Pickle-Brined Chicken Recipe

Brining chicken in pickle juice tenderizes the meat and amps up the flavor. A buttery dill sauce makes this dinner taste even more delicious.
Brining chicken is a tasty way to tenderize the meat while adding plenty of flavor. Letting the Pickle-Brined Chicken sit in the fridge for up to 24 hours increases its tenderness, giving it a melt-in-your-mouth quality. A buttery broth-based sauce is the finishing touch, providing a rich boost to the chicken thighs.

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

How to Make Pickles
Follow our recipe for pickles that requires just a few ingredients, including cucumbers, vinegar, sugar, salt, and dill. Then, use the brining liquid to make your pickle-brined chicken!
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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
Brine Chicken
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.

Coat Chicken with Flour Mixture
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.

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.

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.