PALEO CHICKEN BRINE

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 whole garlic cloves
• 8 cups of water
• 3 T sea salt
• 1/2 T coconut aminos*
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 t whole coriander seeds
• 1 t whole cumin seeds
• 1 t whole black peppercorns
• 1 gallon size ziploc bag
• 2-3 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast

DIRECTIONS:

1. Peel garlic cloves and set aside.
2. Place the ziploc bag inside an appropriately-sized bowl to help the bag stand up-right.
3. Pour into the bag the water, then add in the garlic cloves, sea salt, coconut aminos, bay leaf, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and peppercorns. Stir with your hand or large spoon to help dissolve the salt and spices.
4. Place your chicken into the brine.
5. Seal the bag and, while remaining inside the bowl, place it in the refrigerator for two hours.
6. Take the chicken out of the brine and rinse well to remove any seeds that may have gotten stuck to it. Set it in a colander to dry. 
7. At this point you can either cook the chicken or wrap it up and refrigerate it to be cooked another day. The chicken will survive in the refrigerator like this for about 2-3 days.**

*Coconut aminos can be substituted with low-sodium soy sauce; however, using soy sauce will end up making this recipe non-Paleo.

**Always cook or bake chicken until the inside temperature reaches 160-165 degrees Fahrenheit. (Buy a meat thermometer if you do not have one!)

{Recipe from the cookbook 'Well Fed: Paleo Recipes for People Who Love to Eat' by Melissa Joulwan.}