Super 30-Min herb grilled chicken frites

Name: Super 30-Min herb grilled chicken frites
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: French Inspired
Ingredients: 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts; ¾ teaspoon salt divided; ¾ teaspoon black pepper divided; 5 tablespoons olive oil divided; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme; 1½ pounds baby potatoes halved; 1 tablespoon capers chopped; 1 tablespoon finely chopped pickled jalapeño

By anna Boncoeur On September 18, 2025

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herb grilled chicken frites

If you’re looking for a weeknight dinner that feels totally special but comes together faster than you can believe, you’ve landed in the right spot! I’m Anna, and I’m obsessed with finding simple, flavorful chicken recipes that make everyday cooking feel joyful, not like a chore. Today, we are diving into my absolute favorite way to eat chicken and potatoes: the incredible **herb grilled chicken frites**.

Forget heavy sauces! This dish is a fresh take on a French classic, relying on bright, zesty herbs and a punchy lemon-caper sauce to wake everything up. I’ve spent years perfecting grilling methods to get that perfect char while keeping the chicken unbelievably juicy. Trust me, once you taste the combination of smoky grilled meat, tender potatoes, and that incredible sauce, you won’t look back. It’s elegant enough for guests but fast enough for Tuesday night. Let’s get started!

Why You’ll Love This herb grilled chicken frites

Honestly, I developed this recipe because I needed dinners that tasted gourmet but didn’t require me to babysit the stove for an hour. This herb grilled chicken frites is the total package. It’s fast, it’s packed with fresh flavor, and cleanup is surprisingly easy since most of the work happens right on the grill. You won’t believe this is on your table so quickly!

Quick Prep and Cook Time

Total time is only about 30 minutes—perfect for busy evenings!
The marinade time is super short—just 5 minutes while you heat up the grill.
Everything cooks together, cutting down on active cooking time.

Bright Flavor Profile

The secret weapon here is that lemon-caper herb sauce. It cuts through the richness of the grilled chicken and potatoes beautifully. It’s zesty, salty, and herby all at once. This sauce makes the whole dish feel sophisticated without needing any complicated French techniques. It’s the freshest flavor you’ll get from an easy chicken recipe, hands down.

Essential Components for herb grilled chicken frites

Okay, friend, let’s talk ingredients. This recipe shines because it uses simple, high-impact components that work together perfectly. We aren’t using a ton of fancy stuff—just good quality chicken, potatoes, and a handful of fresh herbs that make all the difference. When you see the list, don’t panic about the fresh herbs; they are truly worth it for this bright flavor profile. Remember, we are feeding four happy people with this batch!

Ingredient List for herb grilled chicken frites

Component	Quantity	Preparation Notes
Chicken (thighs or breasts)	1\u00bd pounds	Boneless, skinless
Baby Potatoes	1\u00bd pounds	Halved
Olive Oil	5 tablespoons	Divided use
Fresh Lemon Juice	1 tablespoon	Freshly squeezed is best!
Fresh Parsley	2 tablespoons	Chopped
Fresh Chives	1 tablespoon	Chopped
Fresh Thyme	1 tablespoon	Chopped
Capers	1 tablespoon	Chopped
Pickled Jalape\u00f1o	1 tablespoon	Finely chopped
Salt	\u00be teaspoon	Plus extra for potatoes
Black Pepper	\u00be teaspoon	Plus extra for potatoes

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

I always tell people that the fresh herbs are non-negotiable here, but I get it—sometimes you have to improvise! If you’re stuck, swap the fresh herbs for dried at a 3-to-1 ratio. So, that tablespoon of fresh parsley becomes just one teaspoon of dried parsley, and so on. For the chicken, I usually lean towards thighs because they stay juicier on the grill, but breasts work perfectly fine if you watch the temperature closely. Don’t skip the capers or the jalapeño in that final sauce, though; that salty, spicy kick is what elevates this from simple grilled chicken to something truly memorable.

