the most perfect grilled chicken recipe

plus how to COOK RICE ON THE GRILL!

Jun 06, 2021

I still vividly remember the first time I lit a grill. I was 23 years old (yes, a child!), newly married, and freshly moved into my very first home as a married lady. We got a free grill on Craigslist (a move that we have replicated many times over the past several years, actually…) and got it set up in the backyard. I asked George to light it because… well, after years of growing up and hearing my mom ask my dad to light the grill, I frankly just assumed it was a really complicated, scary, or annoying process. George was busy, so I headed outside to investigate. And what would ya know… it was easy. So easy. All you had to do was hold down a button and turn a knob! This knowledge shook me. I had always loved cooking, but had so wrongfully assumed that grilling was hard! I quickly became obsessed with grilling. It’s so fast! You can cook so much at one time! It’s so… dare I say… empowering?!

Most importantly, grilling is the absolute easiest way to pull off a delicious home-cooked weeknight meal. I know it seems like a lot of effort if you aren’t a seasoned griller, but I assure you — turning on the grill is just as easy as turning on the oven, and things only get easier from there!

More grilled chicken?

I am thrilled that the Picky Chicky Sandos are sweeping the nation — but yes, more grilled chicken this week. I wanted to front load your summer with two grilled chicken recipes that I hope will become weeknight staples in your house like they have in mine. P.S. You cleaned your grill two weeks ago, right?! If not… read this before you grill!

Plus, we’re making rice on the GRILL

In a month or two, when all of our houses are swelteringly hot, you’re going to be very happy that I decided to figure out a way to cook rice on the grill. No need to heat up your houses by blasting the stove for 20 minutes — do it outside while you’re grilling dinner anyway! It’s also nice to cook everything in the same place at the same time.

Double whammy your sauce and marinade

One of my greatest grilling tricks for you: Double team your sauce and marinade.

If it’s a liquid-y marinade, you can marinate your meat in it first, then boil it for at least 5 minutes to make it safe to consume plus thickened up into a nice sauce.
If it’s a thick, dairy-based marinade like this one, just double the amount needed and use half as the marinade and save the other half for the sauce.

So what are we cooking this week?

Perfectly fluffy rice pilaf. When you think “pilaf” do you think “dry, weird rice casserole thing?” THINK AGAIN! We will be cooking rice to perfection, seasoning it so that it’s tangy and salty and fresh, then adding dried nuts and fruit to the mix for a bit of sweet chew and nutty crunch. AND WE ARE MAKING IT ON THE GRILL!

As the rice is cooking, we’ll also be grilling the most tender chicken in the entire world. The calcium and lactic acid in the yogurt break down and tenderize the chicken — seriously, the texture is out of this world.

Serve it all up with a dollop of yogurt sauce and dang — that’s an impressive feast.

yogurt-marinated grilled chicken with rice pilaf

Serves 4 to 6

Tools:

Silicone tongs
Grill brush
Meat thermometer
Large bowl
Cast iron skillet, dutch oven, or stainless steel pot

Chicken:

1 1/2 cups plain or Greek yogurt
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil (grapeseed, avocado, canola, or vegetable)

Rice Pilaf:

1 cup white rice
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Juice of 1 lemon
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 to 3 cups fresh spinach, torn (I don’t recommend frozen here)
1/2 cup raisins (or ANY dried fruit, chopped finely)
1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds (or ANY toasted nut)

In a large bowl, stir to combine 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt, the juice of 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Transfer half of the yogurt to a serving bowl and refrigerate it — this is your sauce.

If your chicken breasts seem very thick, cut them in half lengthwise, into two thinner planks.

To do this, place your hand atop the breast and press firmly down to hold it in place. Then, starting at the thick end of the breast, slice it in half.

Add 1 1/2 to 2 pounds chicken breasts or thighs to what’s left in the bowl of yogurt and toss to coat.

Marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature or for up to 6 hours in the refrigerator.

When you’re ready to grill:

Grilling is tricky for many people, so I’ve written this recipe with a lot of detail. If you are a confident griller, here’s the CliffsNotes version: Cook the pot of rice over indirect heat for 15 minutes. Cook the chicken over direct heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side.

Preheat your grill to 450°F with all burners on.

While the grill is heating up, prepare the rice. Add 1 cup of white rice (no — you don’t need to rinse it), 1 1/2 cups water, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, the juice of 1 lemon, and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt to a cast iron skillet, Dutch oven, or stainless steel pot. Cover the pot tightly with a lid or foil.

Place the rice skillet onto the grill — on the burner on the far right side — and turn that burner to low heat.

Set a timer for 15 minutes — that’s when we’ll check on the rice. Keep an eye on the grill — you want the temperature to stay around 450°F so you might need to play around with the knobs to keep it there.

