Grilling season has officially arrived here in NJ (well at least at my house…I don’t like to use the outside grill unless it’s above 60 degrees!) and I couldn’t wait to try out some new grilled chicken recipes. The first one I experimented with was a basic brine marinade like I’ve used in the past on pork, and came up with this Lemon-Thyme Brined Grilled Chicken.

I’ve said it before that brining makes your meat incredibly moist and this was no exception. I especially like to use a brine when grilling as I tend to overcook things on the grill, especially chicken. This chicken was so light and flavorful, though I don’t recommend letting it sit in the marinade for more than 8 hours or it may taste too salty. I let mine sit for about 4 hours and it was perfect; then served it with a baked potato and tossed salad.

• 4-4oz. Chicken Breasts, boneless and skinless
• 3/4 c. Water
• 2 tbsp. Granulated Sugar
• 2 tbsp. Sea Salt
• 1 Lemon, zest and juice
• 2 tbsp. Fresh Thyme, removed from stem

1. Combine the water, sugar, salt, lemon zest and juice and fresh thyme in a bowl and whisk together.
2. Add the chicken to a resealable plastic bag; then add in the liquid. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 4-6 hours.
3. Remove chicken from the refrigerator 15 minutes prior to grilling, discard the liquid and grill the chicken to the proper internal temperature (minimum 165 degrees).