Sweet Tea Oven Fried Chicken

Make + Brine the Chicken
1 In an extra large sealable plastic bag, combine the sweet tea, salt, garlic, lemon juice, and lemon halves. Stir until combined.
2 Gently place the chicken breasts into the brining mixture.
3 Seal up the plastic bag, place in a large baking sheet (or baking dish), and transfer to the refrigerator.
4 Brine for 24 hours.
Prepare + Bake the Chicken
1 Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2 Place a cooling rack on top of a large baking sheet. Spray with nonstick baking spray, then set aside. (The chicken will be ON TOP of the cooling rack.)
3 In a large glass bowl, measure out the all-purpose flour. Set aside.
4 In another large glass bowl, measure out the panko breadcrumbs. Set aside.
5 In a wide glass bowl with tall sides, measure the buttermilk. Season with the smoked paprika, kosher salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper, then stir to combine using a fork. Set aside.
6 Remove the brined chicken from the refrigerator and remove the chicken breasts from the brine. (At this point, you can discard the brine!)
7 Pat the chicken dry using a paper towel.
8 Place the chicken in the flour bowl and toss to coat.
9 Once the chicken has been coated, use tongs to transfer it to the buttermilk mixture.
10 Coat the chicken in the buttermilk mixture, then transfer to the panko breadcrumbs using another set of tongs.
11 When the chicken is covered in panko, transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
12 Repeat and coat all the chicken in the breading mixture.
13 Pro tip: Insert an oven-safe meat thermometer into the thickest part of the biggest piece of chicken. This will make it so you can check the internal temperature of the bird that is going to cook the longest.
14 Once the chicken is all prepared, place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 20 minutes at 425°F.
15 Lower the oven’s heat to 375°F, and bake for an addition 35-45 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the largest chicken breast reads 165°F.
16 Once the chicken is cooked through, remove from the oven, and cover with aluminum foil.
17 Let the chicken sit for 20 minutes.
18 Serve warm or at room temperature with your favorite Southern summertime sides and sweet tea!