My husband really loves chicken and we have it on the menu about once a week for dinner. I generally make it, whole, in a slow cooker (as a soup) or something else easy (roasted in a dutch oven).
On occasion for our chicken meal, I make some killer chicken breasts. These require a bit more work, but day-uummm they are good.
However(!), I have three requirements.
- The chicken breasts must have the skin on.
- The chicken breasts must have the bone in.
- And, most importantly, the chicken breasts must come from a pasture-raised organic bird… or I won’t even bother.
Once those criteria are met, I get to making pan-roasted chicken breasts with an easy pan sauce and my family is extra happy.
Brining Alert! The recipe includes brining the chicken breasts which is actually easy and only takes about 30 minutes. I’ll admit, I’ve always been intimidated by the whole brining thing, but turns out, it’s easy. I learned about it from America’s Test Kitchen, cuz they brine their breasts, and I trust their recommendations.
Know this: The brine keeps the breasts juicy and flavorful. Totally recommend.
Know this, too: Don’t be afraid of the brine.
