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About This Recipe
You can never have enough chicken recipes in my opinion. I try to include a variety of protein sources in my diet, but I can’t deny that chicken is my FAVORITE.
These Smoky Chicken Breast are seriously so good and they only require 5 ingredients! I love prepping them to have throughout the week to throw on any salad, sandwich, wrap, honestly you can add it to anything!
I’ve also included two cooking methods for these. Of course, if you want the true smoky, charred taste you will want to cook them on the grill. But if you don’t have a grill, no worries, these wills still be delicious cooked on the stove top or you could even air fry them!
For more easy meal prep chicken recipes, try my Balsamic Grilled Chicken, BBQ Chicken or my favorite Air Fryer Grilled Nuggets!
Why You’ll Love These Smokey Grilled Chicken Fillets
- The absolute best mix of smoky, sweet with the perfect amount of char!
- Super simple and minimal ingredients!
- Easy to make. Two cooking methods included.
- The perfect protein for any salad, sandwich or wrap.
- Freezer-friendly and great for meal prep!
- Chicken breast – I used boneless, skinless chicken breast. This recipe would also be delicious with chicken thighs if you don’t mind the higher fat content!
- Italian dressing – I used fat-free zesty Italian dressing.
- Liquid smoke – this can normally be found with the BBQ sauces are the grocery store! I love adding this to recipes to give that perfect, smokey flavor. Just remember that a little goes a long way!
- Honey
- Lemon – I prefer to use fresh squeezed lemon juice but the store-bought kind will work just fine!
How To Make
- Pound chicken to even thickness and cut into 8 fillets. Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to create more of a fillet shape, if desired. Add chicken to a large bowl or Ziplock bag with Italian dressing and toss to coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the grill to 450 degrees F or to medium-high heat.
- In a small bowl, flat dish (big enough to dip the chicken in) combine the lemon juice, honey, and liquid smoke.
- Dip one fillet at a time into the lemon-honey marinade. Make sure to coat on both sides, then add to the greased grill.
- Cook for 5-7 minutes, then flip chicken fillets. Cook for another 5-7 minutes or until chicken has cooked through. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of your chicken.
Air Fryer Instructions: Preheat air fryer to 350F. Spray air fryer basket then add chicken in a single layer (so they are not overlapping). Cook for 4-5 minutes, then flip and cook another 4-5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Stovetop Instructions: Heat a skillet to medium-high heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray (or use a little oil). Add chicken. Cook for 5-7 minutes without moving. Flip chicken, spray again (or add more oil) and cook for another 5 or so minutes or until cooked through.
How do I know when my chicken is done?
Chicken is cooked through when internal temperature reaches 155F. *Carry over cooking ensures chicken reaches 165F without overcooking. You can do this using a meat thermometer and ensuring the temperature has reached 155-165 degrees F. You can also simply slice the middle and make sure the chicken is no longer pink.
How do I freeze these smokey grilled chicken fillets?
Add the chicken to freezer safe bag and be sure to remove as much air as possible. Then, freeze up to 3 months.
What’s the best way to thaw frozen chicken fillets?
The safest bet is in the fridge overnight, but you can do a rapid-thaw process in cold water for a few hours. Just make sure your freezer bag is heavy duty so chicken juice doesn’t leak all over!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!
Smoky Grilled Chicken Filets (Great for Meal Prep!)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless chicken breast about 4 breasts
- 1/2 cup fat free zesty Italian dressing (128g)
- 1 Tbsp liquid smoke (15g)
- 2 Tbsp honey (42g)
- 1 lemon (35g) freshly juiced
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Instructions
To Marinate:
- Pound chicken to even thickness and cut into 8 fillets. Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to create more of a fillet shape, if desired. Add chicken to a large bowl or Ziplock bag with Italian dressing and toss to coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
To Grill:
- Preheat the grill to 450 degrees F or to medium-high heat.
- In a small bowl, flat dish (big enough to dip the chicken in) combine the lemon juice, honey, and liquid smoke.
- Dip one fillet at a time into the lemon-honey marinade. Make sure to coat on both sides, then add to the greased grill.
- Cook for 5-7 minutes, then flip chicken fillets. Cook for another 5-7 minutes or until chicken has cooked through*. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of your chicken.
To Air Fry:
- Preheat air fryer to 350F. Spray air fryer basket then add chicken in a single layer (so they are not overlapping). Cook for 4-5 minutes, then flip and cook another 4-5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through*.
Stovetop Instructions:
- To cook on Stovetop:Heat a skillet to medium-high heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray (or use a little oil). Add chicken. Cook for 5-7 minutes without moving. Flip chicken, spray again (or add more oil) and cook for another 5 or so minutes or until cooked through*.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
