Grilled chicken breasts are my culinary Achilles heel. I make them all the time, but I still haven't mastered how to do them consistently well. No one wants to come away with undercooked chicken after taking it off the grill. On the other hand, even a minute or two too long can make the meat dry, rubbery, and inedible.
I've tried almost every trick in the book to get perfectly cooked grilled chicken, and most of them are messy, time-consuming, and difficult to accomplish. When I saw a recent recipe shared by the food blog The Woks of Life, I knew I had to give it a try. What is their The secret ingredient for a perfectly juicy grilled chicken breast? Water!
Yes, you read that right! I was skeptical too. Let’s just say I’ve finally mastered cooking perfectly juicy grilled chicken.
Now let’s see why this works. The Woks of Life method combines several techniques into one easy-to-make grilled chicken recipe.
Simple recipes / Frank Tiu
How to try this 1-ingredient upgrade
First off, the way they prepare the chicken is worth noting. Instead of throwing the entire chicken breast into the marinade, they instruct readers to pound it with the dull edge of a cleaver. This not only ensures the chicken cooks faster and more evenly, but also breaks down the long muscle fibers that are responsible for the tough, rubbery texture of overcooked chicken.
Next, add water. But you don't just pour it in. Add the water to the chicken little by little over a 10-minute period, massaging it into the meat to help it absorb.
Once this process is complete, add the marinade: olive oil, fresh thyme, fresh oregano, garlic, pepper and salt (or use your favorite chicken marinade). Marinate the chicken as you normally would, for at least two hours or overnight.
Why This Upgrade Makes the Juiciest Chicken
The oil, herbs, and garlic add flavor while the salt ensures that all the moisture you worked so hard to get into the chicken stays there once it’s cooked. The salt helps break down tight muscle fibers further, which reduces the tightening once the meat hits the hot grill. This means the chicken won’t contract as much, a process that normally forces moisture out of the meat during cooking, resulting in dry, stringy poultry.
How I use this 1 ingredient upgrade
When I tried this at home, I made a few modifications based on what I had available. I don't have a cleaver, so I used a meat mallet to help carve the chicken.
Once placed on the gas grill, the chicken cooked beautifully in about four minutes per side. After a good rest (about 10 minutes), I sliced the chicken, revealing one of the juiciest birds that has ever come off my grill! Luckily, with this recipe, I can cross that cooking dilemma off my list.
