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how to make Chicken brine recipe

Chicken brine recipe

5 from 2 votes
Brining chicken recipe is one of those culinary secrets that can take your poultry from good to phenomenal. But what exactly is brining, and why should you consider it for your next chicken dish?
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Courselunch
CuisineJapanese
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Brining1 day
Total Time1 day 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings5 servings
Calories432kcal

Ingredients

Brine:

  • 2 liters / 2 quarts cold tap water
  • 1/3 cup kosher or cooking salt Note 1
  • 2 lemons quartered
  • 10 sprigs fresh parsley
  • 7 sprigs thyme
  • 2 sprigs rosemary
  • 5 fresh bay leaves or 3 dried
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 6 garlic cloves smashed (Note 3)
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns

Roast Chicken:

  • 1.5 – 2 kg / 3-4 lb whole chicken
  • 3 tablespoons / 40g melted butter
  • Salt and pepper to season

Instructions

Brining:

  • Pour about one-third of the water into a large pot with the remaining brine ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 minute, stirring to dissolve the salt.
  • Remove from heat and add the remaining water. Let the brine cool completely before using (about 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours). Important: Do not add the chicken until the brine is fully cooled to avoid health risks (Note 4).
  • Place the chicken upside down (with the legs and breast on the underside) and submerge it in the brine. Cover and refrigerate for 12 – 24 hours (Note 5). If the chicken doesn’t stay fully submerged, it’s okay as long as the breast side is covered by the brine.

Roasting Brined Chicken:

  • Remove the chicken from the brine and pat it dry to remove excess moisture.
  • If desired, tie the legs with string and tuck the wings under. Brush the chicken with most of the melted butter, covering all surfaces (the butter will solidify upon contact).
  • Sprinkle with pepper and a tiny pinch of salt. Place the chicken on a rack in a heavy-based roasting tray and let it sit for 20 minutes.
  • Preheat your oven to 220°C / 430°F.
  • Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C / 350°F, then roast the chicken for 50 minutes to 1 hour (Note 7), or until the internal temperature at the joint between the leg and thigh reaches 75°C / 165°F, and the juices run clear.
  • Check the chicken at 45 minutes. Rotate the pan if necessary for even browning and brush the top with the remaining melted butter.
  • Remove the chicken from the roasting tray, cover loosely with foil, and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • The chicken will be juicy and may only need a slight drizzle of the pan juices (be cautious as it can be salty). Alternatively, prepare gravy while the chicken rests (see Note 8).

Notes

Salt: Use kosher salt or cooking salt (same thing, different names in different countries). If using table salt, reduce the amount by 2 tablespoons.
Brine Flavoring Substitutions:
  1. Honey: Substitute with maple syrup or 1/4 cup brown sugar.
  2. Fresh herbs: Use more of one type, switch to sage leaves, or use 1 tablespoon dried herbs. You can also use lime or orange instead of lemons, or omit them entirely.
  3. Peppercorns: Substitute with 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper.
Garlic: Smash garlic cloves by pressing down with the palm of your hand against the side of a knife. Alternatively, use 2 teaspoons of garlic paste.
Cooling the Brine: Ensure the brine is completely cooled before adding the chicken to prevent bacterial growth.
Brining Time: 12 hours is sufficient, but 18 to 24 hours is ideal. Do not exceed 24 hours to avoid overly salty chicken. You can pat the chicken dry and refrigerate it until ready to cook.
Pre-Cooking: Let the chicken sit at room temperature for a while before cooking to help it cook more evenly.
Cook Times: Generally, cook the chicken for 20 minutes plus an additional 10 minutes for every 500g / 1 lb. A 2 kg / 4 lb chicken will take about 60 minutes, while a 1 kg / 2 lb chicken will take around 40 minutes. Brined chicken cooks faster than unbrined chicken by about 15 to 20 minutes.
Gravy Option: Use low-sodium chicken broth mixed with water to reduce the saltiness. For the gravy:
  1. 50g / 3 tablespoons butter
  2. 3 tablespoons / 40g flour (any white)
  3. Pan juices topped up with low-sodium chicken broth to make 1 cup
  4. 1 cup / 250ml water Melt butter over medium heat, add flour, and stir for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in half of the liquid until smooth, then add the remaining liquid and water. Continue cooking for 2 minutes, stirring regularly until the gravy thickens. Season with pepper—salt is likely unnecessary.
Frozen Chicken: You can brine partially thawed frozen chicken. It will finish thawing while in the brine.
Source: This brine recipe is inspired by Thomas Keller, renowned for his iconic restaurants like Per Se in New York and the French Laundry in Napa Valley.
Nutrition: The nutritional information is for the chicken only.

Nutrition

Serving: 1chicken | Calories: 432kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 63g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 188mg | Sodium: 189mg | Potassium: 644mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 198IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 4mg
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