Juicy grilled BBQ chicken is easily done with this simple brine recipe and chicken seasoned with your favorite barbeque seasoning then grilled to perfection. It seems so easy, yet if you have never used a brine on grilled chicken, you are missing out on the juiciest grilled chicken.
I must admit it was thanks to this Asian Marinated Chicken that I was inspired to make my BBQ chicken. But I do love a good grilled chicken of any sort.
Simple Brine Ingredients
To make this juicy grilled chicken you will need to start with these ingredients:
- apple cider vinegar
- water
- garlic cloves
- salt
- brown sugar
How to Make the Best Grilled Chicken
Start by combining the brine ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil to dissolve the salt and sugar.
Then grab your choice of seasonings. Here are a few of the items I tossed into the cooled vinegar mixture. I added a teaspoon of cayenne pepper and two teaspoons of the rest. I added about 10 dashes of Tabasco.
Add four more cups of ice cold water or ice itself to the mixture once the seasonings are dissolved. Then get your chicken. So, let's talk about chicken for a second.
What chicken is best for grilling?
We are a dark meat family. We find it to be more flavorful. Not that I have anything against the breast, but if you start with a dry, low-fat piece of meat, don't be surprised if you end with a dry, low-fat piece of meat. If you are trying to watch fat, I recommend using dark meat and removing the skin. You will still have lots of flavors. I have chicken breast in my freezer that I make too, but for grilled chicken, I recommend bone-in and skin on for the fullest flavor.
I found the greatest packaging of chicken at Costco last time I bought chicken. It was six individually wrapped servings of legs and the same with the thighs. This meant each package had 5 legs and 4 thighs. I tossed it directly in the freezer when I got home. Then I just tore off the packages I needed for supper. Easy, peasy. And it was still 99 cents a pound!!
Now that you have your chicken, drop it in a gallon zipper bag and power the vinegar brine over top of the chicken. Zip shut a refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
Pour the brine on the chicken and let it sit at room temperature for 10-20 minutes before tossing on the grill.
Season the chicken with one of your seasoning salts of choice. Then grill for about 20 minutes per side over medium heat. Keep an eye on it. Flare-ups happen. You will notice I have a few VERY black pieces. Luckily the skin peels right off. I however really like the black, charred pieces. I am weird like that. However, this is still the juiciest grilled BBQ chicken.
Grilled Chicken Recipes
Grilled chicken is always a hit, but there is no need to make the same old grilled chicken. Here are a few of our favorite grilled and barbecued chicken recipes.
๐ Recipe
Juicy Grilled BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
- ยฝ cup apple cider vinegar
- 8 cups water
- 3 cloves garlic
- ยผ cup salt
- ยฝ cup brown sugar
- 5-10 dashes Tabasco
- ยฝ teaspoon cayenne optional
- 3-4 pounds chicken
- 1 tablespoon seasoning salt
- 1 cup your favorite bbq sauce
Instructions
- Start with bringing a ยฝ cup of apple cider vinegar and 3 ยฝ cups of water to a boil. Toss in 3 chopped cloves of garlic cloves and then pour in ยฝ cup of salt and ยพ cup of brown sugar. Turn off the heat. Then wait for it to cool down a bit.
- Then grab your choice of seasonings. Here are a few of the items I tossed into the cooled vinegar mixture. I added a teaspoon of cayenne pepper and two teaspoons of the rest. I added about 10 dashes of Tabasco.
- Add four more cups of ice cold water or ice itself to the mixture once the seasonings are dissolved.
- Drop your chicken in a gallon zipper bag and power the vinegar brine over top of the chicken. Zip shut a refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
- Pour the brine off the chicken, and let chicken rest for 10-20 minutes on the counter.
- Season the chicken with one of your seasoning salts of choice.
- Then grill for about 20 minutes per side over a medium heat. Keep an eye on it. Flare ups happen.
- When chicken is done cooking, spread with BBQ sauce and let grill for a minute or two longer.
Nutrition
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Aimee
Your BBQ chicken looks amazing. Yum. Thanks for hosting,
Aimee
Miz Helen
Hi Leah,
Your BBQ Chicken looks so good. I will give it a try. Thank you for hosting today and hope you have a wonderful week!
Katie @Pinke Post
I'm totally jumping into the brine making and going to do this recipe this week! YUMMY. Thanks for hosting Leah. I added my Reuben Wraps.
Tina @ MOMS CRAZY COOKING
So Sorry today is Ice Cream linky only.. please come back and link up a ice cream treat!
Lana
I have a hunk of meat post! Wooo! Now can I link to yours? I'm not seeing how to do it today. Figures, I've taken too long, and now I hae forgotten how to link up! ๐
Lana
Thanks! wouldn't you know my pic is a lot like the meal entered before it! ๐ I bet they are both good!
Loy
Leah, Thank so much for the nice comment on my blog, and thank you for hosting this link up. Look as though there are some great recipes up there. I am always looking for new recipes for meat and chicken. Will be checking back next week.
Aarthi
Hai Dear
This looks yummy....you have a lovely blogโฆ You have so many wonderful recipes..I have bookmarked you blog and some recipe from that to try..Please check out my blog.I am having a Giveaway in my blog..Please check it out and partcipate in that..
http://yummytummy-aarthi.blogspot.com/2011/07/homemade-bounty-chocolate-and-giveaway.html
Aarthi
Cookin' Canuck
I love the look of those blackened pieces (yep, I'm weird like that, too). I'm so glad you linked this up in the Bush's giveaway.