I knew the one drawback of brining was that the water would thwart browning, so I added a couple of tablespoons of honey. The readily browned glucose and fructose would add complexity and encourage color before the lean meat overcooked. After soaking the chicken breasts for 30 minutes (to save refrigerator space and ensure full contact between the chicken and the liquid, I brined in a zipper-lock bag and pressed out as much air as possible), I let the excess liquid drip off and placed them over a hot fire. Deep, attractive grill marks developed within minutes. But then I tried flipping the breasts—and tore them ragged because they stuck to the grates. Oiling the chicken before cooking it helped ensure a clean release; once flipped, the breasts needed just a few more minutes to hit their 160-degree target.
The results were juicy, tender, deeply but neutrally savory, and so versatile that I found myself grilling double batches (you can easily fit eight breasts on the grill) just so that I could have chicken on hand for quick, easy meals all week long.