Best Chicken Brine Recipe (How To Brine Chicken)

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This is the best chicken brine recipe that shows you how to brine chicken in easy, quick steps. Brined chicken can then be roasted, grilled, or fried and served with sides like potatoes, gravy, and vegetables for a perfect occasion meal like Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Sunday roast.

Brining is a process where you immerse meat in a salt and sugar solution to add moisture and to make meat juicy, flavorful, and tender. The chicken absorbs some of the brine and thus makes the chicken tender and flavorful when cooked.

There are two methods of brining- dry brine and wet brine. This post is about wet brining.

Best Chicken Brine Recipe (How To Brine Chicken)

This is the best chicken brine recipe as it’s simple, straightforward and you only require a few ingredients. 

Brining prevents the chicken from drying out in the air fryer, oven, or grill during cooking.

This wet brine is a salt and water solution that includes herbs, spices, and citrus to infuse flavor into the chicken.

You can use this quick chicken brine recipe for whole chicken, chicken breast, thighs, or legs. 

The simple tools you need to brine chicken are a deep pot, and spoon.

Ingredients 

Whole Chicken 

Bay leaves

Lemon

Parsley

Rosemary

Thyme

Black pepper 

Sugar 

Salt 

Water

How To Brine Chicken 

In a deep pot, add 3 cups of water, add salt, sugar, garlic, onions, lemons, black pepper, parsley, rosemary, and thyme.

Stir the content of the pot and leave it to boil until the salt and sugar are dissolved (about 3 minutes) then remove the pot from the stove.

Add the rest of the water into the pot and let it stand for 15mins or till it is cooled completely.

Gently place the chicken breast side up in the brine solution making sure the chicken is fully immersed in the brine.

Put the chicken in the fridge to brine for 3- 4 hours.

Do not brine chicken for more than 48 hours or more than an hour for 2lb of chicken.

Remove the chicken from the brine solution, and discard the brine.

Pat chicken dry, brush with oil or butter, and it’s ready to roast in the oven or air fryer.

How Long To Brine Chicken 

How long to brine chicken can vary depending on the size of the chicken you are brining and what part of the chicken it is.

For how long to brine a whole chicken- It’s best to brine whole chicken for at least 3 hours up to 12 hours in the fridge but do not exceed 2 days. For a 4lbs chicken, I advise brining it for at least 4 hours.

How long to brine chicken thighs – Brine it for half an hour for each pound of chicken thighs.

To brine chicken breasts, brine it for half an hour per pound.

How long to brine chicken legs is for 1 hour for 2lb of chicken.

Roast, Fry or Grill after Brining 

How To Roast after Brining

Preheat the oven at a temperature of 400F/200C.

Pat chicken dry and brush with butter and some seasoning.

Place the chicken on a baking tray with the breast facing up.

Roast in the oven for 90 minutes or until it’s golden brown and the juice runs clear.

Bring the chicken out of the oven and leave it to rest for 15 minutes before carving and serving it.

How To Fry After Brining

Pat the chicken dry and apply seasoning on and in all parts of the chicken ensuring every part is covered.

Pour oil in a deep pot or deep fryer and heat oil at 350F/175C.

Put the chicken gently into the oil and fry it for 30 minutes or till it’s golden brown and cooked through.

Check the internal temperature with a probe and ensure that it’s at least 165F at the thickest part.

Check my detailed post on how to deep fry chicken.

Tips

• Don’t over brine the chicken as this can make it taste unpleasant.

• Wait till the salt and sugar are fully dissolved in water before taking the pot off the stove.

• Don’t use the brine solution while it’s hot. It’s important you let it cool down before you use.

• Be careful with how much salt you use on the chicken after brining it.

• If brining chicken at room temperature, brine it for 1 hour for every 2 pounds of chicken.

FAQs

How long should you brine chicken?

You should brine chicken for 1 hour per 2 pounds. So if brining chicken that is 4lb, you will need to brine it for at least 2 hours.

What is brine solution for chicken?

Brine solution is a mixture of salt, sugar, spices, herbs, and water. It infuses flavor in the chicken.

What is the ratio of salt to water in a brine?

The salt to water ratio I advise is half a cup to every 3 liters of water.

Do I need to rinse chicken after brining?

No, you do not need to rinse the chicken after brining, just pat it dry with a paper towel, brush with butter, and then roast.

What kind of salt is best for brining chicken?

Kosher salt. You can also use sea salt or table salt.

More Chicken Recipes

Boiled whole chicken recipe

Honey mustard chicken thighs

Air fryer frozen chicken wings

Oven baked chicken breast

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