[Cheater] Ham Cured Chicken

Growing up, we would often have a meal that we called “Ham Cured Chicken."  It is chicken marinated for a couple days in a ham-brine and then baked like a regular beef roast with lots of potatoes, carrots, and onions.  The result is some amazing ham-flavored chicken and vegetables!

A few months ago, I wanted to make this dish,  but I didn’t have the recipe or the special ingredients for the brine.  So I decided to try my hand at figuring out a cheater version of it using only one main ingredient:

Morton’s Tender Quick: Home Meat Cure.  

It is available in the grocery store next to regular table salt.

Yes, all you do is use 1 Tablespoon of Tender Quick for every pound of chicken, rub it all over the chicken, and then let it marinate for at least half an hour.  If you have time, letting the chicken marinate for several hours or overnight is even better.  The longer the meat marinates, the more seasoned it will taste.  It will also end up with a pinkish color because it is “ham cured.” 

When I made this the other day, I didn’t have much time before supper, so I just let the chicken breasts marinate for about an hour. 

Meanwhile, I got the potatoes, carrots, and onions ready. 

 I cut up about 6 potatoes, 4-5 carrots, and a whole onion.  Leftovers are always great! 

And then they all went into a large bowl.

I don’t add too many other seasonings to this dish—the Tender Quick does most of the seasoning.  

 I do, however, drizzle 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of sage, a couple tablespoons of rosemary, and a teaspoon of regular table salt.

Mix together all of the seasonings and vegetables. 

Before putting the marinated chicken into the pan together with the vegetables, make sure to rinse off the Tender Quick from the chicken.

I put all of the vegetables in the pan first (it doesn’t need to be greased or lined) and then placed the chicken on top.  I figure the yummy flavors from the chicken will then drip down onto the vegetables and make them even yummier!  

I’ve baked this dish uncovered and it turned out fine. 

This time though, I decided to try baking it covered.  

I was planning on baking it at 350 for about an hour. 

After only 45 minutes the vegetables were already done.

 The chicken needed just a few more minutes and then it also was ready to eat!  

Just look at all that yumminess! 

Probably the brine-soaked version of this chicken tastes way better, but I’m happy to settle with this simple, last-minute adaptation of it! 

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NOTE: This can also be fixed in the crockpot—put it in for 5-6 hours on high and you’ll have lunch waiting for you when you get home from church!

Also, for the crockpot, boneless chicken breasts are the best to use.  Chicken bones end up really tender after being in the crockpot for so long and might get mistaken for meat! (Yes, I know it sounds odd, but trust me, it’s true!)