Crispy Pickle-Brined Chicken (Printer-Friendly)
Juicy chicken brined in pickle juice, crispy outside, tender inside, cooked in air fryer or oven.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Pickle Brine
01 -
1 1/4 cups dill pickle juice, strained
→ Chicken
02 -
1 pound thinly sliced boneless, skinless chicken cutlets (approximately 4 to 6 ounces each)
→ Breading
03 -
1 cup all-purpose flour
04 -
1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 -
1 teaspoon paprika
06 -
1 teaspoon salt
07 -
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
08 -
2 large eggs
09 -
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
→ Assembly
10 -
4 soft sandwich rolls
11 -
Lettuce leaves, as desired
12 -
Sliced tomatoes, as desired
13 -
Light mayonnaise, as desired
14 -
Dill pickle slices, as desired
# Steps to Make This:
01 -
Submerge chicken cutlets in the strained pickle juice. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow flavors to penetrate.
02 -
In a shallow dish, combine flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. In a separate bowl, beat eggs. In a third dish, place panko breadcrumbs.
03 -
Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Dredge each cutlet in the seasoned flour, dip into beaten eggs, then coat evenly with panko breadcrumbs.
04 -
For air fryer: Arrange breaded cutlets in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook at 400°F for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crispy. For oven: Preheat oven to 425°F. Place cutlets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spray lightly with oil. Bake for 20-25 minutes until crispy, flipping halfway.
05 -
Spread light mayonnaise on sandwich rolls. Layer with lettuce, tomato slices, cooked chicken cutlet, and pickle slices. Serve immediately.
# Additional Notes:
01 -
If reheating leftovers, place chicken cutlets in the air fryer at 350°F for 5 minutes to restore crispiness.
02 -
Use kitchen shears to cut chicken breasts into cutlets efficiently.
03 -
Using an air fryer yields crispier chicken than the oven.