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This Foolproof French Grilled Chicken recipe takes the guesswork out of outdoor cooking. It’s consistently juicy, packed with flavor, and cooked to perfection every single time.

Grilled chicken wings garnished with herbs on a white plate, served with a roasted lemon wedge. A bowl of green dipping sauce is in the background on a rustic wooden table.
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Why You’ll 🫶🏻 this Grilled Chicken

Say goodbye to dull chicken! This recipe combines perfectly charred, juicy chicken with straightforward grilling instructions, topped off with a French-inspired vinaigrette for consistent deliciousness. It’s versatile and sure to please a crowd, making it an ideal centerpiece for salads, grain bowls, sandwiches, or a quick, protein-rich main dish. Happy grilling! ~Nicole

Key Ingredients for Foolproof French Grilled Chicken

Raw chicken pieces in a plastic container, two lemons, olive oil in a bowl, a shallot, garlic clove, mixed fresh herbs, and small bowls of salt and pepper are arranged on a white surface—everything you need to create Foolproof French Grilled Chicken.

Chicken is the star of the recipe. Choose 6 pounds of chicken parts with skin and bones. The skin and bones will give structure and help the chicken stay moist and flavorful.

Vinaigrette serves as the perfect finishing touch for grilled chicken, adding a burst of flavor. A delightful blend of fresh thyme, parsley, shallot, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil elevates the dish, making the chicken truly shine.

Equipment Needed

A whisk, lemon, bowl of herb vinaigrette, wooden bowls of salt and pepper, and copper measuring spoons arranged on a white surface—perfect essentials for preparing Foolproof French Grilled Chicken.
Raw chicken pieces in a clear plastic container are next to a small wooden bowl of salt and a set of copper measuring spoons on a white countertop, ready to be transformed into Foolproof French Grilled Chicken.
Grilled chicken pieces cooking on an outdoor grill, some with visible grill marks, arranged on the right side of the grates.
Two grilled chicken wings and two halved lemons are cooking on a barbecue grill, with char marks visible on the chicken and lemons.

Tips for Making Foolproof Grilled Chicken with French Flavor

  1. Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients; set aside. Halve the lemon (use 1 large or two small) in preparation for grilling. Note: Use fresh herbs only.
  2. Buy bone-in skin-on chicken for the best results. I used two breasts (halved), two thighs, and two drumsticks. Season the chicken pieces all over with 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt.
  3. Prepare the grill for indirect-heat cooking. (I used a gas grill, but the same method is used for charcoal grills.) Place the breasts, thighs, and drumsticks over the shut-off burner or, for a charcoal grill, the area with no coals. Cook, turning and moving occasionally until the chicken is cooked through (165°F), about 18-20 minutes for breasts and 15-20 for thighs.
  4. For the wings, grill directly over the lit burner or coals, until cooked through, 10-15 minutes. Grill the lemon halves, cut-side down, until grill marks appear.

*Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a large bowl (set the lemon halves aside) and coat with half of the vinaigrette.

Substitutions

  • Use any combination of chicken parts as long as it is six pounds.
  • Substitute the thyme with fresh rosemary.
  • Substitute the shallot with red onion, but the flavor will be stronger.
Grilled chicken wings garnished with herbs on a white plate, served with a roasted lemon wedge. A bowl of green dipping sauce is in the background on a rustic wooden table.

Serving Suggestions

Grilled chicken pieces garnished with herbs served on a white plate, accompanied by a charred lemon half. The chicken has visible grill marks and a golden-brown, crispy exterior.
Can I grill the chicken in advance?

Yes. Although the skin will lose some texture, you can place the chicken, covered, in the oven at 200°F for up to 2 hours. You can also keep it warm in a chafing dish. It is important to maintain a temperature of 165°F for the chicken.

Can I use boneless chicken?

I do not recommend it for this recipe. It will cook too quickly and be dry.

Other grilled chicken dishes you may enjoy…

Four grilled meat skewers, coated in a shiny, reddish sauce, rest on a wooden cutting board. A small bowl of dipping sauce is visible in the background.
Barbecue Chicken Kebabs with Bacon Rub
Grilled chicken and red bell pepper skewers on a white plate, served with a small bowl of green herb sauce, with a blue napkin underneath the plate.
Grilled Chicken Kebabs with Red Peppers and Red Onion
Grilled, glazed chickens are cooking on a barbecue grill, showing golden brown, slightly charred skin with a shiny, caramelized coating.
Grilled Butterflied Brown Sugar Chicken

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Foolproof French Grilled Chicken

By Nicole
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
Servings: 6
A white plate filled with grilled chicken drumsticks and wings, garnished with herbs and served with charred lemon halves. A cup of green sauce and a patterned napkin are nearby on a rustic wooden table.
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This Foolproof French Grilled Chicken recipe takes the guesswork out of outdoor cooking. It's consistently juicy, packed with flavor, and cooked to perfection every single time.

Equipment

Ingredients 

For the Vinaigrette

  • ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 medium garlic clove, finely grated on a microplane
  • ⅓ cup Extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

For the Chicken

  • 6 pounds chicken parts, bone-in and skin-on
  • 1-2 lemons, halved

Instructions 

For the Vinaigrette

  • Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients until combined; set aside.

Grill Chicken

  • Prepare grill for indirect-heat cooking, medium-high heat for gas or medium-hot coals.
  • Season chicken with 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt. Oil grill rack. Grill breasts, thighs, and drumsticks over the shut-off burner or the area with no coals, covered, turning and moving around occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through (165℉ on an instant-read thermometer), about 18-20 minutes for the breasts and 15-20 for the thighs and drumsticks.
  • For the wings, grill directly over the lit burner (or medium-hot coals), turning, until cooked through, 10-15 minutes.
  • Grill lemon halves, cut-side down, uncovered, over the lit burner (or coals), until grill marks appear.

Finish Chicken

  • Transfer chicken, as cooked, to a large bowl. Coat with half of the vinaigrette. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Serve the chicken with the lemon halves and remaining vinaigrette on the side. Enjoy!

Notes

Chicken can be made up to 2 hours in advance and kept covered in a 200°F oven. Maintain chicken temperature at 165°F.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 779kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 58g, Fat: 59g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g, Monounsaturated Fat: 28g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 231mg, Sodium: 411mg, Potassium: 632mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 548IU, Vitamin C: 21mg, Calcium: 46mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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