This chicken brine recipe will give you the most succulent, juicy roast chicken of your life. Brining adds flavor, moisture, and tenderness to the chicken, leaving you amazed at how juicy even the chicken breast turns out. Once you try this chicken brine recipe, you’ll never go back.
What is Brining?
Brining involves submerging the chicken or other meat in a salty liquid and allowing it to marinate. This process enhances flavor, tenderness, and moisture, ensuring that the chicken stays juicy when roasted. It works in a way that no other method can, even when compared to applying herb and garlic butter under the skin. This technique is used by top chefs around the world, and with this recipe, you can enjoy restaurant-quality roast chicken at home.
What Brined Chicken Tastes Like
Brined chicken is seasoned with salt all the way through the flesh, and the subtle flavor of the brine adds just the right touch. It doesn’t overpower the chicken; rather, it enhances the natural flavors, making it taste better than ever before. With this chicken brine recipe, the breast will be the juiciest you’ve ever had.
Ingredients for Chicken Brine
To make a proper chicken brine recipe, all you need are water and salt. Everything else, such as honey, parsley, thyme, rosemary, garlic, and lemon, is optional and for added flavor. However, they bring additional taste to the dish, so feel free to customize.
Basic Ingredients:
- Water and salt (non-negotiable)
- Honey (or substitute sugar)
- Optional herbs: parsley, thyme, rosemary
- Garlic, lemons, and bay leaves for extra flavor
How to Brine Chicken
Here’s how to make this chicken brine recipe:
- Bring the brine ingredients to a boil to extract flavors and dissolve the salt.
- Add cold water to cool it down before refrigerating until fully chilled.
- Submerge the chicken in the brine, breast side down, for 12 to 24 hours.
- After brining, pat dry, brush with butter, and roast.
Roasting the Chicken
For a 2kg (4lb) brined chicken, roast at 180°C (350°F) for about 60 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 75°C (165°F). Brined chicken cooks faster than non-brined chicken, so expect about 20% less cooking time.
Can You Brine Other Meats?
Yes, this chicken brine recipe works for pork, turkey breast, and smaller turkeys. For larger turkeys, it’s best to use a dry brine for more convenience and an optimal result.
Differences Between Brining and Marinating
Brining differs from marinating in that it uses a higher liquid-to-meat ratio. A chicken brine recipe requires fully submerging the meat in the liquid, unlike marinating, which uses less liquid and primarily coats the surface of the meat.
What to Serve with Roast Chicken
Pair your juicy brined chicken with a side of potatoes or bread. For something fresh, a simple salad will do the trick. Popular choices include creamy mashed potatoes, potatoes au gratin, no-knead dinner rolls, or a crisp green salad with a light dressing.
Gravy for Brined Chicken
The pan juices from the brined chicken are very salty, so if you prefer a gravy, use a low-sodium broth and water for balance. You can also drizzle the chicken with melted butter and a squeeze of fresh lemon for added flavor.
This chicken brine recipe is based on one by culinary master Thomas Keller and guarantees juicy, flavorful chicken every time.
