You may have heard me complain on social media that I am prohibited from having real grill in my Miami high-rise apartment. As such, I exclusively use my Lodge Cast Iron Grill Pan to prepare grilled chicken. Of course, nothing beats a charcoal grill, but chicken prepared in this pan comes very close! 

It’s no secret that chicken breasts can easily dry out and become tough because of their lack of interstitial fat. For that reason, every single time I cook chicken breast, I brine it, to enhance its flavor and texture  No, you do not have to boil anything on the stove, like your uncle does before brining his Thanksgiving turkey.  You simply need to soak the chicken breasts in a solution of water and salt for 30 minutes to an hour. 
 
The salt in the brine dissolves muscle proteins in the chicken, allowing the meat to absorb and retain more water, tenderizing the chicken by altering the protein. This helps keep the chicken moist during cooking, even if it’s overcooked slightly. The salt in the brine also helps season the chicken more deeply because the salt penetrates the meat, seasoning it throughout rather than just on the surface. 

A note about salt: For brining and cooking, I exclusively use kosher salt. Kosher salt is a type of coarse-grained salt  commonly used by chefs because it has larger, coarser grains than table salt. The large grains make it easier to handle which allows for more precise control over the seasoning. Also, kosher salt takes up more space than table salt, so the same volume of kosher salt will contain appx. 50% less salt by weight compared to table salt. If using table salt in the brine, use half the amount. Also, my preferred brand to use is Diamond Crystal Brand Kosher Salt.