I could not have been happier with how these spice-brined grilled chicken breasts turned out. I was looking for tender, flavor-packed, juicy chicken to use in a big batch of chicken salad. And that’s exactly what I got. I grilled my chicken (in this case, split chicken breasts, but boneless skinless will work just fine too) on cedar planks for a little extra flavor and aroma, but you can skip that and do them directly on your grill grates too.
I am not a fan of skin-on chicken when it comes to brining although you can certainly use it if you want. Leaving the skin on normally does help keep the meat from drying out, but that’s not really needed here. And no way is it going to get crispy enough to enjoy. So, skip it if you want. I did. This spice-brined grilled chicken breasts recipe doesn’t need any tinkering with. It’s great just as it is.
You can use any seasoning on the chicken you want, but I would shy away from anything heavy on salt (you already brined it it) and sugar (it’ll burn over the high grill heat).
Also try my grilled Dijon chicken and my outrageously-good butterflied chicken legs.
Spice-Brined Grilled Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
For the brine
- 16 cups water
- ¾ cup kosher salt
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 2 heads garlic crushed and chopped
- ¼ cup dried rubbed sage or to taste
- ¼ cup dried basil or to taste
- 1 tablespoon peppercorns
- 1 large bay leaf
For the chicken
- 4 large split chicken breasts skin removed
- Your favorite chicken seasoning I used This Little Goat Went To Grillville
Instructions
For the brine
- Place water in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Stir in the salt, sugar, garlic, sage, basil, peppercorns and the bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and continue simmering, stirring often, for about 20 minutes. Make sure that the salt and sugar are completely dissolved.
- Remove pot from heat, cover and let cool completely, at least 2 hours.
For the chicken
- Add the chicken to the brine and transfer the pot to the fridge for 2 hours and up to 4 hours maximum.
- If cooking the chicken on cedar planks, begin soaking them in water 30 minutes before using.
- Fire up your grill for direct and indirect cooking.
- If using planks, char the planks over direct heat on both sides first. Add the chicken and move the planks to indirect heat and continue cooking, 30-45 minutes or until the chicken measures 165 F with a thermometer.
- Place chicken directly on the grates over high heat and sear on both sides, 2-3 minutes per side. Move the planks to indirect heat and continue cooking, 30-45 minutes or until the chicken measures 165 F with a thermometer.
- Let chicken rest 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are approximate.
