Sweet Heat Marinated Grilled Chicken Breast
On February 25, 2020 (Updated June 05, 2024)
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My Sweet Heat Marinated Grilled Chicken Breast uses the perfect blend of sweet and spicy to give you the ultimate grilled chicken breast marinade. The marinade is just the right mix of sweet and heat with a little kick from classic Tabasco sauce.
Grilled Chicken Breast Marinade
The key to the best grilled chicken breast (in my opinion) is a good marinade. Chicken is such a versatile piece of meat and so mildly flavored, it really takes on all of the notes from this sweet heat grilled chicken breast marinade.
Every good marinade has to have a balance of flavors to ensure it doesn’t overwhelm the meat itself and delivers the best results when the chicken hits the grill. The tangy and spicy kick from the Tabasco sauce is the perfect compliment to the sweet brown sugar in this marinade.
Best Chicken Breast Marinade for Grilling
Marinades are also great for leaner cuts like chicken breasts because they really help impart additional moisture. Several versions of this marinade were tested with a few different marinating times to find the optimum levels of flavor and moisture.
The perfect amount of time for the chicken to stay in the marinade is between 12-18 hours. I like to start my chicken in the marinade before I go to bed and when I’m ready to cook dinner the next day, that chicken is perfectly seasoned. While this works best for me, feel free to find what works best for you and your schedule.
Ingredients for Grilled Chicken Breast Marinade
This marinade is well-rounded with an optimal amount of fat, acid, seasoning, and sugar. Here’s what you’ll need to assemble prior to making your chicken breast marinade:
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Tabasco Sauce
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Combine all ingredients for the marinade in a gallon sized zip top bag. Lightly massage to evenly distribute the marinade over all the chicken. Place the marinating chicken breasts in the refrigerator and allow them to marinate for 12-18 hours. The longer you leave the chicken in the marinade, the stronger the flavor will become.
Tips for Cooking with a Chicken Breast Marinade
I’ve assembled three handy tips to help you cook your grilled chicken breast to utter juicy perfection. Make sure to read through these suggestions prior to sticking your marinated chicken breast on the grill.
- Use two-zone grilling. This recipe does have sugar in it, and it can caramelize quickly and burn over high heat. I recommend using two-zone heat on on your grill. This means that half of your grill has high, direct heat, and the other half has either no or very low heat. Grill the chicken on the indirect side until it is nearly finished cooking, then transfer to the direct heat side to get that nice caramelized color and flavor.
- Use a meat thermometer to track the temperature of your meat. Don’t try to guess by cutting open your chicken while it’s still on the grill. You will lose those tasty juices and the color of your chicken isn’t always the safest indicator of doneness. Make sure your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Let your chicken rest. After removing your cooked chicken from the grill, place it on a plate and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving. This will help keep your chicken juicy.
More Chicken Breast Recipes
Chicken breast is one of those perfect go-to dinner options that are great any day of the week. Whether you choose to marinate it like in this tasty recipe, or your grill or smoke those breasts, these recipes aim to please:
Easy Grilled Chicken Breasts
Smoked Chicken Breast
Grilled Chicken Salad with Jalapeno Lime Ranch
Best Grilled Chicken Breast Marinade Recipe
This recipe was created for you, backyard griller! Here at Hey Grill Hey, we’re in the business of helping you make better BBQ, feed the people you love, and become a backyard BBQ hero. You can find more of my smoking and grilling recipes here on my website (browse the Homepage for inspiration) on Instagram, YouTube or our Facebook Page.
Sweet Heat Marinated Grilled Chicken Breast
Video
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Grilled Chicken Breast Marinade
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 2 Tablespoons Tabasco Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken. In a large zip top bag or other container, combine all ingredients for the marinade. Submerge the chicken breasts in the marinade and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to 18 hours for more flavor.
- Fire up the grill. Preheat your grill to Medium-High heat (450 degrees F) for two-zone cooking.
- Grill the chicken breasts over indirect heat. Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade and allow any excess to drip off. Grill the chicken on the indirect side of the grill, flipping over after about 5-6 minutes. Cook until the internal temperature reads 155 degrees F with an instant read meat thermometer.
- Sear over direct heat. Move the chicken over to the direct heat side of the grill and sear for 1-2 minutes on each side until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees F.
- Rest and serve. Remove the chicken to a serving platter and tent with foil. Let rest for 5-6 minutes before slicing and serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
**This post was originally published October 2018. We recently updated it with more information and helpful tips. The recipe remains the same.
Made this recipe and came out great. Did not use the full amount of soy sauce making it taste perfect. We didn’t have Tabasco sauce so subbed Siracha and it worked just fine. Turned out delicious. Just the right amount of spicy n sweetness. Definitely recommend you try this recipe.
This has become my go to for grilling chicken. Love the flavor of the marinade. I also like the 2 zone method. It turns out so juicy and tender.
What temp would you recommend I cook this recipe on my pellet grill?
Hi Susie,
We always enjoy your recipes and grilling tips. Would like to try this chicken marinade, but don’t like Tabasco sauce. Do you think it would still be good subbing Sriracha or cholula sauce?
I didn’t have Tabasco sauce so subbed Siracha and it worked just fine. Turned out delicious.
Made this recipe for dinner tonight and it was a winner. My wife really loved it and so did I. One of the things I noticed was that the olive oil congealed quite a bit while the chicken was marinating in the refrigerator so I may try another oil next time. What was really great about the flavor profile is that it begins with the sweetness from the honey & brown sugar and finishes with the heat from the Tabasco and red pepper flakes. I’ve even thought about possibly using the same marinade for cubed chicken pieces and stir frying them. Thanks for the great recipe!