A quick chicken brine technique that will always guarantee a moist and succulent chicken or turkey at all times. One of the best things you can give your roasted chicken, fried chicken or even Christmas turkey is to soak or steep it in brine for a few hours before cooking it. I have used salt, sugar and herbs to enhance the flavour of this chicken brine recipe.
Hands up if you have ever been a victim of dry chicken or turkey? I know we’ve all had such a moment, right? You were worried about getting it right, but you ended up with dry poultry. Well, don’t worry, Calvary is here with a little cooking technique that has been on for ages which you and I both haven’t paid much attention to but all is about to change now.
If you’re already planning your next Sunday roast, Christmas or thanksgiving turkey, then you should give this quick chicken brine recipe a go. Trust me it would all be worth it in the end.
When you brine chicken, the salt would break down the cellular structure of the bird and that would allow the flavour in the brine to infuse well into the chicken. In lay-mans terms, the brine goes into every part of the poultry making it juicy and moist when you roast, grill or fry it.
Brining which is also similar to marinating is an act of soaking poultry or meat generally in saltwater for a few hours to enhance its flavour, juiciness and tenderness before cooking it. You can brine the chicken for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours depending on the size.
As mentioned before, for whole chickens, classic wet brines can be left on for a minimum of 12 hours and up to 2 days. Dry brines can be as short as a few hours, but ideally at least 12 hours and up to 3 days.
How long to brine chicken
12 hours if you are pressed for time but for an optimum result 18-24 would be great. Try not to go longer than 24 hours as it may result in salty chicken or even mushy chicken and you do not want that.
How to cook brined chicken
If you used wet brine, bring out the chicken some few hours before cooking it, pat it dry with a chicken towel and roast as desired.
Why you should (almost) always brine your chicken
FAQ
Can I brine chicken for 1 hour?
What is the shortest time to brine?
Can I brine for 2 hours?
What is the minimum amount of time to dry brine chicken?
How long should chicken be in brine?
You don’t want it to be sitting in the brine for longer than the recommended time to avoid salty chicken. Chicken breasts: 1 hour to 4 hours Whole chicken: 4 hours to 24 hours Whole turkey: anywhere from 12 hours to 48 hours You may add any dry or fresh herbs of choice to the brine. In my case, I use whatever herbs I had left in my fridge.
Should you brine chicken before cooking?
Wait! Before you brine, remember: The first rule of brining is to chill your brine . That’s right—you don’t want to immerse your chicken in warm water or room temperature water. Why? Because it will cause the temperature of the meat to rise to a level at which bacteria can multiply.
How do you cook chicken in brine?
Leave the brine to cool down completely. (I used a smaller saucepan for this step) Once the brine is completely cooled, top it up with another 4 cups of cold water (I used 6 cups of water in total) Place the chicken in a large pot and pour the brine over it.
How long do you brine chicken thighs?
You can brine any part of a chicken (poultry) but you should always remember the size of the chicken would determine how long you would be brining for. Chicken wings or chicken thighs: Anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. You don’t want it to be sitting in the brine for longer than the recommended time to avoid salty chicken.