Grilled Chicken Modena

If you are looking for a flavorful and healthy alternative to plain grilled chicken try chicken Modena. This brining and marinating cooking method gives you a mouth pleasing and moist grilled chicken breast—grilled chicken never tasted so good.

Makes 4 Servings

Brine

1 Qt cold Water
½ C Kosher Salt or ¼ C Table Salt
½ C Granulated Sugar

2 Garlic Cloves (minced)

Chicken

4 Boneless Chicken Breasts

Marinade *

2 TBS Fresh Basil (chopped)

2 TBS Fresh Parsley (chopped)

1 tsp Fresh Thyme (chopped)

Juice of 1 Lemon

½ C Olive Oil

1/8 C White Balsamic Vinegar *

5 grinds of Black Pepper

Mix the brine ingredients in a gallon-sized zipper-lock bag.  Add the chicken breasts and remove as much air as possible from the bag; brine for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Place all marinade ingredients into a blender and process until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed.

Trim the chicken breasts, pat them dry, and place them in a new gallon-sized zipper-lock bag with the marinade for 30 minutes.

Preheat your grill to medium-hot heat (see “How to Judge the Temperature of a Fire”) and oil the grill.  Grill the chicken until golden brown and the internal temperature has reached 160°.

* Pronto Substitutes

Brining – If you don’t have time to brine, sprinkle the chicken breasts with kosher salt after they have been removed from the marinade.

Marinade – Use ¾ C of store bought balsamic dressing.

White Balsamic Vinegar – Use traditional balsamic vinegar.

How to Judge the Temperature of a Fire

Too hot a fire and your meat will burn, too low a fire and you will not achieve the brown char that adds so much flavor.  Just hold your hand 5 inches from the top of the grill grate and count how many seconds you can comfortably hold it there.

How Hot Is the Grill?

Hot                   2 seconds  

Medium-hot     3–4 seconds

Medium           5–6 seconds

Medium-low   7  seconds

To print a copy of this recipe go to Grilled Chicken Modena.