Honey Brined Chicken With Lemon And Sage Recipes

HONEY-BRINED FRIED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Mix cold water, kosher salt, and honey in a large bowl; stir until salt dissolves. Add chicken breasts, and weigh them down with a plate to keep them completely submerged. Cover entire bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Remove bowl from refrigerator; drain and dry chicken. Pour buttermilk over chicken in a large bowl. Set aside at room temperature for 15 minutes.
• Combine flour, black pepper, garlic salt, onion salt, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl.
• Coat each chicken breast in flour mixture until well covered on all sides; place flour-coated chicken breasts on a cooling rack to dry for 15 minutes.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Cook chicken breasts until browned and no longer pink in the center, about 10 to 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Transfer chicken to a cooling rack; allow to cool for 5 minutes.

LEMON SAGE CHICKEN MARINADE

Steps:

• Place garlic in a food processor and process to a puree. Add olive oil, honey, kosher salt, and pepper, processing to combine. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and sage. Pulse a few times until sage is rough-cut.
• Pour the marinade into a freezer zip-top bag. Add breasts, seal, and toss to coat the pieces. Open the bag, squeeze out all the air so the chicken is covered, then seal again. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before grilling or baking. Discard the used marinade. To Bake: Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and insert a baking rack. Bake chicken breasts for 40 to 45 minutes or until meat thermometer reaches 170 F in the thickest part of the meat not touching bone. Crisp the skin under the broiler for a few minutes, if needed. Do not overcook or the chicken will be dry.

HONEY-BRINED TURKEY WITH GIBLET CREAM GRAVY

Steps:

• For turkey:
• Line extra-large stockpot with heavy large plastic bag (about 30-gallon capacity). Rinse turkey; place in plastic bag. Stir 8 quarts water, 2 cups coarse salt and 1 cup honey in large pot until salt and honey dissolve. Add 1 bunch fresh thyme, peeled garlic cloves and black pepper. Pour brine over turkey. Gather plastic bag tightly around turkey so that bird is covered with brine; seal plastic bag. Refrigerate pot with turkey in brine at least 12 hours and up to 18 hours.
• Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Drain turkey well; discard brine. Pat turkey dry inside and out. Squeeze juice from lemon halves into main cavity. Add lemon rinds and remaining 1 bunch fresh thyme to main cavity. Tuck wings under turkey; tie legs together loosely to hold shape. Place turkey on rack set in large roasting pan. Rub turkey all over with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
• Roast turkey 1 hour. Baste turkey with 1 cup chicken broth. Continue to roast until turkey is deep brown and thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°F, basting with 1 cup chicken broth every 30 minutes and covering loosely with foil if turkey is browning too quickly, about 2 1/2 hours longer. Transfer turkey to platter. Tent turkey loosely with foil and let stand 30 minutes. Pour pan juices into large glass measuring cup. Spoon off fat; reserve juices.
• For gravy:
• While turkey cooks, place reserved turkey neck, heart and gizzard into large saucepan. Add 6 cups water, 3 1/2 cups chicken broth, carrots, onion, celery and bay leaf. Simmer over medium heat until turkey stock is reduced to 3 cups, about 2 hours. Strain turkey stock into bowl; reserve turkey neck and giblets. Pull meat off neck. Chop neck meat and giblets.
• Melt 5 tablespoons butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add 5 tablespoons all purpose flour and whisk 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in turkey stock, cream and up to 1 cup reserved turkey pan juices (juices are salty, so add according to taste). Simmer gravy until thickened to desired consistency, whisking occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add chopped turkey neck meat and giblets; season to taste with pepper.
• Serve turkey with gravy.

HONEY-LEMON-GARLIC BRINED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• In a large plastic bag placed in a large, deep pot (a stockpot is good) combine the water, salt, honey, dried thyme, garlic halves, black pepper and sliced 1/2 lemon.
• Add chicken breasts to brine and tie up bag tightly.
• Allow chicken to brine in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 12 hours, preferably no more than 18 hours.
• When brining time is up, remove chicken from brine (no need to rinse) and place in a baking dish.
• Bake chicken, covered, in a 375 degree F oven for one hour.
• After one hour, remove cover, sprinkle the juice of 1/2 lemon over chicken breasts; drizzle each chicken breast with just over a tablespoon of honey; gently spoon some pan juices over them, and season to taste with black pepper.
• Return to oven for 20 more minutes, or until breasts are nicely browned a little.

CHICKEN BRINE RECIPE

Steps:

• Place the water, salt, honey, bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, parsley and lemons in a large pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Cook for 3-4 minutes or until salt has dissolved.
• Turn off the heat and cool completely.
• Add the chicken to the cooled brine. Make sure the chicken is completely submerged.
• Cover the pot and refrigerate for 8-24 hours.
• Remove the chicken from the brine and rinse with cool water; pat dry with paper towels. Proceed with roasting, smoking or frying the chicken.

LEMON-HERB CHICKEN BRINE RECIPE

Steps:

• Make the brine, by mixing warm water with the salt and honey in a large glass bowl or baking dish; stir until the salt and honey are dissolved. Cool completely then add the lemon slices, fresh parsley, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, bay leaves, garlic cloves, and black peppercorns.
• To use brine, place chicken in the brine, cover, and refrigerate for two hours for skinless breasts, 4 hours for bone-in pieces, and 4 hours to 24 hours for whole chickens.
• After brining, remove the chicken from the brine (discard brine), rinse the chicken under cold water then pat dry. For best results, place the chicken on a plate and place it in the refrigerator for an hour to dry the skin completely.
• Take the chicken out of the refrigerator an hour before seasoning then roasting, baking, or pan searing. Enjoy.

HONEY BRINED CHICKEN WITH LEMON AND SAGE

Steps:

• Mix honey, salt, water, bay leaves, and garlic together. Pull skin away from chicken just enough to place sage leaves and lemon slices under skin. Truss the chicken and tie the other end of the butcher's twine to the pot handle for a quick retrieval of the brined chicken. Place chicken in liquid and let sit in cooler for 12 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Place chicken on roasting rack in oven and brush with olive oil. Bake for about 45 to 50 minutes or until juices run clear.