Marinate Your Chicken in Feta Cheese and Capers

I love chicken. I’ve even found a way to enjoy a chicken breast (beat it into submission). When prepared and cooked correctly, chicken can be just as juicy and flavorful as any other bird. A good marinade always helps, and I think I’ve found my new favorite. Bathe your bird in a slurry of feta cheese and capers. It will look like the milkshake from hell, but it will make your chicken taste superb.

You’ll only need two things for this marinade: Feta cheese (packed in brine) and a jar of capers (also packed in brine). Blend them together in a blender, either traditional or immersion, then smear the piquant mixture all over your meat.

Then, you play the waiting game. I tasted this chicken after a few hours in the marinade, and then again after an overnight stay, and both were good. I wouldn’t go past the eight-hour mark, however, as the texture can go from tender to mushy if you take it too far. But anywhere in between one to eight hours will infuse your bird with salty, funky, piquant flavor, giving it an intensely savory crust and juicy, tender insides, thanks to the lactic acid from the cheese. (The crust is so savory, you might think it too salty if you just taste the crispy little corners on the end, but those bits are my favorite.)

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After marinating, all you have to do is wipe the excess off the meat and pan fry, roast, or grill however you usually would. Removing the marinade is especially important when pan frying, as excess moisture from little bits of cheese and capers will prevent the meat from making full contact with the pan, which will keep it from browning well. I also recommend using a very well seasoned cast iron or nonstick pan, to prevent that beautiful crust from sticking.

Feta-Caper Chicken Marinade (makes enough for four chicken parts or one small roaster)

Ingredients:

• 7 ounces feta cheese, packed in brine

• 1 3 1/2-ounce jar of non-pariel capers

• Four chicken parts (such as breasts or thighs), or one small roasting chicken

Add both ingredients, with their accompanying brines, in a blender or immersion blender cup and whir into oblivion. Place your chicken in a gallon-sized freezer bag and add the marinade, smushing everything around to coat the chicken. Marinate for at least an hour, ideally three, or up to eight.

When it’s time to cook your chicken, take it out of the bag and wipe off the excess marinade with paper towels. Cook however you usually cook your chicken. Finish with a squeeze of lemon, some lemon zest, and/or fresh pepper. Do not finish with salt. It is plenty salty.