Feta Brined Chicken Tenders w/ Harissa Ranch

There is a fabulous, fast-casual restaurant in San Francisco called Souvla, that mixes the best of grab-and-go style dining with farm-to-table concepts. The style is Mediterranean with ingredients from local farms. Their sauces are what really take the cake, but their feta brined whole roasted chicken was the inspiration behind this dish.

When you buy feta in the brine, the blocks are suspended in a salty enzymatic brine that keeps the cheese moisturized. Because of the salt content and the enzymes, it makes the perfect brine for chicken. It helps the chicken get tender and seasons it from the inside out. If you can plan for an overnight marinade, do it! It really does make a difference.

If you have a dairy allergy, skip the feta and instead brine the chicken with the liquid from a jar of pickles. Marinate for no more than an hour.