On 2/21/2004 6:39 PM Ted shuffled out of his cave and grunted these
great (and sometimes not so great) words of knowledge:

> I would like to cook more from home. In the past I have used a grill
> pan in the oven to grill chicken breasts that I marinated. However
> they always came out dry and not very flavorfull. I would like to use
> my Tilia vacuum sealer to vacuum marinade my chicken quickly when I
> get home, however I hear that the secret to getting juicy chicken
> breasts is to soak them in a brine solution overnight and pound them
> flat with a mallet?

The Tilia will work just fine. The "overnight" is to allow the marinade
to absorb into the meat. You do not need to use a brine. The purpose
of pounding them flat is so that they will cook evenly - one part is not
thicker than another. I usually cook the chicken breasts at 325 - 350
(depending on the thickness).

Does soaking in Brine before marinating make them
> taste better?

The flavor from soaking in brine is a matter of personal preference - I
love bourbon, but hate scotch.

How can I get that somewhat blackened crispy crust on
> the breasts when I cook them in the oven?

About 8 - 10 minutes before you are ready to serve them, put them under
the broiler. You will need to watch them as every broiler is a little
different in temperature and the distance will make a difference also.
The higher the amount of sugar in the marinade, the quicker they will
blacken.

Can anyone recommend a line
> of bottled marinates that are really good? Please share your secret
> methods in making tasty marinated chicken breasts. Thanks