Tea brined chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 8 cups water
- 1 cup sweet tea
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 6 sprigs tarragon
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For frying
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups buttermilk
- vegetable oil for frying
To build the sandwich
- Seeded potato buns
- 1 cup mayonnaise mixed with 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Bread and butter pickles
- Shredded iceberg lettuce
- Skewers, if desired
To brine the chicken, heat 4 cups of water with the sugar, salt, and peppercorn until the sugar/salt has dissolved. Combine with the remaining water, sweet tea, lemons and tarragon. Allow to cool to room temperature before adding the chicken. Brine overnight.
Whisk together the flour, Old Bay, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Place the flour mixture in a bowl. Place the buttermilk mixture in another bowl. Heat you frying oil to 350°F in a large, heavy-bottomed or cast iron pan.
Remove the chicken from the brine, and place into the buttermilk. Dredge the chicken, one piece at a time, making sure to coat the chicken well. Fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 4-6 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
To build your sandwich, spread the mayonnaise/mustard mixture on each side of your bun. Top with chicken, pickles and lettuce.