How to Grill Juicy, Flavorful Boneless Chicken Breasts on a Gas Grill

Grilling boneless, skinless chicken breasts on a gas grill can seem intimidating. Without the bone and skin it’s easy to end up with dry, overcooked chicken. However with the right techniques, you can produce incredibly moist, delicious chicken breasts off the grill every time.

In this article, I’ll walk you through the entire process of grilling boneless chicken breasts on a gas grill, from preparation to cooking to determining doneness. Follow these tips and you’ll be serving up tender, juicy grilled chicken in no time.

Getting Started: Equipment and Ingredients

Equipment needed

• Gas grill
• Tongs
• Instant read thermometer

Ingredients:

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2-3 breasts per person)
• Olive oil or vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper or dry seasoning rub
• Optional: chicken marinade like Italian dressing or BBQ sauce

I recommend using chicken breasts of a similar thickness so they’ll cook evenly. Boneless chicken breast fillets tend to be pretty uniform in size.

Prep the Chicken

Proper prep is crucial for grilled chicken that’s juicy, not dry. Here are the key steps:

• Remove extra fat and rinse the chicken. Cut away any extra fat or sinew with a sharp knife. Rinse the chicken and pat very dry with paper towels. It will brown better on the grill if you make the surface as dry as possible.

• Apply a light coat of oil: Lightly brush both sides of the chicken breasts with oil. This helps prevent sticking to the grill grates.

• Rub the chicken with salt, pepper, and any other dry spices that you like. Do this on both sides. I like using a smoked paprika rub. You can also marinate the chicken to make it taste even better if you want to.

• Let it come to room temp: Allow the chicken to sit at room temperature while you preheat the grill. Bringing it to room temp helps it cook evenly.

• Get organized: Place seasoned chicken breasts side by side on a baking sheet or plate so they’re ready to put on the hot grill.

Fire Up the Grill

For boneless chicken breasts to sear properly, the grill needs to be hot and well preheated. Here’s how:

• Get the grates ready. Use a grill brush to clean the grates well and get rid of any dirt or debris. Use a wadded-up paper towel dipped in vegetable oil to grease the grates. This prevents sticking.

• Preheat to medium-high: Turn all burners to medium-high. Close the lid and preheat for 10-15 minutes. You want the temperature around 400°F.

• Create direct and indirect heat zones: Leave one burner on medium-high. Turn the other burner(s) down to medium or medium low to establish indirect cooking zones.

Grill the Chicken

Now it’s finally time to get that chicken on the grill! Follow these steps closely:

• Sear over direct heat: Place chicken breasts over the direct heat zone. Sear for 4-5 minutes per side until nicely browned.

• Move to indirect heat: Move chicken to indirect heat and grill with the lid closed for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through. This gently finishes cooking the chicken.

• Rotate as needed: If any breasts seem to be cooking faster, rotate their position on the grill to prevent burning or overcooking.

Check for Doneness

With boneless chicken breasts, it’s essential to properly check for doneness so they aren’t undercooked. Here’s how:

• Use an instant read thermometer: Insert the probe into the thickest part of a breast. Chicken is safe to eat once it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

• Account for carryover cooking: Even after you pull it off the grill, the temperature will continue rising around 5-10° more degrees. So I recommend removing chicken from the grill when it reaches 155-160°F.

• Cut into a breast: Visually check the inside of a breast to ensure no pink remains. Chicken breast meat should be white throughout when fully cooked.

• Let it rest: Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving. This allows juices to redistribute evenly.

If the chicken isn’t quite done, simply place back over indirect heat for a few more minutes until thoroughly cooked. Now slice, dice, or chop the chicken as desired and get ready to enjoy your juicy grilled chicken!

Helpful Tips and Tricks

Grilling boneless chicken breasts does take some practice. Keep these tips in mind:

• Monitor the grill temperature closely and make adjustments as needed. Lower heat means longer cook times.

• Resist the urge to move chicken breasts too often. Let them get nice sear marks.

• Rotate chicken breasts as they cook if some pieces seem to cook faster.

• Always use tongs rather than a fork for turning. Tongs don’t pierce the meat, helping retain juices.

• Let chicken rest before slicing into it for serving. This locks in the moisture.

• Brush chicken with BBQ sauce or other glaze during the last few minutes only if desired. Too early can cause burning.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

It’s easy to go wrong with boneless chicken breasts on the grill. Here are some key mistakes to avoid:

• Not drying the chicken surface thoroughly before oiling. Moisture causes sticking to the grates.

• Skipping the step of oiling the grates. Chicken will likely stick without oil on the grates.

• Rushing and not fully preheating the grill before adding chicken. This prevents proper searing.

• Cooking chicken over direct high heat the entire time. Leads to burning the outside before inside cooks.

• Moving the chicken breasts around too much on the grill. Better to let them cook undisturbed.

• Overcooking and drying out the chicken. Carefully monitor thickness and internal temp.

• Not allowing chicken to rest before slicing and serving. Resting locks in juices.

Alternate Cooking Methods

While the grill is ideal, you can also cook boneless chicken breasts using these alternate methods:

• Pan sear: Get a heavy skillet very hot over high heat with a bit of oil. Sear chicken 2-3 minutes per side until browned. Finish cooking in a 400°F oven.

• Bake: Arrange chicken on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 15-18 minutes until internal temp reaches 165°F.

• Poach: Gently simmer chicken breasts in broth or water mixed with aromatics like garlic, herbs, lemon, etc. Cook until internal temp hits 165°F.

• Air fry: Mist chicken with oil and cook at 400°F for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway. Check internal temp to ensure doneness.

• Broil: Place chicken on a broiler pan coated with oil. Broil 5-6 inches from heat for 9-12 minutes total, flipping halfway through.

• Slow cook: Add chicken to a slow cooker with broth, salsa, or other sauce. Cook on low for 4-6 hours until very tender.

Serving Suggestions

Juicy grilled chicken breasts pair well with all sorts of flavors. Consider serving your chicken:

• Chopped or sliced in a salad like chef, Caesar, Cobb, or Greek salad

• Added to kebabs or skewers along with veggies and either steak or shrimp

• In sandwiches or wraps like chicken bacon ranch, buffalo chicken, or chicken pesto

• Diced and added to pasta, rice bowls, fajitas, stir fries, or casseroles

• Sliced on top of pizza, nachos, baked potatoes, or flatbread as a topping

• Shredded and used in chicken salad, enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas or barbecue sliders

However you choose to use it, properly grilled boneless chicken breast is endlessly versatile. Enjoy experimenting with all the possibilities for this lean protein. With the right techniques, you’ll have delicious and healthy grilled chicken anytime.