Pickle-Brined Grilled Chicken- a 2-ingredient brine gives this chicken so much flavor. It grills up wonderfully juicy and tender.
Never, ever throw away the leftover juice in a pickle jar. It makes a great brine for chicken and pork. The pickle juice serves two purposes. It flavors the chicken and it also draws liquid into the chicken which helps keep the meat tender and juicy. The only other ingredient in the brine is brown sugar. It gives a little sweetness to the chicken to balance the tanginess of the pickle juice. Pickle juice is very salty so you don’t have to add any salt to the brine. This recipe is so simple and easy.
How To Make Pickle-Juice Grilled Chicken
- Combine the chicken thighs, pickle juice, and brown sugar in a large ziptop bag. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Turn the bag over every now and then if possible.
- Pat the chicken dry and season lightly with salt. It will already have picked up some salt from the brine. Season it with desired amount of black pepper and cajun seasoning.
- Grill for 5 to 6 minutes per side.
Serving Suggestions:
Serve with Southern Potato Salad and Marinated Cucumbers, Tomatoes, and Onion.
Make a chicken sandwich. Place it on a bun with lettuce, tomato, and spicy mayo.
Slice it and serve it on top of a garden salad.
Recipe Tips:
You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of thighs. They will need to cook for a little less time.
I like to brine the chicken for 24 hours but you can do it for less. Aim for at least 6 to 8 hours.
I use Creole seasoning interchangeably with Cajun seasoning.
For spicy chicken, add a light dusting of cayenne pepper to the chicken.
More Awesome Grilled Chicken Recipes:
- BBQ Grilled Chicken
- Sweet Tea Grilled Chicken
- Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
- Grilled Huli Huli Chicken
- Healthy Grilled Greek Chicken
Pickle-Brined Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 cup dill pickle juice
- 2 1/2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
Instructions
- Place chicken, pickle juice, and brown sugar in a large ziptop bag. Seal bag and place it in a bowl. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
- Remove chicken from brine. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Season with salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning.
- Grill over medium-high heat for 5 to 6 minutes per side.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The flavor is amazing. My boys gobbled it up.
Can you air fry instead of grilling?
Everything I can see looks good and delicious.
Can the chicken be marinated longer than 24 hours?
I wouldn’t marinade it too much longer than 24 hours. The acidity in the pickle juice can start to change the texture of the chicken.
This sounds delicious. I prefer breasts though. If I used those how long would I marinate? Also, can they be baked and if so what temperature and how long? It’s too cold this time and of year where I live to grill out.