Chef John’s 20 Greatest Grilled Chicken Recipes

Chef John declares, “At some point this summer, you’ll get tired of grilled chicken. Any grilled chicken. No matter the marinade, or the delivery system, you will have simply reached your limit, and that’s when you need to reach for the chorizo.” While we agree that Chef John’s recipe for chicken and chorizo skewers is a delicious choice, we take exception to his claim—because these winning recipes have us fired up to grill chicken all summer long.

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Good Frickin’ Paprika Chicken

Let’s start with a recipe that’s close to home: Chef John named his delicious yogurt- and paprika-marinated grilled chicken as an homage to one of the best chicken take-out joints in San Francisco.

Reviewer queenb wrote, “Chef John wins again! Served this with some fresh corn on the cob and my family of 4 inhaled this. The only change I made is I left out the cayenne pepper because I thought it would be too spicy, but when I make this again I will keep it in because it wasn’t spicy at all.”

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Grilled Chicken Teriyaki Skewers with Miso Ranch

“Marinated in soy sauce, sake, and mirin, the chicken is grilled to sweet, smoky perfection and dipped in a refreshing, herby miso ‘ranch’ sauce that’ll send your summer cookout guests into a frenzy.”

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Peri Peri Chicken

If you can get your hands on pili pili chile peppers (also known as African bird’s eye, piri-piri, or peri-peri), use them to make this spicy marinade. Chef John substitutes a combination of Fresno chiles and habanero to make a sauce that one reviewer called “next-level great.”

“This was phenomenal! I [used] jalapeños as I couldn’t find fresnos. I’ve never had anything like this….it was amazing!” – Evan Goss

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Chorizo and Chicken Skewers

Customize these kabobs by adding pineapple chunks, zucchini, or other vegetables. Spanish chorizo is a dry-cured sausage, not like fresh Mexican chorizo, making it easier to skewer.

“I’ve made this three times already and it turns out great every time. Easy to make, and very flavorful! A new grilling staple in my recipes.” – KJA22

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Chef John’s Barbecue Chicken

Here’s a finger-licking sticky classic that’s really only as good as your favorite barbecue sauce. Chef John’s technique is what matters here: “Because barbecue sauce has such a high sugar content, it only takes a minute for it to go from brick red to solid black—so you have to be careful! To ensure a sticky, sweet glaze that’s not burnt, I sear the skin quickly, then cook it skin-side up on a covered grill, brushing on the glaze while it cooks. Because the glaze never touches the grilling surface, it doesn’t burn.” This recipe’s on the quicker side, too, since it only marinates for an hour.

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Grilled Lemon-Yogurt Chicken

Yogurt works magic in marinades, tenderizing the meat and acting as a brine. Chef John’s recipe includes fresh lemon juice and herbes de Provence, and is served with a harissa-spiked lemon-yogurt sauce. “There is something special about what yogurt does to chicken in its smoky, sizzling time over charcoal. It imparts a tanginess that enhances all the other flavors and grills to a caramelized dark brown without tasting burnt.”

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Grilled Greek Chicken Breasts with Whipped Feta

Chicken breasts are notoriously easy to overcook, but Chef John’s method of brining them in an herby vinaigrette gives you a little room for error on the grill. Combined with the utterly delicious whipped feta, this recipe might become your go-to recipe for cookouts. Serve with pita bread to scoop up what Chef John calls “my new favorite thing to eat. Make a nice big batch of whipped feta to serve on, or with…everything. And I mean that literally. This simple spread/dip/condiment would be fantastic with anything off of the grill this summer, since cool and tangy always pairs perfectly with hot and smoky.”

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Buttermilk Barbecue Chicken

You’ve had buttermilk fried chicken; now it’s time to try buttermilk grilled chicken. Once you marinate the chicken halves overnight, it’s dead easy to cook them on the grill. Chef John says “This goes great with coleslaw, potato salad, and a squeeze of lemon.”

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Laotian Grilled Chicken (Ping Gai)

This fresh and light-tasting grilled chicken is inspired by a dish from a Toronto restaurant. Chef John concedes, “some North-Americanization may have occurred. But rest assured, this is at least twice as good as your average grilled chicken, North American or otherwise.”

“We make this recipe weekly in my family and love it! The only change is that I don’t put in as much black pepper as the recipe calls for. I also add some fresh minced garlic to the marinade sometimes. This is definitely one of my favorite dishes of all time!” – Rachel Wineinger

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Rusty Chicken Thighs

If you need a quick and flavorful way to cook chicken, use this marinade made with mayonnaise, rice vinegar, and sambal oelek for the “rusty” color. Leave the chicken thighs in it for 30 minutes while you heat up the grill (otherwise, you can refrigerate the chicken and let it marinate about 3 hours).

“I’ve made this three times now, and as always, Chef John hits it out of the park. I made it as is. I served with coconut rice and salad. Perfect! This one’s a keeper.” – katiekelley78

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Grilled Greek Chicken

Here’s another Greek chicken recipe that’s designed for chicken legs rather than breast meat. Chef John slashes the skin of the chicken pieces to allow the marinade to penetrate the meat and allow the chicken to cook faster on the grill. He says, “This is so flavorful that you really don’t need a sauce, but some fresh lemon is nice, as is a spicy yogurt. Just squeeze a little lemon into some nice thick Greek yogurt, spike it with hot sauce, and you have a perfect condiment.”

