Steven Raichlen's Brined Chicken..worth The Time!!

Total Time: 2 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 4 (6 -8 ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 1/4 cup coarse salt
• 1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 12 whole black peppercorns
• 1 red chili pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 whole bay leaves
• 1 cup hot water
• 3 cups cold water
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled, then crushed with the side of a cleaver

Recipe

• 1 rinse chicken under cold, running water and blot dry with paper towels. arrange in a nonreactive baking dish.
• 2 make the brine: place the salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, chili pepper and bay leaves in a large, nonreactive bowl. add the hot water, then whisk until the salt and brown sugar dissolve; stir in the cold water. let brine come to room temperature.
• 3 pour over the chicken and stir in the lemon slices, onion and garlic. cover the dish with plastic wrap and let stand in the refrigerator for 2 hours, turning the chicken once or twice.
• 4 preheat the grill until coals are hot. when ready to cook, brush and oil the grate.
• 5 arrange the breasts on the hot grate, all facing the same direction, at a 45-degree angle to the bars of the grate.
• 6 cook the chicken over high heat, 4 to 6 minutes per side, rotating the breasts 90 degrees after 2 minutes on each side to create an attractive crosshatch of grill marks. (to test for doneness, remove a breast from the grill and poke the thickest part with your finger. it should feel firm to the touch.)
• 7 transfer the chicken to a decorative platter and serve.