Pickle Chicken
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.
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DILL PICKLE CHICKEN RECIPE
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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.
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.
HOW TO MAKE PICKLE CHICKEN
- In a large bowl or resealable plastic bag, add the chicken, pickle juice, brown sugar, and two teaspoons kosher salt.
Marinate in the pickle juice brine 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℉ instant read thermometer. Serve chicken immediately. 
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.
OTHER CHICKEN RECIPES
- Chicken Teriyaki
- Pesto Bruschetta Chicken
- Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
- One-Pan Chicken Enchilada Skillet
- Baked Chicken Chimichangas
- Chicken Pot Pie
- One-Pan Teriyaki Chicken Bowl
- Skillet Bang Bang Chicken
- Chicken Shawarma
- Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken
- Buffalo Chicken Chili
- Cheesy Salsa Bean Chicken
- Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan
Pickle Chicken
Pickle Chicken is a tender chicken baked in a crispy coating. Our family goes crazy for these.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken tenderloins
MARINADE:
- 1½ cups dill pickle juice from a pickle jar, (extra pickles for serving)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
COATING:
- 1½ cups Panko bread crumbs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 large eggs
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.
I rarely leave reviews for recipes but had to come back and say how much we loved this one!! It will definitely be added into our regular rotation. I subbed paprika for chili powder because my kids are so sensitive to spice and I used my air fryer – 5 min on each side – with a quick spray of oil. Amazing! Thank you!
Thank you Amanda!
I sought out a pickle chicken recipe because I saw a food influencer eating Wing Stop chicken tenders with Grillo’s pickles, dipped in ranch. This totally scratched that itch a little more healthfully and without spending money on a meal out. I made this with four 5oz breasts pounded to about 1/2 inch thickness. I baked for 28 minutes and they turned out super crispy, flavorful, and really delicious (and I didn’t plan ahead so I only marinated for about an hour—still good!) We drizzled with homemade ranch. I will definitely repeat.
Thank you!
We made the Pickle Chicken and it was delicious
Now to share this with friends
Thank you!
This chicken recipe is amazing! I cut the chicken into chunks and cook in the air fryer instead of the oven BUT I don’t change the actual recipe whatsoever and it is absolutely delicious. We love it with your canes sauce as well! Thank you for such a great recipe!!
Yay! That makes me happy!