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Pickle Brined Chicken Tenders

  • Author: Adapted from Epicurious
  • Yield: 6 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • Brine:
  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2/3 cup kosher salt
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
  • Chicken:
  • 3 pounds chicken tenders
  • Vegetable oil (for frying; about 10 cups)
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • Kosher salt
  • Honey, sea salt, sesame seeds, hot sauce (for serving)

Instructions

  1. Brine:
  2. Toast mustard and coriander seeds in a dry medium saucepan over medium heat, tossing often, until mustard seeds begin to pop, about 3 minutes. Add vinegar, salt, and sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until salt and sugar are dissolved, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in dill and 4 cups water. Let cool.
  3. Chicken:
  4. Place chicken and brine in a large bowl, cover and chill for 3 hours. Remove chicken from brine, scraping off seeds, cover, and chill until ready to fry.
  5. Heat oil in deep fryer until 350°F.
  6. Place buttermilk in a large bowl. Place flour in another large bowl; season with kosher salt. Coat chicken in buttermilk, then dredge in flour, dipping your fingers in buttermilk as you pack flour on. Transfer to a baking sheet.
  7. Working in batches fry chicken, until skin is deep golden brown and crisp and chicken is cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack set inside a baking sheet.
  8. Drizzle chicken with honey; sprinkle with sea salt and sesame seeds. Serve with hot sauce.