Pickle-Brined Chicken Breasts

How many times have you dumped out a jar of pickle juice after you ate all the pickles? How many?! Now spank yourselves that many times. Heck, twice that many.

Here's a useful piece of information: Brining a chicken breast overnight produces deliciously juicy, perfectly seasoned chicken every time. I'm near tears thinking of the countless gallons of pickle juice I've poured down the drain; all those uncounted gallons of briny gold! A simple solution of vinegar, salt, sugar, and assorted spices unites to bring you the most flavorful, tender, and moist chicken breast that will ever cross your plate. Satisfaction guaranteed. If you don't like it, send us your pickle juice, because we're out and I'm having major withdrawal. I might ask the neighbors to search their refrigerators for forgotten pickle jars. I'm force-feeding Adam pickle after pickle to get through the jars we have. Please help!

Marinate the chicken overnight. Sear the skin to lock in the juices and caramelize the exterior. Roast in the oven to cook through. Be happy. Be addicted. Eat the best chicken of your life.

P.S. There's a familiar flavor you might recognize... Tell us what you think it is!

PLAN AHEAD: must brine at least 6 hours!!

Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:

•  1 jar pickle juice (we used mostly bread & butter pickle juice + some dill juice + some Boar's Head bread & butter with horseradish)
• Olive oil
• 4 chicken breast halves, bone-in, skin on (trust me, I usually do skinless, but you want this!)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place chicken breasts in a large ziplock bag. Add pickle juice. Seal. Double bag if you're paranoid like I am of the bag leaking in the refrigerator.  Marinate 6 hours up or overnight, turning bag occasionally to make sure all chicken is soaking.
2. Preheat oven to 350'.
3. Remove chicken from brine. Pat dry with paper towels.
4. Heat 1-2 Tbsp olive oil in oven-proof skillet or large pan over medium high heat.
5. Add chicken breasts SKIN side down and cook until skin is golden, about 6 minutes. 
6. Flip over and cook for 2-3 minutes longer.
7. Transfer skillet to oven or place chicken breasts on foil-lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes longer, rotating as necessary. (Our oven cooks unevenly, as do most, so I always rotate food 1/2 way through).
8. Remove breasts from oven to a platter. Tent with foil. Let rest 10 minutes.
9. Serve, drizzling remaining sauce from baking foil onto chicken.

We served our chicken breasts with sliced, roasted sunchokes (YUM!) and sauteed swiss chard with garlic. We de-glazed the chicken pan with stock and sauteed the chard & garlic until slightly wilted.