Mayo Marinated Grilled Chicken (Printable version)

Creamy mayo and herb-marinated chicken breasts grilled to juicy golden perfection for any occasion.

# What you need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)

→ Marinade

02 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
06 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
08 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
09 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Grilling

10 - 1 tablespoon olive oil (for brushing the grill grates)

# How To:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until a smooth, uniform paste forms.
02 - Add the chicken breasts to the bowl and turn to coat each piece thoroughly in the marinade. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for deeper flavor penetration.
03 - Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (about 400°F). Brush the grates generously with olive oil to prevent sticking.
04 - Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting any excess drip off. Place the breasts on the hot grill and cook for 6 to 8 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the juices run clear.
05 - Transfer the chicken off the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute before slicing or serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The mayonnaise acts like a flavor locking shield so the chicken never dries out even if you accidentally overcook it by a minute.
  • It sounds strange to everyone at first but after one bite they will ask you for the recipe every single time.
02 -
  • I once rushed the marinating time to thirty minutes and the chicken tasted fine but lacked that deep seasoned quality that makes this recipe worth repeating.
  • Scraping off too much marinade before grilling leaves the chicken vulnerable to drying out so leave a visible thin layer on each piece.
03 -
  • Let the chicken sit at room temperature for fifteen minutes before grilling so the chill comes off and it cooks more evenly from edge to center.
  • The mayonnaise marinade also works beautifully on salmon or pork chops so do not limit yourself to chicken alone.

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