Equipment Needed for herb grilled chicken frites

You don’t need a million specialty gadgets for this recipe, which is part of why I love it! Just make sure you have your grill preheated and ready to go. You’ll need a couple of good mixing bowls—one for the chicken marinade and one for tossing the potatoes. A reliable cutting board and a sharp knife are essential for chopping all those lovely fresh herbs. And please, make sure you have a reliable instant-read meat thermometer handy. That’s the key to perfect, safe chicken every time!

Step-by-Step Instructions for herb grilled chicken frites

This is where the magic happens! Since this is a grilling recipe, timing is everything, but don’t stress—it all moves really fast. We are aiming for smoky flavor on the potatoes and tender, juicy chicken coated in that incredible herb blend. Follow these steps, and you’ll have this fantastic meal ready in under 30 minutes total.

Preparing the Marinade and Chicken

First things first: get your grill preheated to a nice medium-high heat. While that’s warming up, grab a medium bowl. We need to mix up our marinade base. Whisk together 2 tablespoons of that olive oil, the fresh lemon juice, the parsley, chives, thyme, and half a teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Now, here is an important trick: set aside about half a cup of this beautifully fragrant mixture. This reserved portion is going to be the backbone of our sauce later, so keep it safe!

Take your chicken—thighs or breasts—and toss them right into the bowl with the remaining herb mixture. Give it a good coating, making sure every piece is covered. Since we are cooking fast, we only need a very short rest time here; let it sit for just 5 minutes while you season those potatoes.

Grilling the Potatoes and Chicken

Grab your halved baby potatoes. Toss them in a separate bowl with just 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the rest of your salt and pepper. We’re cooking everything at the same time to save time! Place the seasoned potatoes and the marinated chicken right onto the preheated grill grates. Keep an eye on them, turning everything occasionally so you get a nice even char and they cook through properly. This usually takes about 15 to 20 minutes total.

Listen, this is the most important step for safety: Keep checking that chicken! You must use a meat thermometer, and it needs to register an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit before you even think about taking it off the heat. Once the chicken hits that temp and the potatoes are tender, pull them both off the grill. Transfer the potatoes to a platter and tent them loosely with foil to keep them warm while the chicken rests.

Creating the Zesty Herb-Caper Sauce

Your chicken needs to rest for 5 minutes on the cutting board—this locks in those juices! While it rests, we make the sauce right on that board. See those lovely juices that collected underneath the chicken? We want those! Take the reserved herb mixture you set aside earlier and stir it right into those cutting board juices. Then, mix in the chopped capers and the finely chopped pickled jalapeño. Now, use your knife to roughly chop everything together right on the board. This technique chops the herbs and mixes them into the juices, creating a rustic, textured paste that is absolutely bursting with flavor.

Assembly and Serving herb grilled chicken frites

Once the chicken has rested, slice it up against the grain. Arrange your tender, smoky potatoes on plates, top them with the sliced grilled chicken, and then spoon that incredible, bright herb-caper sauce generously right over the top. That’s it! You’ve got yourself a beautiful plate of herb grilled chicken frites.

Tips for Perfect herb grilled chicken frites

Grilling is fast, but nailing the texture on both components takes just a couple of little tricks I’ve picked up over the years. Don’t let the speed fool you; a few simple checks make all the difference between good and truly great herb grilled chicken frites!

Monitoring Internal Temperature

I can’t stress this enough—you absolutely must use your instant-read meat thermometer when cooking chicken on the grill. It is the only way to guarantee safety without overcooking! Pull the chicken off the heat the second it hits 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If you wait even a minute too long, those juicy thighs will start to dry out, and we worked too hard on that marinade for that to happen!

Achieving Crispy Potatoes on the Grill

Potatoes take longer to cook than chicken, so we have to be strategic. Since I’m grilling them alongside the meat, I make sure the potatoes are cut evenly—no giant chunks! If your potatoes aren’t quite done when the chicken hits 165°F, just pull the chicken off to rest and keep the potatoes on the grill for another 3 to 5 minutes. You can even move them to a slightly cooler part of the grill while the chicken rests; this ensures they get tender on the inside and nicely browned on the outside.

