Apple-Brined Chicken Thighs

Name: Apple-Brined Chicken Thighs
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 5 servings.
Ingredients: 3 cups apple cider or juice; 1 medium onion, sliced; 1 medium lemon, sliced; 4 fresh rosemary sprigs; 1/3 cup kosher salt; 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, divided; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1 bay leaf; 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns; 2 cups cold water; 10 bone-in chicken thighs (about 3-3/4 pounds); One 2-gallon resealable plastic bag; 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed; 3 medium tart apples, cut into wedges; 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1/4 teaspoon pepper

I love the flavor of chicken baked with apples, and when I had a bumper crop of green beans, I wanted to include them, too. Brining chicken thighs give them great flavor.—Kathy Rairigh, Milford, Indiana

Ingredients

3 cups apple cider or juice
1 medium onion, sliced
1 medium lemon, sliced
4 fresh rosemary sprigs
1/3 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup packed brown sugar, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
2 cups cold water
10 bone-in chicken thighs (about 3-3/4 pounds)
One 2-gallon resealable plastic bag
1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
3 medium tart apples, cut into wedges
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

In a Dutch oven, combine the cider, onion, lemon, rosemary sprigs, salt, 1/4 cup brown sugar, garlic, bay leaf and peppercorns. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir until salt and brown sugar are dissolved. Remove from the heat; stir in water. Cool brine to room temperature.
Place chicken in the 2-gallon resealable plastic bag. Carefully pour cooled brine into bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible; seal bag and turn to coat. Place in a roasting pan. Refrigerate for 2 hours, turning occasionally.
Place beans and apples in a greased roasting pan. Drain chicken; place in prepared pan. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 40 minutes.
Combine the minced rosemary, oil, pepper and remaining brown sugar; sprinkle over chicken. Bake 15-25 minutes longer or until a thermometer reads 170°-175° and beans are tender.

Nutrition Facts

2 chicken thighs with 3/4 cup bean mixture : 580 calories, 32g fat (8g saturated fat), 163mg cholesterol, 201mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate (21g sugars, 4g fiber), 47g protein.

Originally published as Can't Think of a Name Chicken in Taste of Home June/July 2010

Reviews

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Average Rating:

Summy

Nov 7, 2013

I only used the brine for this recipe. I brined skinless chicken thighs for 6 hours. I didn't have rosemary (though I love it), so I substituted about a tablespoon of beau monde seasoning. I also use organic bay leaves. I don't typically buy organic foods, but the organic bay leaves are so fresh, and impart a wonderful flavor in anything that I cook. I put the chicken thighs in my smoker for about 3 hours. They were moist, tender, delicious...with a delicate apple flavor.Tonight I'm going to brine some thick pork chops over night and put them in my smoker. This time I'm using fresh rosemary, a wee bit more salt, and I pricked the pork all over. Oh, and I think maybe my chicken had more apple flavor because I used frozen apple juice and only added 2/3 of the water recommended. And, for smoker enthusiasts, I used mesquite chips, though I also have some Jack Daniels chips that are wonderful, but I misplaced them in the throes of moving. :)
pegbob1750

Sep 27, 2013

Loved this recipe. Did make a few changes tho. We don't like rosemary so we substituted with 1 tsp of thyme. Also no fresh lemons so used I 2 1/2 tbs of lemon juice and no peppercorns so I used 1 1/2 tsp of black pepper. I didn't cook it with any veggies only the apples for fear that the veggie flavor would get into the chicken and the kids would have issues. So I just served veggies on the side and my kids ate it with no complaints. :-)
snagcat1995

Sep 14, 2013

Did the recipe neglect to remove the salt by rinsing under cold running water? I can't imagine why you would leave all of that salt in the chicken. Just a thought.
realestateroxy

Sep 19, 2012

This did not work out at all for me. I might however try the brine out again but on a rotisserie
Dianne2706

Nov 25, 2011

I love this brine. I have used it on pork and chicken and it adds so much flavor that you don't even need anything else.
Peggywyly

Oct 30, 2011

Loved it. May brine longer next time. The green beans and apples were very good but would also like to try other vegies. Not hard to make but start early!
sabrina_m_haynes

Feb 27, 2011

not hard to make, but not worth any of the effort, couldn't taste the apple juice past all of the salt.
melodious88

Feb 21, 2011

We grilled the chicken instead of baking it, and it was great!
dbadair

Sep 27, 2010

I will definitely marinate the thighs longer next time I make this. It was very good but I felt like it would have had more flavor with a longer marinade time.
aug2295

Sep 19, 2010

This was delicious! I saved the recipe for fall, with in season apples and end of season green beans and yum, top notch. The chicken was moist and flavorful and I agree that the recipe was easier than it seems although you do have to start earlier than usual, so probably a weekend meal.