How to Brine Chicken for Tender, Juicy Barbecue Chicken

Dull, dry, overcooked chicken: we’ve all suffered through it before. This week we show you how to permanently avoid the lean-meat doldrums with a recipe for a basic brine. The result: succulent, tender, juicy barbecue chicken.

How to Brine Chicken for Tender, Juicy Barbecue Chicken

Okay, so the mercury may have dropped about 20 degrees in the past 24 hours here in New York, but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep grilling. (Trust me - last night I went to a barbecue at my friend Nick’s for the kickoff of the Food Experiments National All-Stars CookOff this Sunday at Brooklyn Brewery and he grilled up one of the best dinners I’ve had in a while: sous vide chicken finished on the grill and bathed in homemade mole and some of Theo’s brats. But I digress.)

(Theo’s brat with quick-pickles and tempura-fried bacon flakes on top)

Chances are if you’ve cooked chicken before you’ve had at least one experience where the meat came out dry and flavorless. This week, we give you an easy, affordable, and quick fix: brining. You can read more about the technique on this fantastic PDF by Cooks Illustrated, but we highly recommend brining any lean meat prior to cooking to infuse it with flavor and moisture.

Happy 4th of July, everyone! Check out this week’s episode on grill-finished BBQ ribs, just in time for today’s backyard barbecues and the rest of summer’s grill-fueled parties.

And if you’re gonna make our ribs, you’re gonna need a good barbecue sauce recipe. Check out my girl Lisa’s, from The Funny Side Up.