Serving Suggestions for herb grilled chicken frites

Since this herb grilled chicken frites is already so flavorful and balanced with the potatoes, you don’t need much else! If you want a little green on the side, keep it light and fresh. A simple arugula salad tossed with just a drizzle of good olive oil and a splash of red wine vinegar is perfect. That peppery green cuts through the richness of the grilled flavor beautifully.

You could also serve this alongside some quick steamed green beans, maybe tossed with a tiny bit of lemon zest right before serving. It keeps the meal feeling bright and totally French-inspired without weighing you down!

Storing and Reheating Your herb grilled chicken frites

Leftovers from this amazing herb grilled chicken frites are fantastic, but you have to store the components separately if you want them to taste great the next day. If you mix the chicken, potatoes, and that zesty lemon caper herb sauce together in one container, everything gets soggy fast. The sauce is the main culprit here because of the fresh lemon juice!

When you store the components, keep the chicken and potatoes together in an airtight container in the fridge. Store the sauce in a separate small, sealed jar. It’s easy to reheat and assemble a fresh-tasting plate the next day!

Component	Storage Duration (Refrigerated)	Best Reheating Method
Chicken & Potatoes	2 to 3 days	Quick pan-sear or oven reheat (350°F) to crisp potatoes
Lemon Caper Sauce	Up to 4 days	Serve cold or slightly warmed; do not boil

For reheating the main parts, I actually prefer the oven or an air fryer for the potatoes to bring back some crispness. If you’re in a rush, just microwave the chicken and potatoes briefly, but try to add just a tiny splash of water to the potatoes before heating to keep them from drying out. Then, spoon that cold or room-temperature sauce right over the top when you serve it. It’s like getting a second delicious, easy chicken dinner!

Frequently Asked Questions about herb grilled chicken frites

I get so many great questions whenever I post this recipe! It’s always fun to see everyone making their own version of this herb grilled chicken frites. Here are the top few things I hear most often when people try this easy chicken recipe for the first time. Let me know if I missed anything!

Can I make the lemon caper sauce ahead of time?

Yes, you absolutely can! The lemon caper sauce holds up really well, but for the absolute best flavor, I recommend making it no more than a day ahead of time. Store it in a sealed jar in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, just pull it out about 15 minutes before serving so it’s not ice cold. Because of the fresh herbs, it’s best used quickly, but it tastes fantastic even a day later!

Is this herb grilled chicken frites recipe suitable for meal prepping?

It’s great for meal prepping, but you have to keep the components separate, just like I mentioned in the storage section. Grill the chicken and potatoes, let them cool completely, and then store them in separate containers from the sauce. When you reheat the chicken and potatoes, the sauce stays cold, and when you spoon it over the top, it feels like you just made the whole meal fresh. It keeps the potatoes from getting soggy, which is key!

Can I use dried herbs instead of fresh?

You can, but honestly, the fresh herbs are what make this dish sing! If you must use dried, remember the conversion rule: use one-third the amount. So, one tablespoon of fresh thyme becomes just one teaspoon of dried thyme. You might want to add a tiny extra splash of lemon juice to compensate for the lack of fresh vibrancy, but go easy at first!

Share Your herb grilled chicken frites Experience

I really hope this herb grilled chicken frites makes your weeknights a little brighter and a whole lot tastier! I put so much love and energy into making sure this recipe is foolproof for you busy cooks. Once you try it, please come back and let me know how it went! Drop a rating below—it truly helps other home cooks find their new favorite easy chicken recipe!

Did you use thighs or breasts? How did your potatoes turn out? I love reading your notes and seeing your results. Drop a rating below—it truly helps other home cooks find their new favorite easy chicken recipe!