To help ensure that each breast finishes cooking at approximately the same time, buy pieces of similar size. Barbecue sauce can replace the optional glaze in step 4.
Ingredients
1/3 cup table salt
6 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves (about 12 ounces each), ribs removed, trimmed of excess fat and skin (see note)
Ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for cooking grate
1 recipe glaze (recipes related as Serve With options)
Instructions
1. Dissolve salt in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Submerge chicken, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 1 hour. Rinse chicken under cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Season chicken with pepper.
2. Meanwhile, light large chimney starter filled with charcoal (6 quarts, or about 100 briquettes) and allow to burn until coals are fully ignited and partially covered with thin layer of ash, about 20 minutes. Build modified two-level fire by arranging all coals over one half of grill, leaving other half empty. Position cooking grate over coals, cover grill, and let grate heat up, about 5 minutes. Scrape grate clean with grill brush. Dip wad of paper towels in oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe cooking grate. Grill is ready when side with coals is medium-hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above grate for 3 to 4 seconds).
3. Cook chicken on all sides over hotter part of grill until skin is lightly browned and meat has faint grill marks, 6 to 8 minutes. (If constant flare-ups occur, slide chicken to cooler side of grill and mist fire with water from spray bottle.) Move chicken, skin-side down, to cooler side of grill, with thicker side of breast facing coals. Cover loosely with aluminum foil, cover grill, and continue to cook until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers 150 degrees, 15 to 25 minutes longer.
4. Brush bone side of chicken with glaze (if using). Move chicken, bone-side down, to hotter side of grill and cook until browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Brush skin side of chicken with glaze; turn chicken over and continue to cook until browned and instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers 160 degrees, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to plate and let rest, tented with foil, 5 minutes. Serve, passing remaining glaze separately.
