Pickle Brine Chicken Recipes

PICKLE-BRINED FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Drain the juice from the jars of pickles into a baking dish or bowl. Add the chicken and flip to coat. Let brine, refrigerated, for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and line a baking sheet with a cooling rack. Fill a Dutch oven halfway with oil. Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 320 degrees F.
• In 3 bowls or baking dishes, set up a breading station. In the first dish, mix the flour with the salt, paprika and pepper. In the second dish, mix the hot sauce, mustard and eggs. Put the cracker crumbs in the third dish.
• Dredge each chicken piece first in the flour mixture, then in the egg mixture, then in the crackers. Place the breaded chicken pieces in the oil a few at a time. Don't overcrowd the pan; the pieces should not be touching in the oil. Fry, turning occasionally, until the chicken is a deep golden brown and fully cooked to 165 degrees F when checked with a thermometer, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a baking sheet and place in the oven until ready to serve.

PICKLE BRINE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Whisk pickle juice, brown sugar, kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 pinch cayenne pepper together in a large bowl until sugar dissolves. Submerge chicken breasts in brine, using a plate or bowl to sink the breasts into the brine; refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Remove chicken breasts from brine, discard the brine, and dry chicken breasts with paper towels. Brush each breast with olive oil and season each with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
• Cook chicken on the preheated grill until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 5 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Transfer chicken to a plate, tent the plate with aluminum foil, and let chicken rest for 5 minutes.

PICKLE-BRINED FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH

Steps:

• Add the chicken thighs and 1/2 cup pickle brine to a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours, turning the bag occasionally to marinate evenly.
• While the chicken marinates, prepare the pickle mayonnaise: Finely chop 8 dill pickle coins. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, capers and chopped pickles; season generously with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• When ready to cook the chicken, pour the buttermilk into a wide shallow bowl. In a separate wide shallow bowl, add the flour, cornstarch, onion powder and 1 tablespoon each salt and pepper; whisk to combine.
• In a large Dutch oven or deep cast-iron skillet, add 2 inches of oil and, over medium-high, heat to 325 degrees, about 5 minutes.
• Working with one piece at a time, remove the chicken from the brine, transfer to the buttermilk and turn to coat. Lift chicken from the buttermilk, allowing the excess liquid to drip off, then add it to the flour mixture and turn to coat, patting extra flour mixture on top to ensure the chicken is well coated on all surfaces. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.
• Working in two batches, add the chicken to the hot oil and cook, turning every 1 to 2 minutes, until crust is deep golden and chicken is cooked through, about 6 minutes total. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to cool and season with salt and pepper. (An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the thickest part of the thigh should read at least 165 degrees.) Repeat with the remaining chicken, adjusting the heat to ensure that the oil maintains a temperature of 325 degrees.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large, preferably nonstick, skillet over medium. Add 2 buns, split-side down, and cook until warmed and toasted, about 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining butter and buns.
• Make the coleslaw by tossing the cabbage with half of the pickle mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper. Slather the remaining pickle mayonnaise on the bottom of the buns and top with the chicken, red onion, remaining pickles and coleslaw. Serve with hot sauce, if using.

PICKLE-BRINE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Drain pickles, reserving brine (about 4 cups). Place pickles in an air-tight container. Store, covered, in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Add the chicken to the brine in a container, jar or baggie; seal. Chill 8-24 hours.
• Preheat oven to 475* F. Remove chicken from brine; pat dry with paper towels. Discard brine. In a small bowl combine flour and pepper. Coat chicken with flour mixture; shake off any excess.
• 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 (180*F). Remove from oven. Transfer chicken to platter; let rest 5 minutes.
• 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 FRIED CHICKEN WITH HOT HONEY SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the sugar, vinegar, pickling spices, bay leaf, 1/4 cup salt and 2 cups cold water in a large pot and bring to a boil, stirring, until the salt and sugar dissolve. Fill a large bowl halfway with ice. Remove the brine from the heat and pour it over the ice to cool to room temperature. Add the chicken skin-side down, being sure to keep the chicken submerged. If the chicken is not completely covered in brine, add more cold water. Cover the pot and let sit for at least 1 hour at room temperature or refrigerate up to overnight.
• When you're ready to fry the chicken, pour enough oil into a large Dutch oven to reach about a third of the way up the side and deep enough to submerge the chicken. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F and line 2 rimmed baking sheets with wire racks.
• Remove the chicken from the brine and place in a large bowl with the buttermilk. Put the flour in a large paper bag. Season the flour with the dill, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and remaining tablespoon salt. A few pieces at a time, transfer the chicken to the bag with the flour and shake well to coat. Place the coated chicken on the wire rack-lined cookie sheet.
• Fry the chicken in batches until golden brown and the internal temperature measures 165 degrees F, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Remove to another wire rack-lined baking sheet and transfer to the oven while you cook the rest of the chicken. Let cool slightly before serving with the Hot Honey Sauce.
• Stir together the honey, butter, hot sauce, paprika and cayenne in a small saucepot over medium heat. Heat and stir until smooth and all ingredients are combined.