Recipes

Name: Roast Brined Chicken Breast with Pinot Noir Compound Butter
Cuisine: Californian
Ingredients: One gallon water; ½ cup kosher salt; ¼ cup sugar; 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts; ¼ cup olive oil; freshly ground black pepper; 1/2 bottle Pinot Noir; 1 stick butter, at room temperature; 2 tbsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped; 1 tbsp. fresh chives, chopped; 2 tbsp. fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped; Salt and pepper, to taste

Roast Brined Chicken Breast with Pinot Noir Compound Butter

Course

Main Course

Cuisine

Californian

Pairs With

Carneros Pinot Noir

Ingredients

Ingredients 1

One gallon water

½ cup kosher salt

¼ cup sugar

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

¼ cup olive oil

freshly ground black pepper

1/2 bottle Pinot Noir

1 stick butter, at room temperature

2 tbsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped

1 tbsp. fresh chives, chopped

2 tbsp. fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

STEP 1:

Early in day of serving, or night before:
STEP 2:

Brine Chicken: pour the water, salt and sugar into a large plastic container. Stir the salt and sugar until they dissolve. Add the chicken breasts to the liquid and place the lid on the container. Refrigerate the chicken breasts 5-6 hours or overnight.
STEP 3:

Make Compound Butter: Pour wine into a small sauce pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Allow wine to reduce to about 3 tablespoons, gradually reducing flame as amount of wine reduces to prevent scorching. Remove from heat when finished and cool. In an electric mixer beat together the butter and herbs until smooth and evenly blended. Add the cooled reduced wine and beat again until mixture is smooth and well blended; add salt and pepper to taste. Scrape compound butter into a small bowl and refrigerate until mixture begins to set up, about 20 minutes. Stir mixture and refrigerate a few more minutes. Now place butter mixture in an oblong shape on a large piece of plastic wrap. Wrap up the butter mixture and gently roll it into a log shape. Return to the refrigerator for a few hours.
STEP 4:

Prepare chicken: Remove chicken breasts from brine and place them in a colander in a sink. Let them drain and dry for about one hour.
STEP 5:

Preheat your oven to 425° F. Next, cover a sheet pan with foil and place a flat roasting rack on top. Pat the chicken breasts dry with some paper towels and place them on the roasting rack. Brush each breast with olive oil, sprinkle them with black pepper on both sides and turn them so they are rough side up on the roasting rack. Roast the chicken until each piece is lightly browned on top, about 10 minutes or so. Turn the chicken pieces over and roast them for another 12-15 minutes, depending on how large/thick they are. Once they are fully cooked remove them from the oven and allow them to rest on their rack for 6 or 7 minutes.
STEP 6:

Next, place chicken breasts onto serving plates and then slice 6 thick slices from the compound butter. Place a slice of the compound butter on top of each chicken breast. Serve immediately with your choice of side dishes. Makes 6 servings.

Notes