Hello again. The summer is winding down - technically, by the Jersey Shore calendar, it's over already, and the 49 degrees it was when I woke up this morning attests to that. It's been a lovely summer of grilling and growing, but I'm ready for cooking season. "Cooking season?" you say. Yes indeed, readers. The oven goes dormant from late May through, well, about now. So much grilled deliciousness this summer, mostly done be EPH but a little here and there by me.
Which reminds me - did I ever talk to you about the brining of everything else? During one of EPH's trips I felt like grilling, and in a fit of health had purchased skinless boneless chicken breasts. These are not something I generally have on hand as I feel they are generally bland and flavorless. But then somebody said something about brining them, I gave it a try, and just like that -- chicken breasts redeemed! The only lingering question is WHY didn't I do this before???
The recipe is formatted for grilling, but as in all these sorts of things it can easily be adjusted for grill pan or similar. This is meant for 2-3 small-to-normal breasts (we use organic, which run small, so keep that in mind for volumes), but doubling is fine.
Best Easiest Grilled Chicken Breasts
2-3 chicken breasts, preferably organic
4 cups warm - not hot! - water (we're not poaching, here)
1/8 cup kosher salt
Aromatics of your choosing: peppercorns, lemon rind, rosemary, star anise, etc - in whole form, not ground
Trim the breasts of their tender and any stray bits. [*Note: you can toss the tenders in the brine too, and skewer them for simultaneous grilling - just remember they'll cook faster*] Gently pound the breasts between wax or parchment paper, to even thickness. Combine water and salt in a freezer bag and swish to dissolve the salt. Add the chicken and aromatics, seal, and refridgerate for up to, but no longer than, 30 minutes. The tenderized white meat is very absorbent, so longer than this and your meat will be way too salty. This may even be too long for your tastes - experiment!
Pat dry, and heat your grill to medium-high. Grill for 4-6 minutes per side (depending on thickness). Chicken should be seared enough to release easily from the grill before turning. If in doubt, use thermometer to confirm minimum internal temperature of 160.
Looks good!
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