Thyme Smoked Chicken Breasts Recipes

LEMON-THYME CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Combine lemon juice, chicken broth, 2 tablespoons olive oil, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, garlic, chicken bouillon, and thyme in a small bowl. Mix together thoroughly.
• Combine flour and salt on a small dish. Coat chicken with flour on both sides.
• Heat butter and remaining olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Cook chicken until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Reduce heat to low and pour broth mixture and lemon slices over chicken. Cover and simmer until no longer pink in the centers, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and serve with lemon slices on top, spooning the broth over the chicken.

SMOKED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Combine water, kosher salt, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar in a large bowl. Stir until salt and brown sugar are dissolved. Place chicken breasts into brine, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Preheat an electric smoker according to manufacturer's directions to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C) using maple wood chips.
• Remove chicken breasts from brine and rinse under cold water. Pat dry. Combine salt, black pepper, paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, and onion powder in a bowl. Sprinkle dry rub all over chicken breasts and place skin-side up on a grill rack in the preheated smoker. Place a drip pan underneath.
• Smoke chicken breasts in the preheated smoker until chicken is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 4 hours, adding maple wood chips as necessary to keep the smoke continuous. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

LEMON AND THYME GRILLED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Place chicken breasts between two sheets of parchment or plastic wrap. Using a mallet or rolling pin, pound each to an even thickness of 1/2 inch. Do not make them any thinner or they could dry out.
• Place chicken in a large bowl and toss with salt, pepper, thyme, garlic and the zest and juice of 1 lemon. Mix in olive oil. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours. Remove chicken from fridge while you heat the grill.
• Light the grill, building a hot fire, or heat your gas grill to high. Once grill is fully heated, brush breasts lightly with olive oil and place chicken on the grill. Cook until undersides are browned and chicken is about halfway cooked, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip breasts and grill until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes more.
• Transfer chicken to a platter. Drizzle with oil and garnish with additional lemon juice, olive oil and basil or mint leaves.

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH LEMON AND THYME

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for 2-zone heat (for a gas grill, set one burner to medium-high and one or two burners to low; for a charcoal grill, bank most of the coals on one side). Lightly oil grate. Pat chicken breasts dry; season generously all over with salt and pepper. Place on a rimmed baking sheet; let sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
• Thinly slice 1 lemon crosswise into rounds; pluck out seeds. Place half of lemon slices in a small bowl. Add garlic and 1 Tbsp. oil and toss to coat; season with salt and pepper. Set remaining lemon slices aside for serving. Slice remaining lemon in half and squeeze juice into another small bowl (you should have about 1/4 cup). Set aside.
• Pat chicken dry again (the salt will have drawn out more moisture) and rub with 2 Tbsp. oil. Grill oiled lemon slices over hot side of grill, turning once, until charred in spots, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Grill chicken on cooler side of grill, skin side down, until skin is browned and starting to crisp, 15-20 minutes. Turn chicken over, cover, and continue to grill until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of breasts registers 160°F, 8-10 minutes longer. If desired, uncover grill, move chicken over to hotter side, and lightly char a minute or two. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 10-15 minutes.
• Pull chicken meat from bones and slice 1/2" thick. Place on a rimmed platter, shingling slices. Scatter thyme sprigs, olives, grilled lemon slices, and reserved fresh lemon slices over. Season with more salt and pepper; drizzle reserved lemon juice and remaining 1/2 cup oil over. Let sit at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour before serving.

PERFECT-EVERY-THYME CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the first 4 ingredients; cook and stir over low heat. Bring to a boil (mixture will foam). Remove from the heat; cool. , Pour into a large shallow dish. Add chicken; turn to coat. Refrigerate, covered, overnight. , Drain chicken, discarding marinade. Grill chicken, uncovered, over low heat for 5-8 minutes a side or until a thermometer reads 165°.