Honey-Lemon-Garlic Brined Chicken Breasts
These incredibly moist, juicy chicken breasts are brined in a mixture of honey, lemon and garlic, with sea salt, thyme and black pepper. Then they're baked and basted with more honey, lemon juice and pan juices to really bring out the flavor. Absolutely delicious! Prep time includes brining time.
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INGREDIENTS
Nutrition- 3 -4
- 8cups water
- 1⁄2cup sea salt
- 1⁄3cup honey
- 2teaspoons dried thyme
- 4
- 1teaspoon coarse grind black pepper
- 1⁄2
- 4 -5tablespoons honey
- 1⁄2lemon, juice of
DIRECTIONS
- 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.