How To Grill Boneless Chicken Breasts
This is the best way to get perfectly juicy and tender chicken breasts. A simple brine of salted water will help the chicken breasts stay juicy and moist. Pounding the fat end even with skinny end will help the chicken cook evenly.
Servings: 4 chicken breasts
Ingredients
- 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
- 4 tablespoons regular salt or 6 tablespoons Kosher salt
- 2 quarts of cold water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
- Working with one chicken breast at a time, place the chicken breasts inside a large plastic bag. Use the flat side of a meat mallet and pound the thick end of the breast until it is the same thickness as the thinner end.
- Pour the salt and water into a large bowl and stir to dissolve the salt. Place the pounded chicken breasts in the salty water, cover the bowl, and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat a gas or pellet grill to high heat at 475°F. If you are using a charcoal grill, prepare your grill with two cooking zones. One side will have hot coals, while the other side will have no coals. The side without coals will be used for indirect cooking and give you more control over the grilling process.
- Pat the chicken breasts dry and coat them with olive oil then dust them with pepper.
- Place the chicken breasts on the hot side of the grill and leave it there for 3 to 5 minutes until browned. Flip to the other side and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes until nicely browned. If the chicken browns too fast or a lot of flames shoot up, transfer the chicken to the cooler side of the grill and cook over indirect heat. You won't need to worry about flames if you are using a pellet grill, but if the chicken starts to get too brown before it is done, you may need to reduce the heat to 375°F or 400°F. Grill time will depend on the thickness of the chicken.
- Cook the chicken until the internal temperature on a meat thermometer reaches 165°F. (We prefer to remove the chicken at 160°F and allow for carry-over heat).
- Transfer the chicken to a platter and cover it with aluminum foil for 5 minutes before slicing.
Video
Notes
- Try to start with the thickest chicken breasts you can find. If you choose chicken breasts that are 3/4 to 1 inch thick at the skinny end then you won't have to pound the thicker end very thin. The goal is to make them an even thickness, not to make pancakes out of them.
- If you don't have a meat mallet you can use a rolling pin or a heavy skillet to pound the chicken breasts.
- Cook the chicken breasts to a MAXIMUM internal temperature of 165°F, no hotter or they will dry out. We remove chicken from the grill when the internal temperature reaches 157°F to 160°F because the carry-over heat continues to cook the chicken.
- Letting the chicken breasts rest for 5 minutes after they finish cooking is an important step. If you cut into the chicken right away, the juices will seep out and make the chicken dry.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 259kcal | Protein: 37g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 15970mg
