Chicken Brine Recipe
A simple and versatile chicken brine recipe that keeps your chicken juicy and flavorful. Includes variations using herbs, spices, and citrus to suit different flavor profiles.
Ingredients
Brine
- 2 Litres Water
- 1/3 cup Kosher or cooking salt, NOT table salt
- 2 cup Lemons, quartered
- 10 Sprigs parsley
- 7 Sprigs thyme
- 2 Sprigs rosemary
- 5 Bay leaves, fresh (or 3 dried)
- 1/4 cup Honey
- 6 Garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 tbsp Black peppercorns
Roast Chicken
- 1.5 - 2 kg Chicken, whole
- 40 g Butter, melted
Instructions
Brining
- Pour about 1/3 of the water into a large pot (large enough for the brine and submerged chicken) with remaining Brine ingredients. Bring to a boil and whisk for 1 minute to dissolve the salt.
- Remove from heat, pour in remaining water. Cool thoroughly before using (approximately 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours). DO NOT put the chicken in until it is completely cool; this is a health risk (Note 4).
- Flip the chicken upside down so that the legs and breast are on the underside. Submerge the chicken in brine, cover, and chill for 12 to 24 hours. The important thing is that the breast side of the bird remains submerged, so don't worry if the underside doesn't.
Roasting Brined Chicken:
- Take the chicken out of the brine and pat dry to get rid of any extra moisture.
- Tuck wings beneath and, if you'd like, tie legs with string. Brush or drizzle the majority of the butter over the whole surface, including the bottom (the butter will solidify upon contact).
- The chicken should be placed on a rack on a sturdy roasting tray and seasoned with the smallest sprinkle of salt and pepper. Set aside for 20 minutes.
- Preheat fan forced oven to 220°C/430°F.
- Turn down the oven to 180°C/350°F, then roast chicken for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until the internal temperature at the joint between the leg and thigh is 75°C/165°F, or until juices run clear.
- Check after 45 minutes, rotate the pan if it is not browning evenly, and brush with the remaining melted butter.
- Remove the chicken from the roasting tray, cover loosely with foil, and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
- The chicken is so juicy that it only requires a small drizzle of juices in the pan. If not, prepare a gravy while the chicken is at rest.
Notes
- SALT – important!! Use kosher or cooking salt, which has larger grains than table salt (names vary by country). If you're using table salt (the fine grains of salt served at the table that you sprinkle on your food), reduce it by two tablespoons.
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Brine flavoring substitutions:
Substitute honey with maple syrup or 1/4 cup brown sugar.
Use more fresh herbs, or substitute with sage leaves or other herbs of your choosing. Use 1 tbsp dried herbs of your choosing, such as lemons, limes, oranges, or leave out.
Substitute peppercorns for 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper. - Smashed garlic is created by smacking the palm of the hand down on the side of a knife, causing it to burst open but remain mostly intact. In an emergency, use 2 tsp jar paste.
- Warm brine can promote bacterium growth in poultry, posing a health risk. The brine must be totally cold before adding the chicken.
- Brining time: 12 hours is sufficient; 18-24 hours is better. Don't leave it for more than 24 hours, otherwise the chicken will get excessively salty. Remove the chicken, pat it dry, and place it in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
- Taking chicken out of the fridge before cooking helps it cook evenly.