These grilled chicken breasts make a simple main dish, and you can make them on the stovetop with a grill pan. They also make a great make-ahead food prep option to eat from all week.
In this recipe, I am using this grill pan. (Amazon affiliate) You can also use a cast iron skillet if you have one. I mean, would you ever guess this plate of yumminess never touched an actual grill? 😍👌🏻
How to Season Grilled Chicken Breasts
In this recipe I am using a simple combinations of garlic powder, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. This is my go-to seasoning for chicken breasts because it is simple, versatile and delicious!
I usually don’t measure when I make grilled chicken breasts.😎🤷🏼♀️ But, no worries friends! I did measure for the sake of writing out this recipe for you guys. That being said, feel free to make it your own!
For examples of variations, I love to use fresh herbs and fresh garlic. Or I’ll change it up and add some cumin to give it a Tex Mex flare.
I change up the herbs sometimes too! Rosemary and thyme are a great combination as well. And I have tons of both growing in my backyard. 🤓
But honestly most days I just need something quick. So I made this with dried herbs to keep things simple and easy. 💁🏼♀️
Also, salt and pepper to your taste, but I do so pretty liberally. Chicken breast is pretty much a blank slate (bland by itself), so I salt and pepper generously.
Recipe Ideas for Make Ahead Chicken Breasts
Most of the time, we enjoy these with a couple of simple sides, like Instant Pot sweet potatoes and roasted vegetables.
When I make grilled chicken breasts for dinner, though, I always make extra. Why, you might ask? The leftovers make a great staple that you can use in so many different recipes. Like this Greek chicken pasta.
Or my Greek salad with grilled chicken, inspired by the one at Zoe’s Kitchen.
Or my chicken BLT salad.
You can use these in casseroles too, like my chicken tetrazzini.
The possibilities are endless!
Case and point: grilled chicken breasts are a great food prep option to have in your bag of tricks. And you don’t need a fancy grill to make them!
These are one of the most loved recipes for my audience. On top of that, I make these myself allllll the time. It is such a useful and versatile recipe. I hope y’all enjoy them as much as we have.
Tools Used to Make Grilled Chicken on the Stovetop
Note: These are Amazon affiliate links, which support this site at no extra cost to you.
Grilled Chicken Breasts Recipe
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Grilled Chicken Breasts - Easy Grill Pan Method
Today I am showing you how to make grilled chicken breasts on the stovetop with a grill pan. This has been one of the most popular recipes.
Ingredients
- 3 Raw boneless skinless chicken breasts (mine were around 7.5 ounces each)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Dried oregano - about 1/8 teaspoon per chicken breast
- Dried basil - about 1/8 teaspoon per chicken breast
- Granulated Garlic - about 1/4 teaspoon per chicken breast
- Cooking spray or oil of your choice (high smoke point oil like avocado, coconut or even canola is best)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Add seasonings to both sides of the raw chicken breasts.
Spray indoor grill pan with cooking spray, and preheat on the stovetop over medium high heat for about one minute.
Place the chicken breasts on the hot grill pan.
Cook on the first side for about 4 minutes, and turn the chicken breasts over on the other side.
Cook on the second side for about two minutes, and then place the grill pan into the preheated oven. (Note: you can transfer to any other baking dish if you need to. For example, if your grill pan won't fit in your small oven)
Cook in the oven for about 20 minutes, until chicken is cooked all the way through.
Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Recipe Notes
Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.
Smaller chicken breasts may require less oven time.
Note: This post originally appeared on A Pinch of Healthy October 17, 2014.
Mandy says
I made this tonight for dinner. I made it exactly as it says (I finished baking it in the grill pan in the oven). Im a vegetarian and I get worried about cooking the chicken through and I dont know how to fire up the outdoor grill…so this worked great and my kids Loved it!! I served it with brown rice and steamed veggies.
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yay! So glad y’all enjoyed it💖👏🏻
uneek_mo says
I don’t think I’ve ever commented on a blog about a recipe, but I had to on this one. Tried this last night, and the chicken was SO JUICY! Got to use my new cast iron pan from QVC to grill, then transferred to a casserole dish to bake in oven. Followed exact times to grill & bake and chicken came out perfect! Thanks!!!
Marjorie@APinchOfHealthy says
Amazing! So happy to hear that it turned out well. That is one of our family favorites, and we make it often. Thank you for taking the time to leave that feedback.💖
Dave Brown says
Y’all need to reformat your web page. The Link bar on the far left (Pinterest, Facebook, etc…) covers the text. Move the text to the right a little.
