Grilled Chicken Breasts

Grilled chicken breast is a basic dinner component but there are tricks to making it juicy and tender! Not all grilled breasts are created equal! Every bit of this chicken will melt in your mouth! Between the marinate, the tenderizing, and the light grilling procedures--the result is perfection! #sonomnom4u #GrilledChickenBreast

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Marinade:

Juice of 1 lemon

Fresh Cracked Pepper (I do about 20 turns on the grinder)

1 tsp salt

3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 cup water

Marinade Directions:

Stir everything together until well blended. Set aside.

Chicken Directions:

Cut boneless skinless breasts in half by butterflying each one and cutting it in the center to make 2 pieces. Repeat with all boneless skinless breasts. Place each cut piece into a large zipper bag and close the zipper. Take a meat mallet and pound the breasts until they each get a bit larger. Flip the bag and pound the other side. Don't break the breasts, though!

(For thicker breasts, keep each piece in tact and do not butterfly them and cut them in half. Just place uncut breast half into bag and pound both sides.)

Now, place the cut and tenderized breasts in to the marinade, cover and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour. The longer they set the more flavor they get!

Preheat your grill to about 350°

Now, grill your breasts on each side, criss cross thing the turns to make checkerboard lines or just keep them grilling the same way on eeach side for vertical lines. Grill until they are golden and the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160°F.

Remove from grill and serve hot! These grilled chicken breasts go great with Potato Pancakes and Country Salad!