Boneless chicken breasts marinated in a fresh lime juice and sea salt brine; then grilled until juicy is so simple and flavorful.
Doesn't this grilled chicken look amazing? Well it was and so juicy and flavorful too! That's why I love brining chicken before grilling; especially with citrusy flavors like lemon and lime.
When making dinner, I try to have the same flavor profiles as well. So if I'm making something with limes, my vegetable and side dish will complement our meal as well.
What is a brine?
Brining is a process of submerging meat in a solution of liquid and salt. The meat soaks up the ingredients and makes it juicier. It's generally used with leaner cuts of meat like chicken or center cut pieces of pork; which are so lean they tend to dry out when grilling.
When I say liquid, water is generally used like I did with this recipe, but I've also used, rum, beer and apple cider. It really added another depth of flavor!
How long should you brine?
The time it takes to brine varies on what type of meat you will be using. It can range any where from 30 minutes to 48 hours. The smaller the piece of meat, the less time it needs to sit in the brine.
These are some guidelines; however, I've left chicken pieces in a brine for up to 4 hours and they were fine. If you leave the meat in too long, it could taste a little more saltier, but you can rinse it off before grilling.
- 30-60 Minutes: chicken pieces, whole chicken, cornish game hens, pork chops, pork tenderloin, shellfish
- 2-3 hours: whole pork loin
- 6-24 hours: whole turkey
How do I make Grilled Chicken in a Lime Sea Salt Brine?
For this recipe you'll need boneless chicken breasts, water, sea salt and a lime. You can use lime juice, but I like to use a fresh lime so that I can add some zest into the brine as well.
Trim any visible fat from the chicken; then add to a resealable plastic bag. In a small bowl, combine water, sugar, salt, lime zest and juice and whisk until the sugar and salt have dissolved.
Add the brine to the bag of chicken and seal. Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes; then grill to the minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
This Grilled Chicken in a Lime Sea Salt Brine was delicious. As you can see, I sliced each piece before serving since they were pretty large pieces.
Along with the chicken I served these Twice Baked Lime Sweet Potatoes and...
Chili Lime Sautéed Zucchini; which really paired well with our meal. ~Enjoy!
Visit the recipe index to search for more recipes by category.
More Grilled Chicken Recipes
- Honey Mustard Balsamic Grilled Chicken
- Grilled Chicken Panini with Classic Pesto
- Chicken Burgers with Copycat Chick-Fil-A Sauce
- Herbed Grilled Chicken Mac and Cheese
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Grilled Chicken in a Lime Sea Salt Brine
Ingredients
- 4- (6-ounce) boneless chicken breasts
- ¾ cup water
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons sea salt
- 1 lime, zest and juice
Instructions
- Trim any visible fat from the chicken; then add to a resealable plastic bag.
- In a small bowl, combine the water, sugar, salt, lime zest and juice. Whisk until the sugar and salt have dissolved; then add it to the bag of chicken and seal.
- Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes; then grill 5-7 minutes per side or until the internal temperature is a minimum of 165 degrees F. Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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*Originally shared March 2012/Updated June 2019
Amee says
Wow! Carrie, you do have me drooling!!! You had me at lime sea salt! 🙂
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
Thanks Amee! 🙂
Lisa @ Lisa's Dinnertime Dish says
This sounds like such tangy goodness, Carrie! I love cooking with lime. I have a spice store not too far from me that I've never been to, I think I need to check it out and see if they have a salt that is similar to this!
I also love the new look of your blog, it looks great!
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
Thank you Lisa! If you can't find it, click the link above and you can order it online. They have so many wonderful things, I was in my glory! 🙂