Orange Glazed Chicken Breasts

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disco

Epic Pitmaster
Original poster
OTBS Member
SMF Premier Member
Oct 31, 2012
11,135
5,265
Canadian Rockies
I have mentioned before that She Who Must Be Obeyed likes boneless skinless chicken breasts while I find them a difficult piece of meat to keep moist and tender. Well, orders were given so I went to work.

One of the things you can do to keep the breast moist is to brine it. However, I don’t like the texture of brined chicken. I find it a little pasty. I have discovered that if you use a little less salt and limt your time in the brine to 2 to 4 hours it is better to my taste.

The next thing is to cook it at a relatively high heat.

Lastly, I cook it in my Traeger Timberline pellet smoker. Pellet smokers move a lot of air around the food like a convection oven and this seems to give a moister more tender result in my opinion.

I started by making a brine of:

  • 250 ml (1 cup) of cold water
  • 75 ml (1/3 cup) soy sauce
  • 15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice
  • 15 ml (1 tbsp) brown sugar
I mixed these together. I find the soy sauce has all the salt I need.

I put the chicken in the brine, covered and refrigerated for about three hours. Two to four hours is fine. Turn the chicken in the brine occassionally.

Orange Glazed Chicken Breast 01.jpg


While the chicken is marinating, take the zest from a medium orange and divide in two.

Juice the orange and mix:

  • 125 ml (1/2 cup) of the orange juice
  • 1/2 of the orange zest
  • 25 ml (2 tbsp) hoisin
  • 25 ml (2 tbsp) bbq sauce
Set aside in the refrigerator for the flavours to meld.

Orange Glazed Chicken Breast 02.jpg


Make a rub with 15 ml (1 tbsp) of your favourite chicken bbq rub with the remaining 1/2 of the orange zest and set it aside.

Orange Glazed Chicken Breast 03.jpg


Take the chicken out of the brine and pat dry with a paper towel. spread the rub mixture over the chicken.

Preheat your smoker to 400 F (205 C). You can also do this over indirect heat in a gas or charcoal barbecue but the times will vary depending your set up. Just cook it to the temperatures noted.

Put the chicken in and cook it to an iternal temperature of 150 F (65 C). That took 25 minutes in my pellet smoker but each varies in the amount of direct heat so it may take more or less in yours.

Orange Glazed Chicken Breast 04.jpg


When the chicken gets to 150 F, brush it with the sauce mixture on both sides and cook for 5 minutes. Brush with the sauce and cook for 5 minutes 3 more times for four brushings in all.

Orange Glazed Chicken Breast 05.jpg


The internal temperature should be over 165 F (73 C) which is minimum for food safety. I prefer my chicken with an internal temperature of 170 F (77 C) but remember the internal temperature will continue to climb a few degrees while the chicken rests.

Bring the chicken in and let it rest for 10 minutes and serve.

Orange Glazed Chicken Breast 06.jpg


Orange Glazed Chicken Breast 07.jpg


The Verdict

As usual, the pellet smoker made a great boneless skinless chicken breast. It was moist and tender. The rub and glaze have a nice hit of orange flavour, sweet/spicy from the bbq sauce, and some Oriental notes from the Hoisin.

She Who Must Be Obeyed was pleased as was I!

Disco
 
Mister, in time of Covid-19 I haven't read you "vaccinated" meat with healthy dose of brine... lol...
Since we can't cross borders right now, how about, next time you cook, we hook up on line, live... You eat and I'll watch... How about that...?
Good job man...!
 
Looks great ! I believe my SWMBO would really like this also! Add another bookmark to the list...hope they don't limit those! lol

Ryan
 
Nice looking chicken and write up Disco.

Point for sure
Chris
 
Looks delicious Disco, but if you want really tender juicy chicken breasts, then a SV will do the job. Best breast I have ever had. We do them all the time.
Al
 
Looks fantastic and another great write up!

Thanks, Charlie!

Mister, in time of Covid-19 I haven't read you "vaccinated" meat with healthy dose of brine... lol...
Since we can't cross borders right now, how about, next time you cook, we hook up on line, live... You eat and I'll watch... How about that...?
Good job man...!

Thanks. Only nonessential travel is banned. We could say we are performing necessary research on chicken treatment.

Looks great ! I believe my SWMBO would really like this also! Add another bookmark to the list...hope they don't limit those! lol

Ryan

Thanks, Ryan. I'll be in trouble too if they limit bookmarks. So many great food ideas. So little time!
 
Looks delicious Disco, but if you want really tender juicy chicken breasts, then a SV will do the job. Best breast I have ever had. We do them all the time.
Al

Thanks, Al. However, a higher power has informed me I can't get any new toys unless I get rid of some old ones!

That Looks Mighty Tasty from here, Mr Disco!!!
Nice Job!
Like.

Bear

Thanks for the like, Bear!
 
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