Chicken is the go-to entrée in our house and when we go to it, we usually go to chicken I've grilled. Since it's a kitchen staple, we keep a zip-lock bag full of grilled chicken breasts in our freezer at all times. Why? After a hard day slaving away in the blogosphere, it's a quick and easy dinner!
If Charlotte wants to whip up some of her famous chicken enchiladas, she's ready to go. It's also great in her Hot & Cheesy Chicken Dip, grilled chicken salads, Super-Satisfying Chicken Spaghetti, Comforting Chicken and Rice Casserole and even by itself with a side dish of her special Mini Macaroni and Cheese.
This recipe is super easy and if you know a guy who likes to grill, it's something he can do to help out in the kitchen. Bonus!
2 Ingredients Is All It Takes To Make The Best Grilled Chicken You've Ever Eaten
Preparation
Using a kitchen fork, tenderize four chicken breasts by piercing them on both sides.
Place tenderized chicken breasts in a zip-lock freezer bag.
Add an entire bottle of Italian salad dressing and 2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning to the bag containing the chicken breasts. Make sure it is closed securely; then gently shake it to ensure that the chicken breasts are covered in the marinade.
TIP: Look at the label of the Italian salad dressing and buy a dressing that lists "oil" as its main ingredient (it should be the first or second ingredient listed on the label). An oil-based salad dressing will help keep the chicken moist and tender while grilling.
Place the freezer bag in the refrigerator and let the chicken breasts marinate 2-3 hours.
Grilling
Pre-heat a gas grill or use a charcoal grill with a temperature of 350 degrees.
Remove the marinated chicken breasts from the bag and place them on the pre-heated grill. SAVE the marinade. Do NOT throw it out.
Season each chicken breast with cracked black pepper to taste. Grill on one side for 30 minutes.
Turn the chicken breasts over. Brush them with remaining marinade and add more cracked black pepper to taste. Grill for another 30 minutes.
Remove cooked chicken breasts from the grill and let them rest for 15 minutes. Serve.
TIP: Charlotte and I split the cooked chicken breasts in thirds before freezing. That portion size works great for us and we can use as much or as little as we need to make a grilled chicken Panini or small salad whenever the mood strikes us. See...I told you it's a go-to dish in our house!
Great Grilled Chicken
Yield: 4 hungry adults
Preparation
Using a kitchen fork, tenderize the chicken breasts by piercing them on both sides.
Place tenderized chicken breasts in a zip-lock freezer bag. Add the entire bottle of Italian salad dressing and Italian seasoning. Make sure the freezer bag is closed securely and gently shake it to ensure the chicken breasts are covered in the marinade
Place the freezer bag in the refrigerator and let the chicken breasts marinate 2-3 hours.
Grilling
Pre-heat a gas grill or use a charcoal grill with a temperature of 350 degrees.
Remove the marinated chicken breasts from the bag and place them on the pre-heated grill, saving the marinade.
Season each chicken breast with cracked black pepper to taste. Grill for 30 minutes. Then turn them over. Brush with remaining marinade and add more cracked black pepper to taste. Grill another 30 minutes.
Remove cooked chicken breasts from the grill and let rest for 15 minutes before serving.
You might also enjoy Quick Chicken and Goat Cheese Pizza.
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