How to Grill the Perfect Chicken Breast
A perfectly grilled chicken breast can turn a run of the mill side salad into a delicious meal. But let’s be honest. We have all probably started out with the intention of grilling the best moist and juicy chicken, only to end up with a dry and rubbery disaster that never even made it to the dinner table.
Sometimes, something that seems very simple like grilling chicken breasts can be a bit tricky to execute to perfection. I used to struggle with boneless skinless chicken breasts until I came across this method many years ago. Just follow a few simple steps, and you’ll get perfect results every time.
Jump to Recipe
Boneless skinless chicken breasts can be tricky to grill because they are very lean, and lack skin to insulate the meat. They are also uneven in thickness, which makes it impossible to fully cook the thick areas without overcooking the thin parts.
Step one is to take care of the thickness issues. Place the chicken breast in a 1-gallon zip lock bag and pound the bejesus out of it with a meat mallet or a rolling pin. Pound until you get it to around ¾” thick. As an added bonus, your pounding will also tenderize the chicken breast too.
Step two is the brine. In a large bowl, mix the water, salt and sugar until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Pour solution into the zip lock bag and brine chick in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. The brine step is the secret of how to keep chicken moist while grilling.
Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt, pepper and olive oil. Fire up your grill to high, clean and oil the grates and you’re ready to grill.
Grill the chicken about 4 to 6 minutes on each side until internal temperature reads 165° on an instant read thermometer. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Simple grilled chicken breasts are a great addition to any salad, especially a Caesar Salad like this one. Enjoy!
How to Grill the Perfect Chicken Breast
How to Grill the Perfect Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 1 1/2 pounds
- 2 quarts water
- 1/3 cup Kosher salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts in 1 gallon zip lock bag.
- Pound chicken breasts to a uniform thickness of about ¾”.
- In a large bowl, mix water, salt and sugar. Stir until salt and sugar are dissolved.
- Pour water solution into zip lock bag and brine chicken breasts in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Remove chick breasts from brine and pat dry with paper towels.
- Season both sides with salt, pepper and olive oil.
- Grill on high for approximately 4 to 6 minutes per side, until internal temperature reads 165° on an instant read thermometer.
- Remove from grill and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
I tried brining the chicken breasts lasts night. You are so right, it makes all the difference. Wonderful work!
Thanks for the great tips. You make it look easy!!
Very informative blog article and method of cooking chicken breasts.
Very good post. I’ve gone through many of those issues as well.. dry and rubbery is no good. Pounding them flat so they can cook evenly is a really good idea.
There are so many genuinely interesting stuff on your blog so I saved to favorites. Keep up the good work!
You have brought up some very excellent details , thankyou for the post.
Good day! I simply want to give you a huge thumbs up for the great info you have here on this post. I will be returning to your website for more recipes soon.
Great method, it really works! Really looking forward to trying more of your great recipes.
I tried using this method last night – it worked great. The most perfectly moist chicken ever!!
After going over a number of the blog articles on your website, I honestly appreciate your techniques and tips. Thanks!