Serves 4. Published July 1, 2004.
For even cooking, the chicken breasts should be of comparable size. The best way to ensure this is to buy whole breasts and split them yourself, (see instructions below). If you prefer to skip this step, try to purchase split bone-in, skin-on breasts that weigh about 12 ounces each. If using a charcoal grill, you will need a disposable aluminum roasting pan to cover the chicken (the lid on a charcoal grill can give the chicken resinous "off" flavors). Some of the rub is inevitably lost to the grill, but the chicken will still be flavorful.
Ingredients
| Chicken and Brine | |
| 1/2 | cup granulated sugar |
| 1/2 | cup table salt |
| 4 | split bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts about 12 ounces each (see note) |
| Dipping Sauce | |
| 1 | teaspoon red pepper flakes |
| 3 | small cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (1 1/2 teaspoons) |
| 1/4 | cup distilled white vinegar |
| 1/4 | cup lime juice from 2 to 3 limes |
| 2 | tablespoons fish sauce |
| 1/3 | cup granulated sugar |
| Rub | |
| 12 | medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (1/4 cup) |
| 1 | piece fresh ginger (about 2 inches), minced (about 2 tablespoons) |
| 2 | tablespoons ground black pepper |
| 2 | tablespoons ground coriander |
| 2/3 | cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves |
| 1/4 | cup lime juice from 2 to 3 limes |
| 2 | tablespoons vegetable oil , plus more for grill grate |
Instructions
- To brine the chicken: Dissolve sugar and salt in 2 quarts cold water in large container or bowl; submerge chicken in brine and refrigerate at least 30 minutes but not longer than 1 hour. Rinse chicken under cool running water and pat dry with paper towels.
- For the dipping sauce: Whisk ingredients in small bowl until sugar dissolves. Let stand 1 hour at room temperature to allow flavors to meld.
- To make and apply the rub: Combine all rub ingredients in small bowl; work mixture with fingers to thoroughly combine. Slide fingers between skin and meat to loosen skin, taking care not to detach skin. Rub about 2 tablespoons mixture under skin. Thoroughly rub even layer of mixture onto all exterior surfaces, including bottom and sides. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces. Place chicken in medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate while preparing grill.
- To grill the chicken: Turn all burners on gas grill to high, close lid, and heat until grill is very hot, about 15 minutes. Scrape grill grate clean with grill brush; using long-handled grill tongs, lightly dip wad of paper towels in vegetable oil and wipe grill grate. Turn all but 1 burner to low. Place chicken, skin-side down, on hotter side of grill; cook until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken breasts and cook until browned on second side, 4 to 5 minutes longer. Move chicken skin-side up to cool side of grill and close lid; cook until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast (not touching bone) registers 160 degrees, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to serving platter; let rest 10 minutes. Serve, passing sauce separately.
Splitting Whole Chicken Breasts We’ve found store-bought split chicken breasts to be problematic. Some are so sloppily cut that the tenderloins are missing, some retain only tiny shreds of tattered skin, and some packages contain wildly divergent sizes. Consequently, we advise purchasing whole breasts and splitting them yourself.
The basic method for splitting a chicken breast is to simply push a chef’s knife through the skin, flesh, and bone. While this method is straightforward, sometimes the split breasts end up lopsided, and sometimes both lobes are marred by unruly bits of bone and cartilage around which a knife and fork must eventually navigate. Enter a classic technique for splitting a chicken breast. It involves the removal of the keel bone and cartilage that divide the breast, thereby making the chicken easier to eat. This method takes a few extra minutes, but we think it’s time well spent.
The basic method for splitting a chicken breast is to simply push a chef’s knife through the skin, flesh, and bone. While this method is straightforward, sometimes the split breasts end up lopsided, and sometimes both lobes are marred by unruly bits of bone and cartilage around which a knife and fork must eventually navigate. Enter a classic technique for splitting a chicken breast. It involves the removal of the keel bone and cartilage that divide the breast, thereby making the chicken easier to eat. This method takes a few extra minutes, but we think it’s time well spent.
1. Trim rib sections
2. Score membrane
3. Pop out keel bone
4. Pull out keel bone
5. Halve breast