Marjorie@APinchOfHealthy says
Hi Dave! That is the share bar. There should be some blue arrows at the bottom of it. If you click on those, that bar goes away.
Marjorie@APinchOfHealthy says
Yes, you can transfer it to any other baking dish. I do that when I make a big batch, and it’s too much chicken to fit on the grill pan. Thanks for the comment! I will update the notes in case anybody else has the same question.
Ruth says
Great recipe and super easy. My chicken breasts were ‘chicken tenders’ pieces, so I only baked it in the oven for 10 minutes and it was cooked perfectly. Thanks!
Marjorie@APinchOfHealthy says
I am so glad to hear that you liked the recipe Ruth! Thanks for letting me know how they turned out.
Nicole says
Do we have to bake it in the oven or can we just do it in the pan?
Marjorie@APinchOfHealthy says
Hi Nicole, I always bake it in the oven to make sure the chicken gets cooked all the way through the middle. If you do it only in the pan, you may have raw spots in your chicken (ick!). You could try it with a really thin piece of chicken (pounded out with a mallet, maybe), but I am not sure how that would turn out. Hope this answers your question!
Tracy says
This came out perfectly! Thanks so much for posting!!
Marjorie@APinchOfHealthy says
I am so happy to hear you enjoyed it Tracy! We make this a LOT at my house.
LRM says
Question: What is the best way to clean a nonstick heavy aluminum grill pan?
Marjorie@APinchOfHealthy says
Good question! I use a Scotch scrub sponge, along with some hot, soapy water. I am not sure if that is the “right” way to clean it, but that’s how I do it. It also helps if you let it soak a few minutes in hot soapy water to loosen up all of those bits before you start scrubbing. Hope this helps!
LRM says
The cleanup method I’ve been using works, but it takes a long time.
After using a nonstick-safe spatula to scrape off the loose pieces, I use a sprayer to rinse the pan off. My pan has sloped side that are about 1.5 inches deep. So it will hold some water with a little dishwasher detergent. I use a sponge designed for the George Foreman grill to scrub the pan, but that usually isn’t enough. Next step is to put more water in the pan, along with dishwasher detergent and sometimes baking soda. I boil that for about 20-30 minutes, let it cool and then sponge it off again and rinse with a sprayer. I use paper towels to check for residue inside the ridges. If there is a lot of stuff remaining, I put more water in the pan along with 1 or 2 dryer sheets and let it sit overnight. One more once-over with soapy water and the Foreman sponge usually does the trick.
It works, but as you can see, it’s a pain in the neck!
I think I have a scrubber sponge that’s safe for non-stick pans. (Is that what you mean by a “Scotch scrub sponge”?) Next time, I’ll try your method and hope that it works. Thanks.
Marjorie@APinchOfHealthy says
Yes, that sounds like quite an effort! Yes, Scotch is just the brand of sponge that I used. It is the mildest grit (not super coarse, as not to scratch the pan.)
Sarah says
A Google search for technique brought me here and I’m so happy it did! You have a new fan! And, this will be my feature for Memorial Day lunch tomorrow.
Marjorie@APinchOfHealthy says
Oh yay! I hope you enjoy it Sarah. 🙂
jerome says
Do you ever pound or flatten the chicken? Or butterfly it? Or does putting it in the oven account for it regardless, even if it’s a pretty thick chicken breast (say 2-3″ at the widest)?
Marjorie@APinchOfHealthy says
Good question Jerome! I have never flattened it or butterflied it. The oven does the trick with cooking the chicken all the way through.
jerome says
Thanks! I tried this out tonight and unfortunately ended up overcooking the chicken in the oven. It was a really thick cut so I was worried it wasn’t cooked all the way through and even checked the temp using a probe but I think my temp probe isn’t very accurate. It may very well have been done in 20 mins but I ended up putting it back in the oven for a total of 10 more minutes. I should probably invest in a nicer thermometer.
Marjorie@APinchOfHealthy says
Just try it a little less in the oven next time. 🙂
Zack Zane says
Really good recipe. I use cast iron skillet and the chicken comes out great . Thanks.
Marjorie@APinchOfHealthy says
I am so happy that you enjoyed it Zack! Thanks for the feedback. 🙂