You can also serve it with Chef John’s Tzatziki Sauce if you’re feeling fancy.

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Filipino-Style Barbecue Chicken

Chef John calls this “probably the best barbecue chicken you’ve never had. I’ve hesitated [to feature this recipe] since one of the main ingredients is banana ketchup. But then I remembered that I teach people to cook things, so this includes a recipe for this special ingredient.”

“My wife’s new favorite BBQ chicken dish. The banana ketchup was fun to make and definitely didn’t make the chicken taste like bananas. Definitely use thighs! I served it with Filipino garlic fried rice.” – LubinVA

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Chef John’s Calabrian Chicken

Chef John uses Cornish game hens (which are actually a type of broiler chicken) for this spicy Italian marinade, but you can use it on chicken thighs, pieces, or a whole spatchcocked chicken if you like. Bright with fresh orange juice, zest, and rosemary, the marinade gets its kick from Calabrian chili sauce (Mezzetta sells a Calabrian pepper sauce that’s available in many markets).

“Made [this] for a graduation party and the guests raved! It is simply grilled chicken but there seems to be something really special about this recipe. I made a double batch, as it was a big guest list. I accidentally purchased whole Calabrian chilies from Amazon, but it didn’t seem to be a problem. It was a fun and successful experiment!” – Shelley Olson

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Miso Honey Chicken

“It’s not hard to make a great marinade with just a few ingredients, as long as one of those ingredients is the magical miso.” Chicken pieces need to marinate for 2 to 12 hours for this recipe.

“This is freaking amazing.” – Kevin Morris

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Chef John’s Tandoori Chicken

While Chef John’s richly spiced chicken isn’t actually made in a tandoor, it’s a great recipe to add to your grilling rotation. The appealing color comes from the spices in the marinade made with yogurt, lime juice, and Tandoori Masala.

“My whole family loved this, and it’s so easy to make. Even my picky son who doesn’t like any kind of chicken said this recipe was delicious.” – UofMMommy

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Pickle Brine Chicken

Pickle fans, this one’s for all of us: a recipe that uses up that liquid gold pickle juice! Chef John notes, “Like most brined recipes, the payoff is in the texture and moisture content and not necessarily in the taste. But this dish does have a nice little twang.” Serve with a dollop of pickle-enhanced aioli or remoulade for a little salty flair.

“This recipe doesn’t scream, ‘Pickles!!!’. The flavor is very subtle and is really tasty. I have made it several times and will continue to make it. Really good.” – Marcia Smith 

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Barbecued Butter Chicken

“Perfectly barbecued butter chicken, with a type of vinegar and spices marinade made popular by decades of firehouse fundraisers, uses butter for extra richness.” The key here is to separate the breast from the leg meat, since it cooks faster.

“Delicious! This turned out some beautiful grilled chicken. The marinade was perfect and so flavorsome. Starting it in the oven made a huge difference. It was incredibly moist and flavorful.” – Lacyanne

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Turkish Chicken Kebabs

These beauties are flavored with a slightly sweet, slightly tangy yogurt marinade with the barest hint of cinnamon. “I’m not sure how ‘Turkish’ this is—it’s loosely based on a lamb marinade I’ve used for a long time.”

“This is an absolutely delicious recipe. 10/10. Made for friends and [they] said it’s the best meal they have had in years!” – Melissa Schinella

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Grilled Five Spice Chicken

Chinese 5-spice powder is the key feature of this tangy marinade made with ginger, lime juice, and seasoned rice vinegar, along with a splash of soy sauce and hot chile paste. Let the chicken pieces marinate for 6 hours before grilling.

“Wow! Not sure why I didn’t find this recipe sooner; boy, was it good. We used the marinade on thigh/leg quarters and wings. Both were fabulous! Sure to become a family favorite.” – Jeannette

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Grilled Chicken Spiedies

We’ll finish off our recipe roundup with this gem from New York State. Plan ahead for these phenomenal chicken sandwiches: the chicken thighs require a full 24-hour marinade. “The term ‘spiedie’ (SPEE-dee) comes from ‘spiedo,’ the Italian word for spit, and simply refers to meat grilled on a skewer. This incredibly delicious sandwich [was] invented in central New York by an Italian immigrant named Camillo Iacovelli.” Serve on toasted hoagie rolls brushed with some of the reserved herb vinaigrette.

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More Like This

But wait—there’s more! Chef John has so many incredible grilled chicken recipes that we couldn’t list them all here. Try these other five-star recipes:

• Grilled Caesar Chicken
• Red, White, and Blueberry Grilled Chicken
• Cornell Chicken
• Cherry Bomb Chicken
• Spicy Tarragon Yogurt Chicken

Don’t skimp on the sauces, either:

• Peanut Dipping Sauce
• Alabama-Style White Barbecue Sauce
• All-American Barbecue Sauce
• Grill Your Best with Chef John’s Top-Rated Sauces