Pickle-Brined Chicken

(22)

Brining chicken in pickle juice tenderizes the meat and amps up the flavor. A buttery dill sauce makes this dinner taste even more delicious.

Prep Time:
25 mins
Marinate Time:
8 hrs
Bake Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
8 hrs 40 mins
Servings:
6

Ingredients

  • 1 64 ounce jar dill pickles

  • 6 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned if desired (2 1/2 to 2 3/4 pounds total))

  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour

  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • ¼ cup dry white wine or reduced-sodium chicken broth

  • ¾ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

  • 1 tablespoon butter

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

  • 2 dill pickles, coarsley chopped

  • ¼ cup chopped red sweet pepper

Directions

  1. Drain pickles, reserving brine (about 4 cups). Place pickles in an airtight container. Store, covered, in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Add chicken to brine in a large pickle jar or place in a large resealable plastic bag set in a bowl; seal jar or bag. Chill for 8 to 24 hours.

  2. Preheat oven to 475°F. Remove chicken from brine; pat dry. Discard brine. In a small bowl combine flour and pepper. Coat chicken with flour mixture; shake off any excess.

  3. In a large, heavy ovenproof skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin side down; sear until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Turn chicken; transfer skillet to oven. Bake 15 minutes or until juices run clear (180ºF). Remove from oven. Transfer chicken to platter; let rest 5 minutes.

  4. Return skillet to stove. Remove fat from skillet, reserving 1 Tbsp. in the pan. Return skillet to heat. Add wine; bring to boiling over medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan until wine nearly evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add broth; bring to boiling until reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 2 minutes. Stir in butter. Season to taste with pepper. Remove from heat; stir in dill. Pour sauce over chicken. Top with chopped pickles and red sweet peppers before serving.

    Pickle-Brined Chicken
    Andy Lyons

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

409 Calories
30g Fat
5g Carbs
27g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Calories 409
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 30g 38%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Cholesterol 161mg 54%
Sodium 498mg 22%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 27g
Vitamin C 8.2mg 41%
Calcium 21mg 2%
Iron 1.4mg 8%
Potassium 325mg 7%
Folate, total 16.6mcg
Vitamin B-12 0.7mcg
Vitamin B-6 0.5mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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