This is a chicken brine that will yield the most succulent, juiciest roast chicken you will EVER have in your life! Brining injects flavour and moisture as well as tenderising – you will be blown away how juicy the chicken breast is!
Once you learn how to brine chicken and taste the incredible results, you will never look back!
Brining is the process whereby chicken (or other meat) is submerged in a salty liquid (“brine”) and left to marinate to add flavour, tenderise AND add moisture so the chicken stays juicier when roasted.
It injects flavour and seasoning right into the flesh of a whole chicken in a way that no other method can, even by slathering liberally with herb and garlic butter under the skin which is my favourite non-brining way to roast chicken.
It’s a technique widely used by chefs. In Sydney, there are a handful of restaurants famous for their roast chicken – such as Glebe Point Diner, Boronia Kitchen and Restaurant Hubert – and they are all brined!
This brine recipe is adapted from a recipe by Thomas Kellar, one of the greatest culinary masters of the world.
We all know how much better a turkey tastes if you brine it before roasting it. But we’re about to take things a step further: You should also be brining your chickens—and not just for special occasions, like holiday roasts. A brine adds flavor and keeps the meat tender and juicy.
How to brine chicken
It’s as easy as this:
- Bring all the brine ingredients to a boil with a bit of water – just to bring out flavour a bit and dissolve the salt;
- Add cold water to bring the temperature down, then refrigerate until fully chilled;
- Submerge chicken upside down (ie drumsticks and breast facing down) and brine for 24 hours in the fridge (even 12 hours is terrific);
- pat dry, brush with butter and roast!
What to serve with roast chicken
Something carby and something green! Here are a few suggestions:
Why you should (almost) always brine your chicken
FAQ
Why do you brine chicken before baking?
Is it best to brine a chicken before roasting?
How long should chicken be in brine?
Do I rinse chicken after brining?
Should You Dry Brine chicken before cooking?
Which is why, whenever we’ve got time, we dry brine chicken with plenty of kosher salt before cooking it—and so should you. Whether you’re cooking a whole bird or parts, grilling, roasting or pan-frying, there’s just no better way to maximize a bird’s deliciousness than this simple trick. What is a dry brine you ask? Well, allow us to explain.
What are the benefits of eating baked chicken?
Roast chicken provides a good amount of protein with lower amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol, which contains more red meat. In addition, chicken meat contains large amounts of niacin and phosphorus, as well as small amounts of other minerals and also vitamin B-12, which is part of the beneficial vitamin B complex.
Should you brine chicken before grilling?
Brining a chicken for smoking, roasting, grilling, and buttermilk brine for fried chicken, all have their benefits, and they’re all good ideas. Brining meat before grilling is a worthwhile step because it will help keep moisture in lean cuts of meat that would otherwise dry out over the high heat of a grill.
Does chicken need to be cooked After brining?
After the chicken has been brined, it does not need to be immediately cooked. It can be removed from the brine and kept in the refrigerator, covered, for up to three days, or wrapped well and stored in the freezer for up to two months.