These are the juiciest brined and baked mustard chicken breasts out there that are also easy-to-make; perfect for keto and low-carb enthusiasts!
WHY BRINE CHICKEN?
Salt does magic things to all types of meats, whether it’s red or poultry. It elevates flavors to another level and creates tenderness. But what’s special about brining? Brining (soaking in a saltwater solution) makes meat absorb extra liquid and salt, increasing the moisture content of the meat before roasting. This method of marinating is perfect for our brined and baked mustard chicken breasts because we all know how dry they can be if cooked incorrectly!
HOW LONG TO BRINE CHICKEN BREASTS?
How long you should brine chicken breasts depends on their size and how salty you want them to be. However, brining for too long is no good for any kind of meat; it will pull liquids out from the muscle tissues and leave us with a dry and over-salted piece of meat.
To hit the sweet spot in juiciness and saltiness, brine your chicken no more than 7 hours (perfect for overnight brining).
HOW TO MAKE BRINED AND BAKED MUSTARD CHICKEN BREASTS?
First, we need to prepare the brine for our low-carb chicken recipe. In our case, it won’t take a lot of time since we’re not going to boil it. Take a big bowl and pour in 1 liter of cold water. Then add salt, pre-ground black pepper, and bay leaves, before stirring well until all the salt dissolves. Place the chicken breasts in the brine so they are completely covered and refrigerate for 4-6 hours.
For the sauce that we will use to cover the chicken breasts before baking them, we need to whisk together the Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt, and ground black pepper in a small bowl and set aside.
When the chicken has finished marinating, take it out from the brine and pat it dry with a paper towel. Then, place the chicken breasts on a baking tray, season with some extra salt, and cover with our mustard sauce.
Bake our keto chicken in an oven preheated to 230C (450F) for 15 mins, then turn off the oven and leave the chicken breasts inside for 1 hour.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH LOW-CARB CHICKEN?
This keto chicken recipe is perfect for slicing and serving on a piece of toasted MICROWAVE KETO BREAD – or just on top of a fresh, leafy green salad with some sweet cherry tomatoes seasoned with salt, black pepper, and extra virgin olive oil.
But, if you’re craving something more substantial, low-carb chicken breast will go well with these low-carb side dishes:
EASY ROASTED CARROTS AND PARSNIPS or GARLIC RANCH SAUTEED BROCCOLI AND SWEET POTATOES
Brined and baked mustard chicken breasts
Ingredients
Brine:
- 2.5 lb (1.2kg or 5 medium) skinless chicken breasts
- 1 L cold water
- 3 tbsp sea salt
- Pre-ground black pepper
- Bay leaves
Coating:
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt + some extra for seasoning
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a big bowl, make the brine by combining the cold water with salt and add some pre-ground black pepper with bay leaves.
- Place the chicken breasts in the brine so they are completely covered and refrigerate for 4-7 hours.
- Before removing the chicken breasts from the brine, combine the Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt, and ground black pepper in a small bowl and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 230C (450F).
- Take the chicken breasts out from the brine and pat them dry with a paper towel. Then, place them on a baking tray, season with some extra salt, and cover with the Dijon mustard mixture.
- Bake for 15 mins, then turn off the oven and leave the chicken breasts inside for 1 hour.
- Serve immediately after removing from the oven.
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