Pickle-Brined Chicken

I found this recipe in a Better Homes and Gardens magazine a few years back and decided to make it when I had a few empty jars of pickles in my fridge. I have made it several times and my family loves it. I  need to triple the recipe to satisfy everyone's appetite, especially my son Sean. He dreams about this chicken and gives rave reviews! Thankfully we love pickles in this house! Pickle juice will never ever go to waste again.

Pickle-Brined Chicken

Ingredients

3-4 Cups dill pickle juice

bone-in chicken thighs, (2 1/2 to 3 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, coarsely 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 resealable plastic bag set in a bowl; seal  bag. Chill for 8 to 24 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees 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 (180 degrees F). 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.
5. Serves about 4 people depending on appetites.

Print Recipe:Pickle-Brined Chicken

Put chicken in a resealable plastic bag. Pour in all the pickle juice. Place bag in a bowl. Marinate in the refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Pour away the brine and discard. Dry all the chicken with a paper towel.

In a shallow bowl combine flour and pepper. Coat chicken with flour.

In a heavy oven-going skillet. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Place chicken in skin-side down.Cook for about 8 minutes or until nice and brown.

Turn chicken over, then transfer the whole oven-proof skillet to the oven. Cook for about 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked.

Remove chicken from the pan. Turn the oven down to 300 degrees and place the chicken in a oven-proof casserole serving dish. to keep warm. Place the skillet with all the drippings and bits on the stove-top. 

Add wine and cook over medium-high heat. Scraping all the bits off the bottom of the pan.

Add the broth and continue to boil the liquid. Cook until the liquid has reduced to about a half a cup.

Nice and reduced. Now add one tablespoon of butter and dill. Remove from the heat.

Sprinkle chopped pickles and red pepper over the warm chicken.

Pour the sauce over the chicken.