Coffee-Brined Chicken Legs Recipe
Coffee-Brined Chicken Legs
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Budget-Friendly Chicken Legs Recipe
If you are looking for a delicious and inexpensive dinner recipe, try these very budget-friendly coffee-brined chicken legs. Although you can brine a whole or any other part of a chicken, I usually reserve this recipe for drumsticks because they often go on sale in my area for only $0.99 per pound.
Our family of four can feast on 12 of these tasty drumsticks for around $3.00 or just $0.75 per person. So if you are living on a budget and these numbers sound good to you, read further for a list of ingredients and step-by-step instructions for creating this yummy chicken legs recipe.
Make Your Own Chicken Brine
Spices
| Liquids
|
|---|---|
Garlic
| Beer
|
Thyme
| Wine
|
Rosemary
| Apple Juice
|
Bay Leaf
| Cider
|
Red Pepper Flakes
| Orange Juice
|
Ginger
| Lemon Juice
|
Cinnamon
| Lime Juice
|
Mustard Seed
| Chicken Broth
|
Coriander Seed
| Beef Broth
|
Chili Powder
| Tea
|
Onion Powder
| Apple Cider Vinegar
|
Pepper
| Hot Sauce
|
Paprika
| Soy Sauce
|
Brown Sugar
| Honey
|
Brining Chicken
If you prefer a more tender and moist piece of chicken, brining is definitely the way to go. A brine is a mixture of salt and water used to make meats more flavorful. By a process called osmosis, the salty mixture is absorbed by the meat's cells which helps the meat to reach a more tender and moist state. Brining is a cooking technique used with many different meats such as turkey, pork, ham, beef, and even seafood.
Although brining meat brings more flavor to the dish, it is not a recommended cooking method for those on a low sodium diet due to its high sodium content. If you are on this kind of diet, try to find brining recipes that use alternate spices to replace the salt. Refer to the table to the right for several helpful suggestions for making your own brine mixture.
13x9 Baking Dish
Cook Time
Ingredients You Will Need
Coffee-Brined Chicken Legs Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups brewed coffee, unflavored
- 1/4 cup salt
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
- 12 chicken drumsticks, approximately 3 pounds
Nutrition for Coffee-Brined Chicken Legs
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving size: 4 oz | |
| Calories | 152 |
| Calories from Fat | 36 |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Fat 4 g | 6% |
| Saturated fat 1 g | 5% |
| Unsaturated fat 2 g | |
| Carbohydrates 4 g | 1% |
| Sugar 3 g | |
| Fiber 1 g | 4% |
| Protein 24 g | 48% |
| Cholesterol 87 mg | 29% |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
Sugar Substitutes
If you prefer to keep the sugar out of your recipes, try these substitutes to sweeten up your brine mixture:
- Brown Sugar
- Honey
- Molasses
- Agave Nectar
Instructions for Coffee-Brined Chicken Legs
- To prepare the brine mixture, add the water, coffee, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Stir these ingredients together until the sugar and salt are dissolved into the liquid.
- Add the chili powder, hot sauce, garlic powder, and cinnamon to the above mixture and stir well.
- Place the chicken legs into a 13x9 dish and pour the brine mixture on top of the chicken. Cover the dish with a lid and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
- Set your oven to broil. If your oven has a high or low broil, I suggest using the lower setting to prevent over browning the skin of the chicken legs. For an easier clean up, line your baking pan with aluminum foil.
- Place your chicken legs onto the baking pan and broil for 10 minutes. Once they are browned, turn the legs over and broil for an additional 10 minutes.
- Remove the chicken legs and reset the oven to bake at 350 degrees. Place the chicken back in the oven and bake for 15 more minutes or until the inside of the chicken is no longer pink.
How to Make Coffee-Brined Chicken Legs
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Brining Chicken Poll
Will you brine your next chicken dish?
Simple Chicken Drumstick Recipe
This easy to make and inexpensive coffee-brined chicken legs recipe is perfect to serve at your next family dinner. These drumsticks are also grill-friendly and make a great addition to any cookout or picnic. If you have any leftovers, be sure to properly store these in the refrigerator so you are able to have a quick and tasty lunch for the next day. I have to admit that this chicken recipe is absolutely delicious straight out of the fridge.
I hope the above pictures of our coffee-brined chicken legs recipe has tempted you enough to give it a try. If you have any questions or comments about this cheap meal idea or have any other tasty brine mixtures to share, feel free to leave these in the comment section below.
