Juicy Sweet Tea Brined Grilled Chicken
This sweet tea brined chicken features tender, juicy chicken infused with a subtle sweetness from classic southern sweet tea and kosher salt, balanced by a smoky brown sugar rub. You can use boneless chicken breasts or chicken thighs, and you’ll still get the same incredible savory flavor.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Juicy Sweet Tea Brined Grilled Chicken
- Serves: 4 Servings
- Main Ingredients: Sweet tea, boneless chicken breasts or thighs, brown sugar, salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder
- Why You'll Love It: Bring a taste of true Southern comfort to your backyard with this ultra-juicy, sweet tea brined grilled chicken. A simple overnight soak in a sweet tea and kosher salt brine guarantees perfectly tender meat every single time, while a smoky brown sugar rub creates a beautifully caramelized crust on the grill.
Sweet Southern Flavor Right at Home
If you’ve ever pulled a rubbery, dry piece of chicken off the grill, you know how frustrating it is to do everything right and still end up with bland meat. My solution? Soak it in some sweet tea! The natural tannins in the tea act as a built-in tenderizer, working alongside the kosher salt to pull moisture deep into the meat. The added hydration from the tea makes it so your finished chicken stays incredibly plump, even over an open flame.
When you take that first bite, you’ll taste the amazing contrast between the bold, smoky-sweet crust and the ridiculously juicy meat underneath. There is a subtle sweetness that rounds out the savory flavors without making the dish taste too much like a dessert!
Honestly, once you cook your chicken this way, you’ll want to use it on everything. Next time you’re prepping for a nice cookout, try the same technique on a pork loin!
Ingredients For Sweet Tea Brined Chicken
- Brewed sweet tea
- Brown sugar
- Salt
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- Smoked paprika
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Black pepper
- Cayenne pepper
You’ll find exact amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Expert Tips from My Kitchen
- Never place chicken into a hot brine! If you brew your tea from scratch, add a few ice cubes or let it sit until it reaches room temperature before submerging the meat. Putting raw chicken in hot liquid creates a food safety hazard and starts cooking the edges prematurely.
- Instead of a large bowl, I like to use a large zip-top bag or a large resealable bag. Place the bag inside a shallow baking dish in the fridge, just in case there are any accidental leaks. It keeps the chicken fully submerged with less liquid.
- Before adding the rub, always use paper towels to pat chicken completely dry. If the surface is wet, the rub will turn into a paste and won’t crisp up properly on the grill grates.
Sweet Tea Tips for a Better Brine
Down here, sweet tea is practically its own food group, so it only makes sense to put it to work on supper. A few things I’ve learned along the way:
- Homemade or store-bought both work. If you brew your own, my Southern Sweet Tea is a good place to start. Just let it cool all the way before the chicken goes in.
- Stick with plain black tea. Flavored and herbal teas can bring flavors you didn’t plan on.
- Only have unsweetened? It still works. The brown sugar in the brine and the rub adds plenty of sweetness.
- Leftover tea is fair game. That pitcher sitting in the fridge from yesterday is perfect for brining.
How to Make Sweet Tea Brined Chicken
1. Make the Brine
In a large bowl or large pot, combine the cooled sweet tea, brown sugar, and kosher salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
Add your chicken, ensuring it is fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 8–12 hours.
2. Prep and Rub
Remove the chicken from the brine and discard tea mixture. Place the chicken on a clean surface and use paper towels to dry both sides.
In a small bowl, mix your brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic, onion powder, black pepper, salt, and cayenne. Sprinkle the rub evenly over the chicken, pressing it gently into the meat.
3. Grill to Perfection
Preheat your grill to medium heat (about 375–400°F) and oil the grates. Place the chicken down. Grill breasts for 6–8 minutes per side, or thighs for 5–7 minutes per side (if using skin-on thighs, start skin side down).
Close the grill lid to hold the heat in. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches 165°F, then transfer the chicken to a clean plate.
No Grill? No Problem! You can cook this in a hot cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat on the stove, or bake it in the oven. If your rub starts darkening too fast from the sugar, move the chicken to the unlit side of the grill to finish cooking over indirect heat. For an oven version with a sticky barbecue glaze, try my BBQ chicken breast in the oven.
4. Rest and Serve
Let the chicken rest on a wire rack or cutting board for 5 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute so every piece of chicken stays extraordinarily moist. Garnish with fresh parsley, lemon slices and grilled peaches if desired!
