The problem: Thin Chicken Breast Sandwiches

[Heretic]

Thanks to this wonderful site (and now book) I have had a pretty good deal of success. I have gotten very comfortable with pork shoulder. My burgers are better. My steaks are much better. My very first brisket was tender and juicy. I even did a whole Simon and Garfunkle chicken and it was pretty darn good.

So, far three times I have tried thin chicken breasts, pounded flat, to make a grilled chicken breast sandwich. So far, no joy. I salted and seasoned with overnight rest in the fridge. I tried hot and fast over coals once. Those ended up burned to a crisp before the center was done. I tried it on the gas grill twice. Hot and fast was burned again. Slow was just dry and tough.

Do we have a preferred method? Trying to get juicy and tender has eluded me thus far. What say you oh wizards of the outdoor flame?

Equipment: Weber Performer Premium (2015), Slow N' Sear, Auber Temp Controller, Weber Spirit (2013)
ThermoPop, ThermoQ


Thanks a ton,

- Heretic

[Jerod Broussard]

Only thing I have found to like with chicken breasts is the hottest indirect temps I can get. Even hanging in the PBC I'll try to run 400.

[Jon Solberg]

I roll ike Jerod. Them just touch them on the hot side if I want some char. I think the SnS is the bees knees for this.

[Ernest]

Unless you got a hot tub time machine, you best bet is the indirect cook. Or get some thighs and debone them.

[Breadhead]

Hot tub and a quick sear is my preferred technique for chicken breast sammies.👍 But... Brown meat tastes better than white meat IMHO.😎

[Heretic]

Thanks for the feedback. By hottub are we talking sous vide?

[scottranda]

Yes.

[Breadhead]

Yes... Sous Vide.👍

[ssandy_561]

I put my cast iron pan on the grill and slowly cook them in some clarified butter and then finish them off on the grates for color.

[ssandy_561]

When I say slowly I mean 10 to 15 minutes

[Dewesq55]

A couple of things: 1) Sous vide and quickly sear is the best way. 2)Hot and fast on the grill - turn often and cook until JUST done in the center. It only takes a couple of minutes if pounded like you said. 3) Wet brine chicken parts, rather than dry brine. I use Huskee 's wet brine recipe which I converted to weight measure from volume so you can use any type of salt:

200 g Salt 200 g granulated white sugar
3,785 g (equal to 1 Gal) water (can be divided between warm and cold/ice)

Can be scaled and any kind of salt used by weight
Fully dissolve salt and sugar in the warm water. Last time I did this I put 1/2 the water in a pot with all of the salt and sugar. I heated it on the stove until the salt and sugar were dissolved, then added the rest of the water weight in ice cubes. Gave me a quick chill so I could use it right away. I think 2/3 water and 1/3 ice would have worked better. Chill thoroughly before brining chicken or pork chops. They only need about 1 hour in the brine. Maybe less for thin white meat.

[LA Pork Butt]

Heretic My experience is 500-550 - 2 minutes turn 90 degrees for 2 more minutes. Then flip for 2 minutes and turn 90 degrees for 2 minutes. They should still be jucy and done. Use an instant read thermometer to check for 165 so they won't be over done Your gasser should be able to pull this off easily.

[Heretic]

Thanks all. Spot on advice. I don't have a hot tub so....
I pounded flat. Dry brined. Oiled lightly before cook.
Indirect cook on gasser at about 450. Aprox. 4 mins per side until about 155 internal. Move to direct to brown aprox. One min per side. Carefully monitor with thermo until hit 165.
I did this with mexican rub for burrito bowls last night and with Simon and Garfunkle for sammiches today. Both were very good and my guests were very happy.
Thanks guys. I no longer dread the chicken breast.

[Jon Solberg]

That's great to hear! Don't ever forget. The hot tub is for those that don't want to grill! Great job!

[DWCowles]

Of coarse you season the meat with your choice of rub, tend the fire drink a few beers and when it's done you can honesty say that you made real BBQ with wood, fire and smoke. I made step on some toes here but set it and forget it is NOT old school.

[DWCowles]

Old school is NOT cooking with a fan...Old school is cooking with natural air flow, logs and the best part...tending the smoker.

[Jon Solberg]

This is a grilling and bbq forum. It just is. It's not an oven. A SV. Or a microwave forum. It's just not

[David Parrish]

The key with chicken breast is to not overcook. 160 F is a good final temp. Past 165 F and it's dried out.

[Heretic]

(david). Agreed once you go past target it goes south in a hurry. I was having trouble with it. I think I get it now.
The whole chicken I smoked with skin on had no problem staying juicy. With a thin breast you got to get them hot fast enough to keep them from drying out but they can't take direct high heat very well either. So the answer is hot and fast indirect quick brown direct at the end. That about right? Worked like a champ.

@DW. Naw no toes stepped on. You are entitled to the opinion. I love my temp controller with slow n sear though. At the end of the day my food is cooked with real coal wood smoke and fire. Difference to me is instead of fiddling with vents I am taking a nap. Old school is cool but so is technology. I'm in electrical engineering by trade. So thermocouples meters and controllers that speaks my language. I like to nerd it up.

[RonB]

Both my parents were raised on farms back in the '20s and '30s. Everything was cooked well done and neither of my parents would eat anything with any pink in it. I was an adult when I "discovered" "real" steak. And now I even take chicken off the heat at 160*. It's really nice to eat chicken that does not suck all the moisture out of my tongue as I chew... LOL

[Heretic]

Yeah buddy. Dry chicken is no fun or pork chops or steak. Growing up my grandmother cooked all three to extreme dryness. For years I thought I hated steak because eating it hurt my jaws and gave me a headache. Lol.