Grilled Chicken – Easy Cheesecake Factory Copycat

This grilled chicken Cheesecake Factory copycat is juicy, garlicky, and packed with simple flavor — no fuss, no weird ingredients. It’s great for meal prep, lazy weeknights, or tossing on top of a salad. Super basic, in the best way.

Quick Summary

• Prep time: 20 mins
• Cook time: 10 mins
• Flavor: savory, garlicky, hint of lemon
• Great for: weeknight dinners, grilling, lunches the next day

Why I Like This Recipe

I wasn’t in the mood to cook. Just needed something fast and solid. Threw this marinade together, let it sit, grilled the chicken… and it came out better than expected. Kinda one of those “accidentally nailed it” situations.

Ingredients

• 1¾ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 1¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1½ tsp lemon zest

How To Make Grilled Chicken 

1. Pound the chicken: Zip-top bag, meat mallet (or anything heavy). Flatten to about ½ inch. This helps everything cook the same.
2. Mix the marinade: Olive oil, garlic, thyme, oregano, salt, pepper, lemon zest. Toss it all in a bowl and stir.
3. Marinate: Add chicken, make sure it’s coated. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours. Overnight is even better.
4. Grill it: Hot grill (or grill pan). About 2–3 minutes per side. Don’t move it too much — let those grill marks happen.
5. Serve: Pull it off the heat and let it rest a sec. Good with roasted veggies or on a salad. Or honestly, just eat it straight up.

Tips for Success

• Don’t skip pounding — helps cook evenly and fast
• Let it marinate — 4 hours minimum makes a big difference
• Preheat the grill — cold grill = sad chicken
• Rest the chicken — keeps it juicy
• Use fresh garlic, not the jar stuff (trust me)

Storage and Reheating

• Fridge: Store in a sealed container, up to 4 days.
• Freezer: Cool completely, then wrap tightly. Freeze up to 3 months.
• Reheat: Microwave works, but a skillet keeps the edges crisp. Medium heat, 2–3 mins per side.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I use chicken thighs instead?
  Totally. Just adjust the cooking time — thighs take a little longer.
• Can I cook this indoors?
  Yep. A grill pan or even a cast-iron skillet works.
• Can I marinate overnight?
  Yes, and honestly… it’s even better that way.
• What sides work with this?
  Roasted veggies, couscous, mashed potatoes, salad — whatever you like.
• Is it good cold?
  Actually yeah. It’s great sliced into wraps or on top of pasta salads.

Common Mistakes and How to Dodge Them

• Skipping the marinade time: It’s tempting, but the flavor needs time to soak in. Less than 4 hours just won’t hit the same.
• Uneven chicken thickness: One end’s raw, the other’s dry. Pound it out flat so it all cooks evenly.
• Not preheating the grill: Cold grates = no grill marks, and the chicken sticks. Let it heat up properly.
• Overcooking it: It only takes a few minutes per side. Don’t walk away from it.
• Cutting it too soon: Let the juices settle. Give it 2–3 minutes to rest before slicing.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

• Calories: 413 kcal
• Total Fat: 25g
• Saturated Fat: 4g
• Cholesterol: 127mg
• Sodium: 958mg
• Potassium: 11mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 2g
• Dietary Fiber: 0g
• Sugars: 0g
• Protein: 42g

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