Lunch / Dinner
Sweet Tea Brined & Grilled Chicken
This grilled chicken is perfect for summer grilling. First brined in sweet tea, then coated in a flavor-packed rub featuring chili powder, warm cinnamon, and thyme, this chicken dinner is a winner.
Ingredients
FOR THE BRINE, STEEP:
WHISK IN:
FOR THE RUB, COMBINE:
FOR THE SAUCE, SIMMER:
Instructions
For the brine, steep tea bag in water in a large bowl, covered, 5 minutes. Discard tea bag.
Whisk in brown sugar and ½ cup salt until dissolved. Stir in ice, lime juice, lime halves, and mint. Place chicken in brine, cover, and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
For the rub, combine chili powder, black pepper, cinnamon, thyme, and cayenne. Remove chicken from brine, pat dry, and massage both sides with rub. Refrigerate chicken until ready to grill, up to 2 hours.
For the sauce, simmer honey, vinegar, mustard, and ½ tsp. salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat, 5 minutes. Off heat, season sauce with pepper flakes.
Prepare grill for two-zone grilling, heating one side to high and other side to low.
Grill chicken, skin side up, covered, over low heat, rotating periodically for even cooking, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest parts, not touching bone, registers 165°, about 30 minutes. Glaze chicken with sauce, cover, and grill 5 minutes more. Let chicken rest 5 minutes before serving with remaining sauce.
Brine the chicken in salty sweet tea. Salt draws moisture out of the meat, which is replenished with sweet tea.
There's no need to oil the chicken. The cinnamon-spice rub will stick just fine to the brined skin.
For an accurate reading, position the thermometer in the center of the meat, without touching bone.
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional Facts
Per serving
Calories: 871
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 57g 87%
Saturated Fat 16g 80%
Cholesterol 284mg 94%
Sodium 560mg 23%
Carbs 15g 5%
Fiber 1g 4%
Protein 71g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.