No more tough, rubbery, dried-out grilled chicken.
basic basic that no grilling recipe collection should be without: grilled chicken breast.
I like to put the chicken in a resealable plastic bag for the pounding—the thick plastic won't break when whacked, and the sealed bag ensures chicken juice doesn't splatter all over the kitchen.Once it's safely in a bag, I go at it with a heavy skillet or a meat pounder, bashing the thicker parts of the breast until they match the height of the thinnest part. But don't go too thin here; keep the height around three-quarters of an inch.
A wet brine plumps the meat up more, for juicier results. But that plumpness is due to the water that's absorbed by the breast, which means the chicken is juicier but less flavorful. That added moisture also impedes browning, even if you dry the meat well after taking it out of the brine, which means it'll be more difficult to get a good sear.
. The skinless breasts have no fat to protect them from the heat, which means they'll easily stick to the grill, a problem that a clean and oiled grill grate alleviates.With an even thickness, a brine, and a clean grill, the chicken is ready to face the hot fire. You don't want to go too hot here, since the 500°F+ temperature of a new fire can dry out the breasts too quickly.