This Balsamic Grilled Chicken Recipe is perfect for summer grilling. Paleo, gluten free, and easy to make – you’ll love this healthy marinade! This honey balsamic chicken is seriously the best!
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Click here to read my policy and more about affiliate links.
If you’re looking for the easiest, and most delicious chicken marinade ever – look no further. This Balsamic Grilled Chicken is a staple in our house and so simple!
Something I’ve learned over the years is that you don’t need to have tons of ingredients to make a delicious dish – you just have to have a few really good quality ingredients that pair together the right way.
This balsamic grilled chicken recipe only has 6 ingredients (including the chicken) and takes minimal time to prepare. It’s yummy and simple!
This is one of my all time favorite grilling recipes, so it was a must for sharing in my grilling series(have you seen the other recipes we’ve shared?? Check them out: Greek Chicken Kabobs Recipe, Vegetable Kebabs, Citrus Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Asian Salmon, Burger Salad with Dill Pickle Vinaigrette )
If you’re looking for other grilling recipes – check out this BBQ Chicken or these 25 Healthy Grilling Recipes!
Let me show you just how easy it is to make!
Ingredients for Balsamic Grilled Chicken Marinade:
To make balsamic chicken breasts you’ll need:
- chicken breasts
- olive oil
- balsamic vinegar
- honey
- thyme
- pepper, garlic powder
Once you have your ingredients, you’re ready to go!
How to make honey balsamic grilled chicken:
Making balsamic grilled chicken is SO easy.. ready for this?
- Gather your ingredients
- Whisk together your balsamic vinegar marinade
- Let the chicken marinate annnnd GRILL!
15-20 minutes later and you’ll have perfect grilled chicken that is LOADED with flavor! You can eat it with veggies, on a salad, on a sandwich.. the possibilities are endless!
How to grill chicken:
We recommend grilling chicken on medium to high heat around 375 degrees. Depending on the thickness of your chicken you’ll need about 7-9 minutes on each side.
How do you know if your chicken is done? You can check the internal temperature of chicken to make sure it’s cooked thoroughly, it should be at 165!
Can you cook this chicken on the stove? Yes! You can pan sear the chicken for 7-8 minutes on each side.
Can you bake this chicken in the oven? Yes you can! Bake the chicken on a lined baking sheet at 400 for 20-25 minutes.
Can you cook this in the instant pot? We wouldn’t recommend it, but you can cook it for 11 minutes on sealing, pressure cook.
Can you make this chicken ahead of time? Absolutely! This chicken is great for prepping ahead of time. Grill or bake and store in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.
Substitutions for this easy balsamic chicken recipe:
Here are some ways you can adjust this balsamic grilled chicken recipe depending on what you have.
To make Whole30– omit honey
Herbs – You can sub in chopped basil or rosemary instead of thyme
Balsamic Vinegar – Try using infused balsamic vinegar for even more flavor. We don’t recommend using balsamic reduction, but if you do you can use 1/2 the amount. Balsamic reductions have higher sugar content and can cause your chicken to burn.
Baking in oven – You can bake the chicken in the oven at 400 for 20-25 minutes if you don’t have a grill.
Chicken– You can use chicken thighs or chicken tenders instead of boneless skinless chicken breasts. This easy balsamic chicken marinade would also be good on a drumsticks or wings!
Other protein – You can use this marinade on salmon or even flank steak! It will also work on veggies.
Tips for best balsamic grilled chicken:
There is a lot to love about this boneless chicken breast recipe. It’s one of our favorite proteins for a healthy dinner because it’s:
- Cut if pieces are too large – Some of the chicken breasts I see at the stores are enormous and super thick. You can butterfly them and cut them into smaller pieces to avoid getting tough, oversized chicken pieces. (I buy my chicken from ButcherBox and never have this problem. The chicken is always normal sized and super tender!) Either way, butterflying the chicken helps to ensure you have even thin pieces.
- Pound/Tenderize– Ever had chicken that is way too bouncy or rubbery? Yuck! The easiest way to prevent that is to tenderize your chicken with a meat tenderizer. Put your chicken in between parchment paper or saran wrap and pound the chicken until it is thinner.
- Marinate – Make sure you marinate your chicken! It’s SO important for extra flavor. 30 minutes will do but 1-3 hours is even better (or even 24 hours!)
Storing Balsamic Chicken
Storing: You can keep this balsamic grilled chicken in the refrigerator for up to 5 days – it’s great for meal prep!
Freezing: We wouldn’t recommend freezing this grilled chicken. Reheating frozen chicken can make it bouncy and unappetizing.
Reheating: If you are going to reheat the leftover chicken, we recommend putting it in the toaster oven or in a pan on the stove rather than microwaving it.
What to serve with this balsamic grilled chicken:
- Our favorite way to serve this is with a balsamic grilled chicken salad. Any greens, fruit, cheese or nuts will be good
- Strawberry Avocado Goat Cheese Salad
- Balsamic Mushrooms
- Vegetable Kebabs
- Crispy Dijon Roasted Potatoes
- Healthy Green Beans Almondine
- Healthy Lemon Basil Risotto
Other healthy grilling recipes:
Looking for other grilling recipes? Check out these 40+ Healthy Grilling Recipes. Click here to grab our free healthy grilling cookbook.
Balsamic Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Whisk together olive oil, balsamic, honey and fresh thyme.
- Pour marinade into a ziploc bag or container.
- Add chicken to marinade and allow it to marinade for at least 30 minutes. (Overnight is best!)
- When ready to cook, heat grill on high and cook on each side for 7-9 minutes or until chicken is cooked thoroughly (internal temp should be 165)
Video
Notes
- To make Whole30– omit honey
- Herbs – You can sub in chopped basil or rosemary instead of thyme
- Balsamic Vinegar – Try using infused balsamic vinegars for even more flavor
- Baking in oven – You can bake the chicken in the oven at 400 for 20-25 minutes if you don’t have a grill.
Emily says
Oh my gosh this looks so good! I will happily eat chicken all day every day. This recipe will help me mix it up lol
The Clean Eating Couple says
Same here! We have it almost every day. Love trying new marinades to keep it fun!
Lita Watson says
Should we check the chicken by using meat thermometers to make sure that chicken is cooked thoroughly? I think it’s necessary to avoid poison from uncooked chicken.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Lita, If using a thermometer makes you feel more comfortable then you definitely can do that. I don’t use a meat thermometer when grilling chicken. The pieces are very thin and quickly cook through the center.
Brie @ Lean, Clean, & Brie says
this is sooo perfect! I have been counting down the days until grilling season was here and now it finally is and I cannot wait to make this recipe!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you!! I’m so excited summer grilling season is FINALLY here!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you!! It was SO fun to collaborate together on so many delish recipes!!
Robin says
One of my favorite recipes for grilling! such an easy + simple dinner!
The Clean Eating Couple says
That makes me so happy to hear, Robin!
Ashley says
LOVED this chicken! I put some peppers and onions in with it and everything blended together so well. I also made the balsamic mushrooms to go with this—talk about an easy, delicious, quick, and filling dinner! The flavors came together so well, and I’ve now got lunch and dinner for a few days 🙂
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much, Ashley! That sounds amazing!!
Vicky O. says
I really enjoyed this! I cooked on a grill-cast-iron pan over medium-high heat, and the chicken came out with so much flavor! I paired with the Traditional Greek Salad recipe from this site and both complimented each other very well. Looking forward to making this again!
Heather says
Super easy and yummy! Kids and hubby loved it!