Sweet Tea Brined Chicken Time Chart
Keep this handy at the grill. Thickness changes everything, so trust your meat thermometer over the clock.
| Cut | Brine Time | Grill Time | Done At |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boneless, skinless breasts | 8 to 12 hours | 6 to 8 min per side | 165°F |
| Boneless, skinless thighs | 8 to 12 hours | 5 to 7 min per side | 165°F |
What to Serve With Sweet Tea Brined Chicken
A plate of grilled chicken is just the start of a good Southern cookout. Here’s what I like to set out next to it:
- Classic Southern Deviled Eggs, because no Southern spread is complete without them
- Creamy and Tangy Coleslaw for something cool and crunchy
- Mashed Potato Salad for a creamy scoop on every plate
- Gooey Oven-Baked Mac and Cheese for the kids and the grown-ups
- Fried Green Tomatoes when the garden is coming in
- Southern Cathead Biscuits to soak up every bit of juice
🥧 Save room for dessert
- Easy Old-Fashioned Peach Cobbler goes right along with those grilled peaches
- Homemade Banana Pudding, made from scratch like Mama did
Make-Ahead Tips and Leftover Ideas
Planning a cookout?
- Start the brine the night before. The chicken does its work in the fridge while you sleep.
- Mix the rub a few days early and keep it in a jar with a tight lid.
- Pull the chicken from the brine, pat it dry and season it right before it goes on the grill.
Got leftovers?
- Store the chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Slice it cold over a big summer salad.
- Tuck it into a pesto chicken panini for an easy lunch.
- Chop it up with a little mayo and pickles for a quick chicken salad sandwich.
Sweet Tea Brined Chicken FAQs
A flavorful bath made of sweet tea, salt, and brown sugar! The salt and sugars work their way into the meat to lock in moisture, while the natural tannins in the tea tenderize the chicken and infuse it with a subtle, deep Southern flavor.
The sweet spot is 8 to 12 hours (overnight is perfect). You want to give it enough time to absorb all that goodness, but don’t leave boneless breasts or thighs in the liquid for more than 24 hours, or the texture can start to get a little mushy.
Anyone will tell you the real secret is a tiny pinch of baking soda added to the hot brewed tea! It neutralizes the tannins, cutting down on bitterness and cloudiness for a perfectly smooth, clear tea.
You absolutely can! Pop your leftover chicken into an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. It reheats beautifully, but it’s also incredible served cold over a fresh summer salad or sliced up for a quick lunch sandwich.
Yes! The brown sugar in the brine and in the rub adds plenty of sweetness, so unsweetened tea works just fine. Your chicken will just taste a touch less sweet.
No. Lift the chicken out of the brine and pat it completely dry with paper towels. Rinsing raw chicken can splash bacteria around your sink and counters, and a dry surface helps the rub crisp up on the grill.
Similar Recipes
If you love bringing classic Southern comfort to your outdoor cooking, try pairing this chicken with a side of veggie mac and cheese, or if you’re more in the mood for a chicken sandwich, you need to try these pesto chicken paninis.
After you’ve fired up the grill for a batch of this sweet tea brined chicken, please leave a star rating and a comment below to let me know how it turned out for you!
Juicy Sweet Tea Brined Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
For the Sweet Tea Brine:
- 4 cups brewed sweet tea cooled or store bought pre-made
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup salt
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
For the Brown Sugar Rub:
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
Make the Brine:
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled sweet tea, brown sugar, and kosher salt. Stir until dissolved.
- Add the chicken, making sure it is fully submerged.
- Cover and refrigerate for 8–12 hours, or overnight.
Prepare the Chicken:
- Remove the chicken from the brine and discard the liquid.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
- In a small bowl, combine all the rub ingredients.
- Sprinkle the rub evenly over both sides of the chicken and gently press it into the surface.
Grill the Chicken:
- Preheat the grill to medium heat (about 375–400°F).
- Lightly oil the grill grates.
- Grill the chicken for 6–8 minutes per side for breasts or 5–7 minutes per side for thighs, depending on thickness.
- Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Rest and Serve:
- Remove the chicken from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with fresh parsley, lemon slices and grilled peaches if desired.
Notes
- Never put raw chicken in hot brine (it’s a food safety risk and cooks the edges). If brewing from scratch, add ice cubes or let it reach room temperature before adding the meat.
- Swap the bowl for a large zip-top bag to keep the chicken fully submerged with less liquid. Place the bag inside a shallow dish in the fridge to catch any accidental leaks.
- Always use paper towels to pat the chicken completely dry before applying the rub. Excess surface moisture turns the spice rub into a paste and prevents a good sear.