Maple Dijon Grilled Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken marinated in a sweet maple-Dijon glaze, grilled to golden perfection for a satisfying weeknight dinner.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

→ Marinade

02 - 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
03 - 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
06 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# How-To:

01 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, Dijon mustard, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, thyme, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
02 - Place the chicken breasts in a large resealable plastic bag or a shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the chicken, ensuring each piece is thoroughly coated. Seal the bag or cover the dish and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour, or up to 8 hours for deeper flavor penetration.
03 - Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grill grates to prevent the chicken from sticking during cooking.
04 - Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing any excess to drip off. Discard the remaining used marinade. Place the chicken on the hot grill and cook for 6 to 8 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until the internal temperature registers 165°F and the exterior is golden with distinct grill marks.
05 - Transfer the grilled chicken to a plate or cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs if desired and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The marinade doubles as a glaze, so every bite is layered with sweet and tangy depth.
  • It requires exactly one bowl and ten minutes of hands on effort before the grill does all the work.
  • Even notoriously dry chicken breasts come off juicy when you treat them this way.
02 -
  • Always reserve a small portion of the marinade before it touches raw chicken so you can brush it on during the last minute of grilling for an extra sticky glaze.
  • Overcooking is the biggest enemy here, so invest in an instant read thermometer and pull the chicken the moment it hits 74 degrees Celsius.
03 -
  • Pound the chicken to an even thickness before marinating so every piece cooks uniformly and you never end up with one dry edge.
  • 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.

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