Best Easy Brine Chicken Breasts With Sicilian Glaze And Puttanesca Style Panzanella Recipes

PUTTANESCA-STYLE PANZANELLA

Steps:

• For the salad: Combine the tomatoes, parsley, onions and bell peppers.
• For the dressing: Whisk together the EVOO, vinegar, anchovy paste, garlic, chile pepper and lemon juice in a bowl.
• Pour water over the bread, then wring out the loaf and tear it into bite-size pieces. Toss the bread, vegetable mixture and olives with the dressing. Serve.
• Cook's Note: Wrap the bread loosely in foil overnight so it becomes stale and a little hard (if it goes too far, place it in a plastic bag overnight). If you are making the salad ahead of time, you can combine the vegetables and parsley in a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate them. Pit and chop the olives and return them to their container in the refrigerator. Store the dressing in the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature before using.

INSTANT POT WINTER CHICKEN PANZANELLA SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Toss the bread cubes with 2 tablespoons schmaltz, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. Spread out on a baking sheet and bake until deep golden and crispy, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside. Place the pancetta on the same baking sheet and bake until crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate and let cool, about 5 minutes. Crumble the pancetta and set aside.
• Meanwhile, sprinkle the chicken breasts with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Set a 6-quart Instant Pot® to saute on high (see Cook's Note) and wait for it to say "hot" (this should take about 4 minutes). Add the butter and the remaining 2 tablespoons schmaltz and stir until the butter melts, about 1 minute. Add the chard stems and the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the wine, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Turn the machine off and add the chicken breasts.
• Follow the manufacturer's guide for locking the lid and preparing to cook. Set the pot to pressure cook on high for 6 minutes. After the pressure cook cycle is complete, follow the manufacturer's guide for quick release and wait until the quick release cycle is complete. Be careful of any remaining steam and unlock and remove the lid. Transfer the chicken to a medium bowl and shred. Add the chard leaves to the pot and stir constantly until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Fold in the bread cubes and the shredded chicken and stir until well combined. Serve in bowls with the pancetta on top and lemon wedges on the side.

DRY-BRINED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• In a spice grinder, blitz the bay leaf pieces and peppercorns until finely ground. Transfer to a small bowl and add the salt, brown sugar and garlic powder, and rub it all together with your fingers.
• Cut each chicken breast in half crosswise into two pieces of equal weight, creating one shorter, thicker piece and one longer, thinner piece. Place the four chicken pieces on a large plate or sheet pan and sprinkle generously on all sides with the spice mixture, moving the chicken around to catch any fallen spices. Refrigerate, uncovered, to dry-brine for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour (any shorter and the osmotic brining process won't complete; any longer and you'll end up with deli meat).
• When ready to cook, take the chicken out of the fridge and heat a large skillet with a lid over high heat. Add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the skillet. Carefully add the chicken pieces, smooth sides down, and immediately reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until the bottoms are browned but not burnt, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip the chicken, cover the pan and cook until the other sides are browned and the internal temperature at the thickest part of the meat reaches 155 degrees, another 5 to 7 minutes. You may want to pull the longer, thinner pieces off the heat a minute or two sooner, as they may cook faster.
• Transfer the chicken to a cutting board to rest for at least 10 minutes so the juices can redistribute. The meat will continue to cook as it sits and should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. You can also check for doneness by cutting into the chicken; it should look white and juicy and no longer pink. Slice the chicken against the grain (that is, perpendicular to the parallel fibers that run within the breast) and serve with lime wedges if you'd like. You can also keep the meat whole and refrigerate it, covered, for up to 4 days.

SIMPLE CHICKEN BRINE

Steps:

• Pour the warm water into a container that is twice the volume of the water. Pour in the salt, sugar, soy sauce, and olive oil. Stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved, then allow the brine to cool to room temperature.
• To use, place chicken in the brine, cover, and refrigerate two hours for skinless breasts, 4 hours for bone-in pieces, and 4 hours to overnight for whole chickens. Drain and pat the chicken dry before cooking. One gallon of brine is enough for 6 pounds of whole chicken or bone-in chicken pieces, and up to 10 pounds of skinless, boneless chicken breasts.

CHICKEN SICILIAN

Steps:

• Cut the chicken into pieces. Place a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan and heat. Add the chicken and brown on both sides. Add the onion and the cherry peppers. Discard any excess oil. Add the mushrooms, olives, and capers. Add a dash of paprika and 3 to 4 ounces lightly salted butter. Cook on a high flame until the butter is completely melted, mixing to keep the butter from separating.

CHICKEN SPINNER BRINE

Steps:

• Combine 4 cups water, the salt, peppercorns, garlic, bay leaves, lemon and onion in a pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and let the brine "steep" for 10 to 15 minutes. Move the brine to the refrigerator to cool, stirring occasionally.
• Place the chicken and cold brine in a large container or plastic bag and refrigerate for 3 hours. Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry before cooking as desired.