Marinate Chicken In This Zesty Liquid Before Cooking For More Flavorful Chicken Salad

Amongst the wide spectrum of dishes that we award the title of salad, chicken salad hits a fairly sweet spot. It sits somewhere between the fresh but possibly boring simple green salad and the unctuous pasta salad.

Chicken salad itself has plenty of variations, but if you want to boost the flavor without calorific dressings or add-ins, try marinating the chicken in pickle brine. You may already know that adding pickle juice to chicken salad dressing gives you far more complexity than simply vinegar or lemon juice. But by marinating, you're allowing the zesty brine to permeate the meat. You'll get more flavor in every mouthful, with the added benefit of moister chicken.

This flavor boosting technique is suitable for all kinds of cooking, including baked, grilled, and fried chicken. It's as simple as submerging the chicken pieces in leftover pickle brine, then leaving to marinate in the fridge for anywhere from two to 24 hours before cooking. You might think that the longer you leave the chicken to marinate, the better the flavor will be, but be careful not to go over this time. The acid of the vinegar will break down the proteins in the meat and leave you with mushy chicken.

Pickle-brined chicken works best in salads with other bright tasting ingredients, or when some acidity is needed to balance out overly creamy or fried flavors. The juice from a jar of dill pickles is enough on its own, but you can always add extra seasonings or spices to suit the style of your salad. This isn't a traditional marinade, so you won't need to add oil to the mix. If you plan to grill or pan fry the chicken, you can brush it with oil to stop it from sticking.

A zesty but sweet upgrade is just what you need for this apple pecan chicken salad or crisp and creamy chicken salad. Marinate chicken breast in a mix of pickle juice and brown sugar before oven baking to give you a moist and sweet meat to complement the apple in the salad.

Thighs or breast marinated in pickle juice and minced garlic form the foundation of a tasty grilled chicken Caesar salad. Just be sure to follow our tips for the best grilled chicken. For a swap that adds both flavor and texture, upgrade your favorite salad with fried chicken. With a marinade of buttermilk and pickle juice, this fried chicken recipe will add a wow factor to even the simplest of salads.