Until I made this recipe, I didn’t think that juicy boneless chicken breasts on the grill were possible. I had tried all sorts of marinades and brines and tricks. They helped, but it was never quite what I wanted. But this grilled breaded chicken breast? This is exactly what I want.
It was years ago that I saw a recipe for grilled breaded pork chops. Or at least I think it was a pork chops. It’s been a while. 🙂 Before I saw that recipe it hadn’t occurred to me that you could bread meat and grill it and not burn it or have the breading fall off into the grates of the grill.
It turns out all you need is a very simple and light breading along with a very thin piece of meat. Once I knew that, I knew also I needed to try grilled breaded chicken. Because a juicy, simple grilled chicken breast recipe? That was something I needed and didn’t have in my life.
I do remember, however, where I saw my inspiration for the salad. It was a recipe in The New Basics. This is a cookbook which formed the basis of a lot of my cooking, and was the one I turned to first for many years.
I have no doubt any number of recipes I make have a little germ of an idea from it, even if I usually don’t remember exactly where I got that idea. It’s hard to think back to those dark times when all tomatoes came wrapped in cellophane and there were three types of cheese in the cheese case. The New Basics was part of the wave of bringing fresh and diverse foods to the American palette.
Anyway, they served a tomato salad with breaded chicken. (Not grilled though, shallow fried!) I also remember that the tomato salad had an incredible, amazing, huge amount of olive oil. 2 cups! Wow. I will admit I never made the recipe exactly to the cookbook. I couldn’t do it, but I did love having a garlicy tomato salad with chicken breast and have kept that idea over the years.
All together, salad and chicken, this recipe is one of my 20 minute meals. Even with heating up the grill, the breaded chicken takes mere minutes to cook through, so in 20 minutes you can have dinner ready! If I’m keeping my carbs low, I like to add some simple steamed broccoli or green beans along side. Or, if I’m throwing carbs to the wind, a crusty bread is great for soaking up the salad dressing. Either way, it’s a great, quick meal!
One note: I do find that dry bread crumbs work better in this recipe than fresh. I’ve done it with fresh and they can get soggy and slip off the chicken as you’re cooking, which defeats the purpose of the bread crumbs. They can’t protect chicken and help keep it juicy if they aren’t there! Also, if your cutlets are really thin, then, with a good and hot grill, you will only need a minute or maybe a titch more on the second side.
– Happy Eating, Annemarie
Tender and Juicy Grilled Breaded Chicken Breast
Ingredients
Breaded Chicken
- 1 lb thin sliced boneless chicken breast
- 1 1/2 cups dry bread crumbs
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Tomato Salad
- 4 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Begin heating the grill. For a gas grill, heat it for 15 minutes with all burners on high.
- Lay out the chicken breast pieces on a cutting board and pound each of them to 1/4 - 1/2 inch thickness. They don't have to be perfectly even in thickness, but make sure they aren't any thicker than 1/2 inch.
- Get out two shallow bowls and a tray for holding the raw, breaded chicken. Put the breadcrumbs and salt into one bowl and put the olive oil into the other bowl. Dip a chicken breast cutlet into the olive oil to coat it all over. Lift it out and let much of oil drip off until you have a fairly thin coat. Move the chicken to the bread crumbs and press them in so they adhere well, then lay the chicken on the tray.
- Once all the chicken has been breaded, make the tomato salad. Put the tomatoes and scallions in a medium bowl. Whisk together the garlic, salt, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Toss the tomatoes with the dressing.
- Grill the chicken on high (gas grill) with the lid open, 2 minutes on each side. Serve the chicken with the tomato salad.
Notes
- Olive Oil: Remember that much of the olive oil when coating the chicken for the breading drips back off before you put the chicken in the bread crumbs. You won't need 1/3 cup, but having significantly more than you need helps to coat the chicken evenly. And save the extra virgin for the salad. A nice, basic pure olive oil is great for the breading.
- Timing for Thin Chicken Pieces: For extra thin chicken - where they are at most 1/4 inch thick - grill them for 1-1 1/2 minutes only on the second side.
Jen says
This is my favorite recipe in ages! Thank you. I making it tonight and it’s pouring buckets outside. What would the modification before the oven?
justalittlebitofbacon says
I’m glad you love the recipe and I’m sorry I couldn’t answer your question in time! I was away at a family event this weekend and I’m just getting back into things now. As for your question, I would replicate the high heat of the grill when cooking inside – either use the broiler with the chicken on a rack (a few minutes, turn, a few minutes more) or use a skillet on high heat and sear on both sides. Or grill pan if you have one – same idea as the skillet.
Sean says
This is exactly what I was looking for! Thanks for the recipe.
justalittlebitofbacon says
You’re welcome, Sean!
Paula says
Where does the bacon come in please?
justalittlebitofbacon says
It doesn’t! 🙂 While I do use bacon in some recipes, please don’t take the bacon literally. Bacon is metaphor for treats and things we should have occasionally, not for every meal or every recipe. (just a little bit!)
Eddie says
I can see adding some mozzarella half-way through (after you turn it the first time) for some really good chicken parm! Just add some heated marinara from your stove top and lay over a bed of some angel hair pasta.
justalittlebitofbacon says
You certainly could, provided that the mozzarella melts before your chicken is overcooked. I think shredded mozzarella would be best. 🙂
Irene says
not a good idea to reuse the olive oil that drips off of the chicken. Will contain chicken bacteria.
justalittlebitofbacon says
Of course not!!! No one should ever reuse oil or marinade which has been touching raw chicken. (Unless you are using it to cook that chicken, of course. 🙂 ) As directed in the recipe, use a second 1/3 cup of olive oil for the salad.
Joan B says
I’m with you, don’t reuse olive oil that raw chicken has been dipped in!
justalittlebitofbacon says
Hmmm. After your comment I’m wondering if I need to make it more clear in the recipe that the remaining oil for the breading gets tossed? Because of course it does.
Marge Currier a.k.a. MOM says
Hi,
I plan to give this recipe to the Grill Master a.k.a. Dad. Great photos!
Love,
Marge a.k.a. Mom
justalittlebitofbacon says
Thanks mom. 🙂 I know you both loved this when I made it for you a few months ago.
Sandi says
This is a gorgeous chicken dish. I can’t wait to give it a try this week.
justalittlebitofbacon says
Thanks! 🙂
Sara says
Your photos are gorgeous! I can’t wait to try your recipe!
justalittlebitofbacon says
Thank you! They are a favorite here.
Peter says
I make breaded chicken breasts all the time. So I know these look really well executed. The breading is light and I really like the marks you got.
justalittlebitofbacon says
Thanks! There is nothing like practice to make perfect. 🙂
Tina Dawson says
Did you just combine breaded chicken with grilled chicken??? The best of both worlds!!! Yumm-mieee!
justalittlebitofbacon says
Yep! Totally the best of both worlds. It’s always a hit whenever I make it. 🙂
Jackie Garvin says
I’ve never considered breading meat before grilling, but I’m all for keeping it juicy and tender. Great tip!
justalittlebitofbacon says
Thanks! It’s my favorite technique for grilling chicken breast.