Easy Brine Chicken Breasts With Sicilian Glaze And Puttanesca Style Panzanella Recipes

CHICKEN SPINNER BRINE

Steps:

• Combine 4 cups water, the salt, peppercorns, garlic, bay leaves, lemon and onion in a pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and let the brine "steep" for 10 to 15 minutes. Move the brine to the refrigerator to cool, stirring occasionally.
• Place the chicken and cold brine in a large container or plastic bag and refrigerate for 3 hours. Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry before cooking as desired.

CHICKEN SICILIAN

Steps:

• Cut the chicken into pieces. Place a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan and heat. Add the chicken and brown on both sides. Add the onion and the cherry peppers. Discard any excess oil. Add the mushrooms, olives, and capers. Add a dash of paprika and 3 to 4 ounces lightly salted butter. Cook on a high flame until the butter is completely melted, mixing to keep the butter from separating.

PUTTANESCA-STYLE PANZANELLA

Steps:

• For the salad: Combine the tomatoes, parsley, onions and bell peppers.
• For the dressing: Whisk together the EVOO, vinegar, anchovy paste, garlic, chile pepper and lemon juice in a bowl.
• Pour water over the bread, then wring out the loaf and tear it into bite-size pieces. Toss the bread, vegetable mixture and olives with the dressing. Serve.
• Cook's Note: Wrap the bread loosely in foil overnight so it becomes stale and a little hard (if it goes too far, place it in a plastic bag overnight). If you are making the salad ahead of time, you can combine the vegetables and parsley in a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate them. Pit and chop the olives and return them to their container in the refrigerator. Store the dressing in the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature before using.

PANZANELLA STRATA

Steps:

• Grease a casserole dish with some butter, set aside.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the EVOO. Add the garlic, cubanelles, sweet peppers, onions and chiles, then stir. Cook to tender-crisp, 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and cool.
• Whisk together the eggs, cream, half of the cheese, the parsley, basil and some salt and pepper.
• Arrange the bread and cooled vegetables in the casserole dish, it will mound up a bit. Pour the eggs over top of the casserole and top with the remaining cheese and a few dots of butter. Cover and chill overnight or a couple of days ahead.
• To serve, bring the casserole to room temperature. Then bake at 375 degrees F until cooked through, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.

SIMPLE CHICKEN BRINE

Steps:

• Pour the warm water into a container that is twice the volume of the water. Pour in the salt, sugar, soy sauce, and olive oil. Stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved, then allow the brine to cool to room temperature.
• To use, place chicken in the brine, cover, and refrigerate two hours for skinless breasts, 4 hours for bone-in pieces, and 4 hours to overnight for whole chickens. Drain and pat the chicken dry before cooking. One gallon of brine is enough for 6 pounds of whole chicken or bone-in chicken pieces, and up to 10 pounds of skinless, boneless chicken breasts.