The dill pickle craze continues! And it is not just home cooks like me using pickles in breads or as condiments for protein. Food manufacturers are also incorporating the flavor in unconventional ways now. I recently read about pickle-flavored hard candy, snow cone syrup, popcorn seasoning, peanuts, freezer pops, sunflower seeds, lollipops, potato chips, soda, candy canes, gummi candies, marshmallows, and snack crackers. While I am a pickle fan (as evidenced by my previous pickle posts of Dill Pickle Bread and Salmon with Dill Pickle Butter) I am absolutely not interested in most of these “trending” pickle-flavored items. I’d try the popcorn, peanuts, chips, seeds, or crackers, but I’d have to draw the line at the pickle-flavored sweet stuff. While others come up with crazy pickle combinations, I’ll stick to using pickles in the preparation of our main dish proteins, like this dish.

In this recipe, chicken is brined in pickle juice. The brine tenderizes the meat and amps up the flavor. The buttery dill sauce adds depth to the brined chicken and the chopped pickle & pepper relish adds bright color and bursts of flavor to each bite.

Pickle-Brined Chicken (brine recipe adapted from Bobby Flay via foodnetwork.com, chicken recipe adapted from bhg.com) Makes: 6 servings, Prep Time: 30 minutes, Marinate Time: 8 – 24 hours, Bake Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the Brine:

• 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 3/4 teaspoons dill seeds
• 2 cups hot water

For the Chicken:

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 2 dill pickles, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped red sweet pepper

Directions:

Make the brine. In a 4 cup heatproof measuring cup or medium bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and dill seeds with the hot water. Stir the brine until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Allow the brine to cool.

Place the chicken in a glass or ceramic bowl that holds at least 7 cups. Pour the brine over the chicken, cover the container and refrigerate the chicken for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 475º F. Remove the chicken from the brine and pat it dry. Discard the brine. In a small bowl combine the flour and the pepper. Coat the chicken with the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.

In a large, heavy ovenproof skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sauté it until it is golden brown, about 5-8 minutes. Turn the chicken over and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake it for 15 minutes or until the juices run clear. The internal temperature of the chicken pieces should be 170º F.

While the chicken cooks, chop the pickles and red pepper.

Remove the skillet from the oven. Transfer the chicken to a platter, cover it and allow it to rest while preparing the sauce.

Return the skillet to the stove. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the wine to the pan and bring it to boiling over medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan until the wine nearly evaporates, about 2 minutes.

Add the broth, bringing it to boiling until it has reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 2 minutes. Stir in the butter.

Season the sauce to taste with pepper. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the dill.

Plate the chicken and pour the sauce over it.

Top the chicken with the chopped pickles and red pepper before serving.

There’s layers of pickle flavor in this dish!  ~Linda

Pickle-Brined Chicken (brine recipe adapted from Bobby Flay via foodnetwork.com, chicken recipe adapted from bhg.com) Makes: 6 servings, Prep Time: 30 minutes, Marinate Time: 8 – 24 hours, Bake Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the Brine:

• 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 3/4 teaspoons dill seeds
• 2 cups hot water

For the Chicken:

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 2 dill pickles, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped red sweet pepper

Directions:

Make the brine. In a 4 cup heatproof measuring cup or medium bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and dill seeds with the hot water. Stir the brine until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Allow the brine to cool. Place the chicken in a glass or ceramic bowl that holds at least 7 cups. Pour the brine over the chicken, cover the container and refrigerate the chicken for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 475º F. Remove the chicken from the brine and pat it dry. Discard the brine. In a small bowl combine the flour and the pepper. Coat the chicken with the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.

In a large, heavy ovenproof skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sauté it until it is golden brown, about 5-8 minutes. Turn the chicken over and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake it for 15 minutes or until the juices run clear. The internal temperature of the chicken pieces should be 170º F.

While the chicken cooks, chop the pickles and red pepper.

Remove the skillet from the oven. Transfer the chicken to a platter, cover it and allow it to rest while preparing the sauce.

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