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platter of grilled chicken breasts sliced.
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5 from 2 votes

Grilled Chicken Breasts

This recipe delivers the juiciest grilled chicken you'll ever make, and it includes instructions for different types of grills.
Prep Time1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken breasts boneless, skinless

Juicy Chicken Brine

Finishing Rub

Instructions

  • Prep the Chicken: Trim excess fat and gristle from the chicken, leaving the tender attached (see tips above). Place in a zip-top bag.
  • Brine: In a bowl, combine the water, salt, sugar and rub. Pour it into the bag with the chicken. Seal and massage to work in the marinade. Let soak for 1 hour on the counter.
  • Gas Grill: Heat your grill to 350F degrees. Add a foil pouch with Cowboy hickory chips for added flavor. Place the chicken on the grill over direct heat.
  • Pellet Grill: Heat your grill to 400F degrees with Cowboy Charcoal and Hickory Pellets. Place the chicken on the grill.
  • Charcoal Grill: Use a charcoal chimney to light Cowboy Charcoal Hickory or Apple Briquets. Once ashed over, dump the coals into your grill. Let burn for 15 minutes. Adjust the vents so the heat is around 350F degrees.
  • Ninja Foodi Grill: Set the grill setting to medium heat and set the time for 20 minutes.
  • Season: Remove the chicken from the marinade. Rub with a drizzle of olive oil and more rub.
  • Grill: Place on the grill top-side down. For the gas, charcoal and Ninja Foodi grill, grill for 3 minutes. Flip. Grill for 3 minutes. Flip. Grill for 3 minutes. Flip and grill for another 3-7 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165F degrees. For the pellet grill, grill for 5 minutes. Flip. Grill for 5 minutes. Flip. Grill for 5 minutes. Flip and grill for another 9-11 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165F degrees.
  • Rest: No matter which method you use, allow the chicken to rest for 5-10 minutes. Slice and serve.

Video

Notes

  • You can brine the chicken in as little as 30 minutes or as long as overnight. I have found that one hour is long enough to create really juicy chicken. Refrigerate, if brining for more than an hour.
  • It's important to cook the chicken to an internal temperature of 165F degrees. If you go beyond that, the chicken will become less juicy.
  • Note the different grill temperature for the pellet grill. Most pellet grills are setup with diffusers that block the heat, which is why it's best to set it to 400F degrees. If you cook the chicken at 350F degrees, like you do on the other grills, it will take much longer for the meat to come to temp.
  • To retain juiciness, serve whole chicken breasts or slice just before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 147kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 1007mg | Potassium: 427mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 60IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg