Southern Brined Crispy Baked Chicken Recipe Is a Gift From the South by Donna John

Sweet tea is a staple in the south. If you order "iced tea" at a restaurant down here, they are going to ask if you want sweet or unsweet. Instead of just sipping on sweet tea, I wanted to find other ways to use it in recipes. This sweet tea brined oven-fried chicken recipe was just what the southern doctor ordered!

This crispy baked chicken recipe has flavor to the bone because of the sweet and salty marinade it soaks in. The marinated chicken is then coated in a seasoned flour before being baked in butter in the oven. The result is a delicious piece of chicken full of flavor.

To make this high-protein fried chicken dinner you will need bone-in chicken pieces, sweet tea, low-sodium soy sauce, onion, garlic, butter, flour, onion powder, garlic powder and smoked paprika. You can use store-bought sweet tea or make your own homemade sweet tea. Serve this crispy baked chicken with your favorite side dishes. I served mine for dinner with grit cakes (recipe coming soon!) and collard greens. That's about as southern as you can get!

Read why protein is an important part of a healthy diet.

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes plus time to marinate
Cook Time: 45 to 50 minutes
Total Time: 55 to 65 minutes plus time to marinate
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 6 - 8 bone-in chicken pieces (I used chicken thighs)
• 3 cups sweet tea
• 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup flour (all-purpose or gluten-free)
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Here's how to make it: 

1. Put the chicken, sweet tea, soy sauce, chopped onion and garlic into a shallow dish or food storage bag. Make sure all the chicken is coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours and up to overnight. I used chicken thighs for this recipe, but use your favorite chicken pieces. You could also cut up a whole chicken. The size and pieces used will affect cooking time. I used Milo's sweet tea, but you can use your favorite store-bought sweet tea or make homemade sweet tea.
   
2. In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, onion powder, garlic powder and paprika. Put the melted butter into an ovenproof skillet (I used a cast iron skillet) or baking dish. For gluten-free chicken, use gluten-free flour.
   
3. Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat it dry. Season with salt and black pepper.
   
4. Dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour, shake off the excess and put into the pan with the butter. Bake in a preheated 425-degree F oven for about 30 minutes.
   
5. Flip the chicken over and continue to cook another 15 to 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (165 degrees F internal temperature).
   
6. Serve hot with your favorite side dishes.
   

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