BRINE FOR BONE IN CHICKEN BREAST RECIPES

Steps:

• Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper on all sides and place in a bowl or lidded container. Combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, and thyme in a small bowl and pour marinade over chicken breasts. Marinate for 10 minutes at room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Set one oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source.
• Place chicken breasts into a baking dish and pour marinade on top.
• Bake chicken on the middle rack of the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 35 to 45 minutes, depending upon thickness. Move baking dish to the top rack and broil chicken until well browned, about 5 minutes.

Steps:

• 1. For the brine, peel and crush the garlic and pick the sage leaves. Mix together in a large bowl with the honey and vinegar, then squeeze in the lemon juice and finely grate over the zest. Add the chicken, 2 tablespoons of sea salt and 1 litre of water, and cover with clingfilm. Leave in the fridge for at least 2 to 8 hours, but preferably overnight.
  2. When ready to cook, take the chicken out of the fridge so it can come up to room temperature and preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
  3. Finely chop the bacon, then scrub and finely slice the potatoes and sweet potatoes. Peel and finely slice the onion and garlic, then pick and finely chop the sage leaves, discarding the stalks.
  4. Get yourself a wide casserole-type pan or a roasting tray and add the bacon, all the sliced veg, garlic and the sage. Add a lug of olive oil and a good pinch of salt and black pepper and toss everything together.
  5. Pour the chicken stock into the pan or tray, then put into the oven for 30 minutes so the potatoes can begin to soften and soak up the stock.
  6. Drain the chicken breasts, discarding the brine, and pat them dry with kitchen paper.
  7. Take the potatoes out of the oven and pour over the cream. Sprinkle over a little more black pepper and finely grate over the Parmesan, then use a spoon to make little nests in the vegetables for the pieces of chicken to sit in. Place the chicken in these nests and dot little knobs of butter on and around the breasts.
  8. Return the tray to the oven to cook for 35 minutes, or until the chicken is golden and cooked through and the potatoes are delicious. To check if your chicken is cooked through, simply stick a sharp knife into the thickest part. If the juices run clear, you’re laughing.
  9. Serve straight away with nice simple greens or a salad and enjoy.