Pickle Chicken is a tender chicken baked in a crispy coating. These are basically chicken nuggets with a unique flavor. Our family goes crazy for these.

pickle chicken

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DILL PICKLE CHICKEN RECIPE

Did you know that brining chicken makes for a super tender and tasty chicken?

I was on my way home from Lake Powell listening to a podcast about Dave’s Hot Chicken and how they decided to brine their chicken in pickle juice. I decided I needed my own version.

pickle chicken

INGREDIENTS

  • CHICKEN TENDERLOINS – Sure you can use skinless chicken breasts or skinless chicken thighs but tenderloins are easier to cook and eat.
  • PICKLE JUICE – The chicken is marinated in leftover dill pickle juice from a pickle jar which makes it super tender. Dill pickles give it a great flavor.
  • BROWN SUGAR – A little sweetness is great for marinating.
  • PANKO BREAD CRUMBS – I’ve tested regular breadcrumbs and Panko breadcrumbs were by far the best choice.
  • EGGS – These are used to dip the chicken in after the flour mixture.
  • FLOUR
  • SEASONINGS – The flour coating is spiced up with some garlic powder and chili powder.
  • KOSHER SALT

COOKING METHOD

The way we cook this is a little unique in that we get the crunchy texture from toasting the breadcrumbs ahead of time. It’s an easy step that makes a huge difference.

pickle chicken

HOW TO MAKE PICKLE CHICKEN

  1. In a large bowl or resealable plastic bag, add the chicken, pickle juice, brown sugar, and two teaspoons kosher salt.chicken in pickle juiceMarinate in the pickle juice brine for 1 to 24 hours in the fridge.
  2. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425℉. Pour Panko bread crumbs onto a baking sheet in an even layer. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until bread crumbs are golden brown. panko breadcrumbsRemove from oven and place in a shallow bowl. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. In a shallow bowl, mix together the flour, one teaspoon salt, garlic powder, and chili powder.
  4. In another shallow bowl, add the eggs with 2 tablespoons of water and whisk.flour and eggs
  5. Take chicken out of the marinade, coat in the flour mixture, then dip in the egg mixture, then coat in the breadcrumbs. chicken with coatingPlace on baking sheet. Bake for 18-25 minutes or until chicken is done and has reached 165℉ instant read thermometer. Serve chicken immediately. pickle chicken

CANE’S SAUCE

We love serving this with a knock-off Raising Cane’s sauce. It’s 3/4 cup mayo, 1/4 cup ketchup, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.pickle chicken

OTHER CHICKEN RECIPES

pickle chicken

Pickle Chicken

5 from 8 votes
Pickle Chicken is a tender chicken baked in a crispy coating. Our family goes crazy for these.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
MARINATING: 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken tenderloins

MARINADE:

  • cups dill pickle juice from a pickle jar, (extra pickles for serving)
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt

COATING:

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl or resealable plastic bag, add the chicken, pickle juice, brown sugar, and two teaspoons kosher salt. Marinade for 1 to 24 hours in the fridge.
  • When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425℉. Pour Panko bread crumbs onto a baking sheet in an even layer. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until bread crumbs are golden brown. Remove from oven and place in a shallow bowl. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a shallow bowl, mix together the flour, one teaspoon salt, garlic powder, and chili powder.
  • In another shallow bowl, add the eggs with 2 tablespoons of water and whisk.
  • Take chicken out of the marinade, coat in the flour mixture, then dip in the egg mixture, then coat in the breadcrumbs. Place on baking sheet. Bake for 18-25 minutes or until chicken is done and has reached 165℉. Serve chicken immediately with extra pickles.

Notes

We love serving this with a knock-off Raising Cane's sauce. It's 3/4 cup mayo, 1/4 cup ketchup, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
Cuisine: American
Course: All Recipes, Main Course, Main Dishes

pickle chicken

pickle chicken

author avatar
Christy Denney
Christy is the voice behind The Girl Who Who Ate Everything! She is no stranger to making meals that kids and adults will love. She grew up in Mesa, Arizona as the youngest of ten kids. She can always be found in her kitchen with music playing and cooking with her kids. She published her first cookbook in 2014. She loves party food that gets the conversations going!