A simple marinade of toum garlic sauce and salt will yield some of the best grilled chicken you will ever eat, nicknamed "Snacking Chicken" because we literally snack on it! This 3 Ingredient Grilled Chicken Breast - with Toum {Lebanese Garlic Sauce} is a staple in our home and hopefully yours soon! I've been waiting so long to get this very simple recipe to you!!!!
Growing up in Pennsylvania I lived in an area where the Lebanese population was plentiful. It was no coincidence that is where my parents ended up after coming immigrating from Lebanon. My father's uncle was the priest at our local church and the congregation was almost 100% Lebanese. This is where my family built their community.
So how does Sunday church and a neighborhood full of Lebanese influence this recipe? Every Sunday, especially in the summer months - you'd smell the most incredible smell. It was garlic grilled chicken. We'd chant, "boom, boom, chicken and toum". Toum, which literally translates to garlic in Arabic is also this emulsified garlic fluff. It's creamy, it's strong and it's one of the most magical ingredients when marinating chicken, especially when it hits a hot grill.
Grilling
Grilling for me is a yearlong activity, our grill (or rather Blackstone now) never hibernates. And one of the most common things I grill is chicken. We have actually nicknamed this "Snacking Chicken" because it's so good you literally want to snack on it - ALL THE TIME!
Besides snacking on it, this is the chicken I use for every salad. It's the perfect accompaniment and I just HAD to share it so you can top all your salads with it and live a very merry life!
How is this different than other grilled chicken?
I know you're thinking - I use marinades and sauces and grill chicken all the time and it tastes delicious! Yes, I'm 100% sure it does and you're doing a FABULOUS JOB! What I'm trying to share with you today is a perfect grilled chicken that is so verstitle and plain but packs so much flavor with so little time and effort. A grilled chicken that is really a blank canvas but isn't dry or tough. Not overly garlicky (I promise) and just simply divine.
Number one thing - YOU NEED TOUM, whether you make the recipe or buy it from the store - it's essential. Homemade toum will last longer, yield better results and ultimately be your new favorite cooking companion.
Ingredients
I love using a combination of both boneless chicken breasts and thighs - but both or either work. Depends on what you're craving! Today I'm simply using some chicken breast I had in the freezer.
- Boneless Chicken Breast and/or Thighs
- Toum - I will steer you to my recipe, but Trader Joe's has their own style which is ok. Any middle eastern grocery store or natural store will typically have some varieties. I personally think homemade is best and most cost effective.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Begin with trimmed boneless chicken breasts or thighs. If your breasts are very thick, split them in half or cut smaller pieces on a diagonal. You want them to be thin and even so they cook quickly and don't dry out.
Place your trimmed and cut chicken breasts/thighs in a bowl and add your toum and salt, mix well to combine. Set aside and heat your grill or grill pan to high.
Once your grill is heated, place your coated chicken and allow to cook for 5-6 minutes on each side. You want an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Both sides should be charred slightly and have grill marks. Remove from heat and tent loosely with foil. Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes.
Equipment
A grill or grill pan is really essential for this recipe. You can simply pan fry if you'd like but the effect of the grill is really what makes the chicken shine! Here are my top picks, I have actually given up my traditional grill for a Blackstone and it has been a game changer!!!
- 36" Blackstone - Costco actually has the best deal on this and it comes with the cover! Definitely worth it!
- Lodge Cast Iron Grill Pan - Great for grilling indoors, the cast iron helps to simulate a grill better than anything else.
- Lodge Cast Iron Grill/Griddle - This is slightly larger and works with 2 burners, best for use with gas range.
Storage
Cooked chicken is good stored in the fridge for 5 days, you can also wrap with plastic wrap and tuck into ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.go
Garlic (Toum) Marinated Grilled Chicken Breast "Snacking Chicken"
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 3 pounds chicken
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Lebanese
Description
This will be the BEST grilled chicken you will have - the toum marinade creates a perfectly grilled chicken. Nicknamed "snacking chicken" because that's exactly what you'll do - snack on it!
Ingredients
- 3 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, thinly sliced or pounded thin
- 4-5 Tablespoons of prepared toum
- 3 teaspoons DIAMOND kosher salt, cut in half for table salt
Instructions
- You want to ensure your chicken breasts or thighs are thin, thicker chicken will not cook evenly and will begin to dry out as you cook. Cut larger breasts in half or pound out to thin.
- Add your thin chicken breasts or thighs to a large bowl, add your prepared toum and salt. Mix to coat completely and allow to rest as you heat your grill.
- Heat your grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Once heated, place your chicken and allow to cook for 5-6 minutes until they begin to slightly char. Flip and allow to cook on the 2nd side for another 4-6 minutes until charred and internal temperature is 165 degrees fahrenheit or when cut or pierced, liquid is clear.
- Remove from grill and allow to rest, tent loosely with foil
- Enjoy as is or on top of salads!
Notes
- If you don't have access to an outdoor grill, you can use an indoor grill pan and heat on your stovetop. Follow the same instructions and ensure internal temperature is at 165 degrees fahrenheit.
Hettie says
Super easy and super delicious! Thanks!
Cosette Posko says
So happy to hear! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Xoxo,
Cosette
Suzanne says
Pretty awesome! Family says put it in the rotation…one said weekly!
Very versatile and easy! Thanks!
Cosette Posko says
I love that!!! So glad your family is enjoying it!!
xoxo,
Cosette
Robin says
Would love to try this with bone in chicken (whole chicken cut into 10 pieces). Any recos on how to adjust cooking time? I realize I would need to cook it at a lower temp to start to make sure it cooks fully on the inside before it burns on the outside…
Cosette Posko says
For bone-in I would recommend cooking in the oven. Cut up your chicken as you'd like, smother the chicken in toum and salt and arrange in a deep enough pan. You'll want to cook for at least an hour at 400 degrees. If you plan on grilling - you'll want to cook initially on medium direct heat to get a char on both sides. Then move to indirect heat and cook for 35-45 minutes. After that, move the chicken closer to the direct heat and cook for another 20-25 minutes, coating with additional toum. Check for internal temp of 165 on all pieces. I hope this helps 🙂
xoxo,
Cosette