Sweet Tea Brined Chicken
This Sweet Tea Brined Chicken is juicy, flavorful, and perfect for grilling. Brined with black tea, brown sugar, lemon, garlic, rosemary, and cracked pepper, this Southern-inspired grilled chicken recipe is packed with smoky sweet flavor and stays incredibly tender and juicy.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Brining Time: 4 Hours
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: SOUTHERN
Ingredients
Scale
For the Sweet Tea Brine
- 2 family-sized black tea bags
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1 small sweet onion, sliced
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 8–10 garlic cloves, smashed
- 3–4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
For the Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs and breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- In a saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat and steep the tea bags for 10 minutes.
- Remove tea bags and stir in the brown sugar and kosher salt until dissolved.
- Add sliced onion, lemon, garlic, rosemary, and cracked black pepper. Allow the brine to cool completely.
- Place chicken thighs and breasts into a large bowl or zip-top bag. Pour the cooled brine over the chicken.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight for best flavor.
- Remove chicken from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Discard the brine.
- Lightly brush chicken with olive oil and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
- Grill chicken breasts for 5–7 minutes per side and thighs for 6–8 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Do not add chicken to warm brine.
- Chicken thighs stay extra juicy on the grill.
- Overnight brining gives the best flavor.
- Fresh rosemary and lemon add incredible brightness.
Find it online: https://www.firsthomelovelife.com/sweet-tea-brined-chicken/