Brined Grilled Chicken Recipes

Steps:

• Pour the warm water into a container that is twice the volume of the water. Pour in the salt, sugar, soy sauce, and olive oil. Stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved, then allow the brine to cool to room temperature.
• To use, place chicken in the brine, cover, and refrigerate two hours for skinless breasts, 4 hours for bone-in pieces, and 4 hours to overnight for whole chickens. Drain and pat the chicken dry before cooking. One gallon of brine is enough for 6 pounds of whole chicken or bone-in chicken pieces, and up to 10 pounds of skinless, boneless chicken breasts.

Steps:

• To make brine, in 3-quart saucepan, mix salt, sugar and chili powder. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the water. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 2 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until most of salt is dissolved. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining 3 cups water and the beer. Cool, stirring occasionally, until room temperature and all salt is dissolved, about 20 minutes.
• Remove and discard neck and giblets from chicken. Rinse chicken with cold water. Place chicken in large resealable food-storage plastic bag. Add brine. Squeeze bag to remove excess air, bringing brine up around chicken to cover; seal bag. Set bag in medium bowl; refrigerate 5 to 6 hours to marinate.
• Heat gas or charcoal grill for indirect grilling as directed in owner's manual. Remove chicken from brine; discard brine. Insert meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of inside thigh and does not touch bone. Place chicken over unheated area on grill; cover grill. Cook with medium heat 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 hours or until thermometer reads 180°F and legs move easily when lifted or twisted.

Steps:

• Combine the water, salt, and sugar together in a large deep bowl or plastic tub.
• Stir until salt and sugar are dissolved.
• Add the chicken and fully submerge; refrigerate for 2-4 hours to brine.
• Remove the chicken from the brine, rinse and pat dry.
• Grill chicken on direct heat for 5-7 min, turning once or twice until chicken is golden and well-marked from the grill.
• Move the chicken over to the side of the grill to indirect heat and continue to cook until juices run clear, about another 5-7 minute.

Steps:

• Mix water, kosher salt, white sugar, garlic, sage, basil, peppercorns, and bay leaf in a large pot over medium-high heat; bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the salt and sugar are dissolved completely, about 20 minutes.
• Remove pot from heat and cover with a lid. Cool brine at room temperature for 2 hours before refrigerating to cool completely.

Steps:

• Brine chicken and make vinaigrette:
• Bring water, sugar, and 1/2 cup salt to a boil in a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes. Cool brine completely, then add chicken and soak, covered and chilled, 6 hours.
• Remove chicken and pat dry.
• Whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, garlic, mint, cilantro, red pepper flakes, and remaining teaspoon salt in a large bowl, then add oil in a stream, whisking until combined.
• To cook chicken using a charcoal grill:
• Open vents on bottom of grill and on lid. Light a large chimney starter of charcoal (80 to 100 briquettes). Leaving about one quarter of grill free of charcoal, bank lit charcoal across rest of grill so that coals are about three times higher on the opposite side.
• When charcoal turns grayish white (after 15 to 20 minutes), check fire temperature and grill chicken parts according to instructions in accompanying article. Transfer chicken as cooked to bowl with vinaigrette and turn to coat, then transfer to a serving platter and keep warm, loosely covered with foil.
• When chicken is almost done, grill lime halves, cut sides down, uncovered, over coals until grill marks appear, about 3 minutes, then transfer to platter with chicken. Serve limes with chicken and serve remaining vinaigrette on the side.
• To cook chicken using a gas grill:
• Preheat all burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then adjust heat to moderately high.
• For drumsticks, thighs, and wings (cooking time is longer than cooking times for charcoal grilling):
• Sear chicken in 2 batches on lightly oiled grill rack, covered with lid, turning over once, until well browned, 6 to 8 minutes total. Turn off 1 burner (middle burner if there are 3) and arrange all seared chicken on rack above shut-off burner.
• Cook seared chicken, covered with lid, moving chicken around grill (to avoid flare-ups) and turning over occasionally, until cooked through, 12 to 20 minutes. Transfer chicken as cooked to bowl with vinaigrette and turn to coat, then transfer to a serving platter and keep warm, loosely covered with foil.
• For breast halves:
• Sear chicken (in 2 batches if necessary to avoid crowding), starting with skin sides down, on grill, covered with lid, turning over once, until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes total. Turn off 1 burner (middle burner if there are 3) and arrange all breasts on rack over shut-off burner.
• Cook seared chicken, covered with lid, turning over once, until cooked through, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer chicken to bowl with vinaigrette and turn to coat, then transfer to platter to keep warm, loosely covered with foil.
• When chicken is almost done, grill lime halves, cut sides down, uncovered, over lit burner until grill marks appear, about 3 minutes, then transfer to platter with chicken. Serve limes with chicken and serve remaining vinaigrette on the side.