Meanwhile, soak a wadded-up paper towel in 2 tablespoons cooking oil. When the rice has been cooking for 10 minutes, grab the oily wad with tongs, and rub it on the grill grates. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT STEP — DO NOT SKIP IT!

When the 15-minute timer goes off, carefully peel the rice’s foil back (there will be steam!!) and check rice for doneness. Cover and keep cooking (if needed) until the rice is plump, then remove the skillet from the grill.

Stir 2 to 3 cups torn spinach and 1/2 cup raisins (or other dried fruit) into the rice, then re-cover with the foil until dinnertime. Just before serving, sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds (or other chopped toasted nut) over top.

Now it’s time to cook the chicken on those grates you oiled. Cook the chicken breasts for about 4 minutes per side (if using chicken thighs, cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side).

When flipping, use a spatula — not tongs. The yogurt marinade can stick to the grill a bit, so you need to really scrape under there to release the chicken from the grill.

About 2 minutes into cooking the second side of the chicken, start checking the internal temperature. We want chicken breasts to reach 160°F (they have so little fat that they will continue cooking after you pull them off to reach 165°F) and thighs to be at 165°F. Remove the chicken from the grill when it’s cooked through.

Slice the chicken and serve it over rice with a big ole dollop of the yogurt sauce.

yogurt marinated grilled chicken with rice pilaf

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Notes:

What to cook when you really don’t feel like cooking: Grab some microwaveable jasmine rice, microwave it for 90 seconds, then, while it’s still steaming hot, zhoosh it up in a bowl with the other rice ingredients. Or just microwave some long-grain wild rice and call it a day. For the chicken, grab a yogurt or buttermilk-based dressing from the store and use that as a marinade. See below if you’re not in the mood to grill.
Make ahead: Make the marinade a full day ahead, then add the chicken up to 6 hours before grill time. You can cook the rice pilaf up to a day ahead of time, but don’t add the nuts yet. Store the rice in its pot, covered, in the refrigerator. About 20 minutes before dinnertime, cover it with foil and throw it in the oven at 350°F. Add the nuts, stir, then dig in!
Gluten-free/dairy-free: Ta-da — it’s already gf! If you’re lactose intolerant, try to find a plain lactose-free yogurt (like one that’s still made from cow’s milk but is lactose free). If you can’t find one, or if you can’t eat any dairy, use a plain almond or coconut yogurt instead. If you go that route, double the amount of lemon juice in the marinade — it will help tenderize the chicken since you don’t have the dairy’s calcium and lactic acid doing so. Use a vegan butter for the rice.
I don’t have a grill: Check Craigslist! JK — kinda. Here’s what you’ll do: Cook the rice on the stove by bringing it to a boil over high heat, then reducing to low and covering for 15 minutes. Cook the chicken on the stovetop following this method. Alternatively, you could roast it in the oven at 450°F for 12 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
Vegetarian: Serve the zucchini and squash from two weeks ago alongside the rice. And/or grill some portobello mushroom caps! OR go the kebab route, using bell peppers, onions, button mushrooms, squash, and zucchini. That’ll be delicious with a side of rice pilaf. Skip the yogurt marinade, simply rub them with a very light coating of oil, and season with salt and pepper.
Kebab it: Make kebabs by cubing up the chicken, then threading it onto skewers (if wooden, soak them in cold water for at least 30 minutes before threading so they don’t catch on fire). Grill kebabs for 3 to 4 minutes per side, flipping once. You can add onion slices, summer squash, bell pepper, and/or any other vegetable that also cooks quickly.
I want more veggies: Also grill the squash and zucchini side from two weeks ago! It would go perfectly here.

Subs:

Plain or Greek yogurt: See "gluten-free/dairy-free” note above.
Garlic powder: 3 garlic cloves, minced or grated
Lemon: Lime juice will work! Don’t switch to vinegar in this instance, though.
Chicken: For meat alternatives: Pork tenderloin or boneless pork chops would be fantastic with this marinade. Grill for roughly 12 to 15 minutes, flipping once, or until the meat reaches 140°F internally. See “vegetarian” note above or veggie alternatives.
White rice: Brown rice, but it’ll take longer to cook and requires a little more cooking liquid. Read the package directions and increase your water and cook time accordingly.
Unsalted butter: Vegan butter
Spinach: 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro or parsley would be a delicious alternative! Or you can omit. Again, I don’t recommend using frozen for this.
Raisins: Truly any dried fruit works — like pitted and chopped dates, prunes, apricots, or cranberries.
Almonds: Use whatever toasted nut ya got! Pistachios, walnuts, pecans, peanuts. Chop them up and throw them in.