30 Minute Brined Boneless Chicken Breasts on the Grill
If you have always wanted to learn how to make the juiciest grilled boneless chicken breasts, then a quick brine is the method for you! Just 30 minutes is all it takes for always tender chicken breasts ready for the grill. A great way to prepare chicken for sandwiches, summer salads, pastas and more!
Servings 3
Ingredients
- 3 cups cold water
- 3 Tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 3 boneless chicken breasts with the skin removed
- ½ cup homemade or store bought barbecue sauce or more; I used this no ketchup barbecue sauce
Instructions
Make the brine
- In a large bowl, mix the water and salt until the salt is dissolved. Stir in the brown sugar and black peppercorns.3 cups cold water, 3 Tablespoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, 3 boneless chicken breasts
- Place the chicken in the brine for 30 minutes, cover with plastic wrap and brine at room temperature. Do not exceed more than an hour in the brine or the chicken texture will be absorb too much water and it's texture will be affected.
Grill the chicken
- Preheat a gas grill to 425°. Make sure the grill grates are cleaned. Dip a paper towel in a little vegetable oil and hold the towel with a set of tongs as you wipe and oil the grates.
- Remove the chicken from the brine. Pat dry with paper towel - do not rinse the brine off the chicken!
- Use tongs to place the bottom side of chicken on the grill. Turn the chicken breasts to get angled grill marks. Close the lid and cook for 5 minutes (set a timer!).
- Open the lid and run a grill spatula under the chicken. If the chicken releases easily from the grates, flip the chicken and cook for another 5 minutes with the grill closed.If the chicken doesn't release from the grates easily, give it another minute or two.
- If you are making the chicken ahead, use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the chicken. You want it to reach around 165°. If you have reached 165°, you can stop here, allow the chicken to cool and then refrigerate until you're ready to finish it with barbecue sauce. If not cook a little longer until desired temp is achieved.If you are eating right away, raise the heat a bit and then brush the top side of the chicken with a heavy sweep of a rich barbecue sauce. Flip and cook for about 2 minutes before flipping and repeating on the bottom side.
