Croatian Grilled Chicken is tender, juicy chicken that takes just a few minutes to grill, but it’s best to marinate it to tenderize and add flavor for several hours before grilling. It tastes just like the chicken we ate in Croatia.

Croatian Grilled Chicken
Croatian Grilled Chicken is both tender and juicy.
Have you ever eaten meats in Eastern Europe? You won’t believe the difference between the grilled chicken breasts you get in the U.S. and the tender Croatian Grilled Chicken that is served everywhere in Croatia and across Eastern Europe.
Don here. When Lois and I visited Croatia several years ago, the grilled meat always was thin with a little sheen on the surface and, of course, it was delicious. We had no idea what they did to the meat to make it so good. Then we found Dorie Greenspan’s recipe and fell in love with her easy peasy chicken that takes just three ingredients and 5-7 minutes to get it ready to grill (plus marinating time).
You’re gonna wanna eat this. I know I do!
Grilling Success
When the chicken breasts came off the grill—I use a Char-Broil Infrared 3-Burner Gas Grill and love it—they were beautiful. But when Lois tasted her first bite she exclaimed: “This is just like the way the meat was cooked in Croatia!” We were happy to find that Dorie Greenspan’s French recipe replicated the delightful experience of Croatian food.
While I was cooking the chicken, I threw some veggies in the basket and made Grilled Vegetables to accompany the Croatian Grilled Chicken. We are living high on the hog now.
Fresh, organic vegetables, sliced or quartered with my handy dandy chef’s knife, and cooked to perfection, if I do say so myself. Of course, I use my grill tools all the time. It would be fun to get a really elaborate set of grill tools, wouldn’t it? Christmas is coming…
What You Need
For this recipe you need a measuring cup, bowl or casserole dish, whisk, and a grill (either indoor or outdoor). But what you really want is super dinnerware, right?
Croatian Grilled Chicken Recipe

Croatian Grilled Chicken
Tender, juicy chicken that takes just a few minutes to grill, but you have to marinate it for several hours before grilling.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless chicken breasts sliced butterfly style and pounded to 3/8 inch thick.
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Butterfly the chicken breasts and place them in a dish so they all lie flat.
- Using a whisk, combine the olive oil and lemon juice until it is well blended and pour over the chicken breasts.
- Cover the dish.
- Marinate for an hour at room temperature or for several hours in the refrigerator.
- If you refrigerate the chicken breasts, allow them to come to room temperature before grilling.
- Heat your grill to high heat.
- Place the marinated breasts on the grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes a side.
- If the breasts are thin and the grill hot, this should be long enough to cook them through.
https://recipeideashop.com/croatian-grilled-chicken/
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Recipe Nutrition Information
This recipe is GF, DF, NF, SF, EF, CF (use sea salt)*
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Croatian Grilled Chicken Croatian Grilled Chicken Nutrition Label. Each serving is one chicken breast.
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Croatian Chicken, just like you ate in Croatia. So scrumptious. And easy. #croatiangrilledchicken #croatianchicken #yougotthis #cookathome
#recipe-repertoire #glutenfree #comfortfood #easyrecipes #easypeasy #recipes #recipeideashop
*Allergen Key
GF = Gluten free | DF = Dairy free | NF = Nut free | SF = Soy free | EF = Egg free | CF = Corn free | V = Vegetarian | VG = Vegan
Note: If you have serious allergies or sensitivities, to be considered free of these allergens, you need to use products specifically marked “gluten free,” etc. There can be cross-contamination in facilities.
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