Homemade Uncured Deli Chicken Breast

A simple DIY brine recipe for heavenly thin and juicy lunch meat. Great for Paleo sandwich slices. Just brine, brown, simmer, chill, slice. Mayo-friendly!

52 minutes

25 minutes

Difficulty

Show nutritional information

This is our estimate based on online research.
Calories:	165
Fat:	5 g
Carbohydrates:	5 g
Protein:	26 g
Calculated per serving.

by Samantha Teague

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View other recipes by Samantha Teague

Serves: 8

Ingredients

2 lb 2 lb 2 lb Chicken Breasts, boneless skinless
0.25 cup 0.25 cup 0.25 cup Sea Salt, use 1/8 cup for less salty chicken
2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp Honey, Raw, omit for Keto or Whole 30
1 - 2 quart 1 - 2 quart 1 - 2 quart Water, to cover
2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp Ghee, or for AIP, use olive oil or lard

Process

Note, these instructions are written assuming the standard serving size, since you have modified the number of servings, these steps may need to be modified for best results

Add chicken to a large air-tight container.
Sprinkle with salt, honey if using, and cover with water.
Give the container a few gentle shakes to incorporate the ingredients.
Store in the fridge for 48 hours, shaking gently once a day.
Drain and discard brine, and rinse the chicken.
Strain well and pat dry.
Heat a large dutch oven over medium/medium-high heat (between medium and medium high).
Add in 2 Tb of preferred cooking fat, and sear both sides of breasts until golden brown. (You may skip this step if you do not want to brown the chicken.)
Cover just barely with water, cover with lid, and turn the heat to high.
Bring chicken to the boil, then quickly reduce heat to medium and simmer gently for 5 minutes more or until just cooked through.
Remove chicken from broth, and allow to cool enough before storing in the fridge.
Chill completely before slicing, at least 4 hours, to keep the chicken as juicy as possible.

Notes

Use a very sharp chef's knife for slicing to avoid crumbling the meat. If you want to use the leftover broth: Bring back to the boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 30 minutes to kill any potential pathogens. It will be a little salty, but still delicious for use in other recipes! This also works well for turkey breast. You will need to adjust cooking time accordingly so that the turkey is cooked thoroughly. Can also be made in the Instant Pot!