Great for weeknight braaing. If coals are costly, make it on a griddle pan instead.
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the brined chicken:
6 (about 600g) chicken breast fillets
1L water
¼ cup salt
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2-4 cloves garlic, bruised
1 onion, sliced
¼ cup peanut butter
3-4 Tbsp hot water
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
Canola oil, for brushing
Salt and milled pepper
Handful salted giant peanuts, chopped
Handful coriander and/or mint
Smashed cucumber salad, for serving
Method
- Butterfly chicken breasts open. (This ensures even cooking, meaning one part won’t dry out while the other is still cooking through.)
- Place the water, salt, sugar, garlic and onion in a deep dish. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours (the longer the better). Remove the chicken 1 hour before cooking to allow it to warm up to room temperature.
- In the meantime, prepare the sauce by warming peanut butter for 10-20 seconds, just until it is runny.
- Whisk in hot water, soy sauce and rice vinegar. (Add a splash of water to thin down, if you like.) Set aside.
- Remove chicken from brine and pat dry using kitchen paper. Brush the chicken with oil and season lightly.
- Braai the chicken breasts over hot coals for 8-12, or until cooked through.
- Serve chicken hot off the braai topped with peanuts and herbs, with sauce and salad on the side.
Cook’s note
The main reason for brining a chicken is to keep it moist and flavourful. It’s especially useful for a whole chicken that has leaner cuts (like the breast) that can often dry out over the coals.
Recipes & Styling: Liezl Vermeulen
Photography: Zhann Solomons
