Mesquite Grilled Chicken
Posted: 07/21/22
Updated: 12/11/24
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Sweet and smoky mesquite grilled chicken is a stunning, delicious addition to any summer cookout. A simple marinade with a touch of liquid smoke. Tender, juicy, beautifully grilled chicken breasts and thighs. Grilled chicken has never tasted so good.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- It’s no secret the grill gives food an incredible depth and richness that you just don’t get with other cooking methods. This recipe takes it a step further, adding an amazing smokiness that you typically only get by using a smoker. The smoky mesquite flavor doesn’t overpower the other flavors in the marinade, though. The chicken will come out smoky but also tangy and sweet and very, very juicy.
- Love to meal prep but tired of boring baked chicken? This is the perfect alternative. Mesquite grilled chicken goes great on salads and sandwiches, in tacos and quesadillas, or you can serve it as-is with a side of rice and veggies. Double the recipe and you’ll have delicious grilled chicken ready to go for days!
Chef’s Tips
- The marinade is the star here, and it really makes or breaks the entire recipe. Without it, you’ve just got plain grilled chicken! Most grocery stores will carry mesquite liquid smoke, but if you can’t find it, hickory liquid smoke will work just fine. If you can’t find that, either, you can leave out the liquid smoke all together. The rest of the marinade is delicious all on its own!
- Be careful not to over-marinate the chicken. For the juiciest, most flavorful chicken, let it marinate for at least 2 hours. Don’t go over 12, though, or the acid in the marinade will start to break down the chicken, leaving you with chewy, rubbery protein.
- Want those gorgeous, beautiful, master-chef-level grill marks on your chicken? Make sure the grill is hot before adding the breasts and/or thighs to the grate. If the grates aren’t hot to start, those marks won’t develop.
- Letting the chicken rest after grilling is an important step. You’ll be tempted to skip it… DON’T! For one thing, letting it rest locks in all those delicious juices. If you slice the chicken right off the grill, you’ll lose all that moisture. For another thing, the chicken will finish cooking as it rests. The food-safe temp for chicken is 165° Fahrenheit. We’re taking it off the grill around 160°F to account for that residual cooking. If you skip it, you’ll be eating slightly underdone chicken, which we do not recommend.
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Mesquite Grilled Chicken
Sweet and smoky mesquite grilled chicken is a MUST for any summer menu. Great for salads, sandwiches, tacos, or all on its own.
servings
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts and/or thighs
For the Mesquite Marinade
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 3 packed tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon mesquite liquid smoke see Notes
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 4-5 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- juice of half a lemon 1-2 tablespoons
- ½ teaspoon salt more or less to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper more or less to taste
Equipment
- sealable food-safe bag for marinating
- Small bowl
- whisk
- Grill
- Tongs
- Internal meat thermometer
Instructions
- Place chicken in sealable food-safe bag. Set aside. Add all marinade ingredients to small bowl. Whisk vigorously until ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Pour marinade over chicken in bag. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible, then gently massage marinade into chicken through bag for 1 to 2 minutes. Place bag in refrigerator and let chicken marinate at least 2 hours, and no more than 12 hours.
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat, approximately 375° to 450° Fahrenheit. When grill is hot, remove chicken from marinade and place directly on grill grates, over indirect heat.
- Grill, with lid open, 6 to 8 minutes, or until golden. Flip chicken over and grill another 6 to 7 minutes or until chicken reaches internal temperature of 160° Fahrenheit according to internal meat thermometer.
- Remove chicken from grill and place on cutting board to rest. After 5 minutes, slice chicken and serve warm with desired sides.
Notes
- If your chicken pieces are very thick or if they’re just drastically different thicknesses, I recommend tenderizing the chicken first so everything will cook evenly.
- Cook times will vary depending on the size and thickness of the chicken pieces. The cuts of chicken you’re using will also affect the cook time. Use an internal meat thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches a food-safe temperature before serving.
- Liquid Smoke: Most grocery stores will carry mesquite liquid smoke, but if you can’t find it, hickory liquid smoke will work, too.
- Make it Keto: Use Brown Swerve instead of brown sugar.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 269kcal | Protein: 29g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Total Carbs: 2g | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 1g | Net Carbs: 1.8g | Vitamin C: 2mg | Cholesterol: 144mg | Sodium: 345mg | Potassium: 401mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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