A stellar grilled chicken breast recipe is a blessing to behold. Imagine having a recipe that's versatile enough to be able to stand as a quick midweek main, or flexible enough to be incorporated into a salad, grain cup, sandwich, or wrap.

Here, we bring you a recipe with a bold, lemony, and slightly spicy mix that fits the description perfectly, elevated even further by the smoky char from the grill or broiler. The use of bone-in chicken breasts adds a nice depth of flavor and prevents the meat from drying out, especially with the direct-heat cooking approach. For those who enjoy an extra kick to their dishes, add more crushed red pepper.

To accompany this dazzling chicken, a summery tomato salad is the ultimate match. The salad's freshness and acidity work wonders in complementing the lemon in the marinade. As an excellent choice, consider the tomato salad with crispy shallots recipe by Fanny Singer, taking inspiration from a Chez Panisse recipe. Don’t let the fired-up grill go to waste - pick your favorites from our list of the best grilled vegetable recipes to complete the meal.

Pairing red pepper with wine can be a tricky ordeal because of its tendency to exaggerate the bitterness in the wine. You can solve this problem by avoiding high-alcohol wines and opting for an herbal, light-bodied Sauvignon Blanc from Collio, Italy.

This recipe is originally meant for 4 servings. Although ingredient amounts may be adjusted, please keep in mind that cooking times and steps are unchanged. Please be aware that not all recipes scale perfectly.

Quick and easy to follow, the recipe involves lighting the grill or heating the broiler, mingling the lemon juice, thyme, red pepper flakes, garlic, oil, salt, and black pepper in a shallow dish, and coating the chicken in the mixture. Grill these chicken breasts over medium-high heat or broil them for about 8 to 10 minutes. Flip the pieces and let them cook until they are just right, typically around 10 minutes more.

This delightful recipe has its origins in Food & Wine’s 1998 cookbook, Quick From Scratch Italian, with additional text by Mrigaa Sethi. So get that grill fired up and start cooking!