Rose is having a Summer Sale Thursday–Saturday – FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $50! (Must select “Free Shipping” at checkout.
This sale can also be combined with the monthly special for July. (One free bobby pin with a $40 purchase, and two free bobbies with a $50 purchase!) So yes, with just a $50 order, you can get both free shipping AND two free super-strong bobby pins that will NOT slip out of even super-fine hair.
So many lovely styles to choose from! Plus there are beautiful new natural hair sticks and cute new summery U-Pins, such a ladybugs, sand dollars, sea turtles, and flip flops!
Sale runs Thursday, July 13th, 2017 at 7am Pacific, through Saturday, July 15th at midnight Pacific. This is a sale you won’t want to miss!
Yes to grilled chicken. Grilled dinners, in general! My husband resisted buying a gas grill for years until I found a deal too good to resist. Now that he sees how quickly we can get a tasty meal on the table on a busy weekend or after a long day of work, he says he feels foolish for poo-pooing it for so long.
Our grill has a side burner where I can cook a hot veggie in a pot. I’m also a big fan of using foil packets to grill potatoes, sweet potatoes, or warm a loaf of bread. An entire meal – hot off the grill without heating up the house and dirtying excessive amounts of dishes. Win!!
I wanted to add that I buy the family packs of chicken thighs when they’re at a good price and portion them out into freezer containers. I pour my marinade in with them. I take out a frozen container in the morning and it marinades as it thaws – ready to throw on the grill when we’re home from work. I make sure to label what kind of marinade I used (Mexican, Italian, Asian, etc.) so I can plan the right accompaniments.
And then use leftovers (we actually make a breast or two more) for sandwiches, salads and wraps the next day!!! So win for dinner- win for lunch!! Yay!!
Grilled chicken is sooo my favorite summer food! I found leg quarters for .29/lb. So now I have a stocked freezer for all summer! I prefer bone-in, so I par boil it first to reduce fat and grill time.
Anyone cook these ahead of time… either early in morning or night before a party? Wondering if you have tips on this? Having a grad party and wanted to avoid cooking during party
YES! I’d do it a few hours ahead of time, then keep them warm in a crock pot with a tiny bit of water at the bottom.