Learn how to brine chicken in easy steps with my whole chicken brine recipe. This wet brine is made with a few simple ingredients, and it's quick to make. It tenderizes and makes any poultry moist and juicy.
Brining chicken is without a doubt, a great way to achieve juicy, tender, and flavorful meat. Chicken, especially the breast, tends to dry out easily, but a good brine prevents that. Once you try brined chicken and see how it turns out, you won’t want to prepare it any other way.
Whole Chicken Brine Recipe
This easy chicken brine recipe can be put together in 5-10 minutes. It is a wet quick brine that requires water, salt, and sugar. Everything else can be customized. My go-to additions include herbs, pepper, and citrus, like orange or lemon slices.
The process of brining chicken before roasting is simple: make the brine, and place the chicken in it. After a few hours, when the brining time is over, discard the liquid, season again if you want, and cook it however you prefer- roasted, baked, air fried, grilled, or deep fried.
This brine for whole chicken uses a few ingredients, it's budget-friendly, and can be used on any poultry. Brined poultry, when cooked, turns out tender, juicy, and flavorful.
The ingredients listed in this recipe are enough for a 1.5-3kg whole chicken, and you’ll get what I consider the best chicken brine.
Ingredients
Here is what you will need :
Whole chicken - One 1.5 to 3 kg, clean and without giblets.
Salt - The foundation of the brine. Use 50 to 80 g per liter of water.
Sugar- Helps flavor absorption and caramelization. I use brown sugar, but any sugar works well.
Mixed herbs- A perfect mix of dry herbs for chicken, mild and balanced.
Black pepper - To boost flavor.
Orange
The full ingredient list is in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Chicken Brine
Add 4 cups of water to a large pot, place it on medium heat, and bring it to a boil.
Pour in salt and sugar, stir until they dissolve completely. Make sure no crystals remain.
Add the mixed herbs and black pepper. Stir and take the pot off the heat.
Pour in the orange slices, then add 2 litres of cold water, enough to fully submerge the whole chicken. The cold water will help cool down the brine quickly.
How To Brine a Whole Chicken
When the brine is completely cool, submerge the chicken (for food safety reasons, the brine must be fully cooled and the poultry fully submerged).
Cover the pot and refrigerate for the entire brining time (6-12 hours).
Bring out the chicken, pat it dry with paper towels, and it's ready to be cooked.
How Long To Brine Whole Chicken
Brine a whole chicken for 6-12 hours in the fridge. Do not exceed 24 hours. Smaller poultry may need only six hours. Avoid brining for too long, as this might make the meat get mushy.
Tips
- Reduce the sugar if you prefer a less sweet profile or if you’re using sweet sauces.
- Ensure the salt and sugar are fully dissolved in the water.
- Completely cool down the brine before use.
- For crispier skin, dry the chicken very well after removing it from the brine.
FAQS
The main reason is simple: juicy, flavorful chicken. Salt gently alters the proteins, preventing them from tightening too much and helping the meat retain more moisture. Being fully submerged also allows the chicken to absorb flavor evenly.
Sugar balances the saltiness and helps the skin brown beautifully. Herbs and citrus add a light aromatic touch.
Absolutely. Eight to twelve hours is ideal to brine chicken overnight in the fridge.
Yes. You can marinate brined chicken, however, be careful not to add too much salt to the marinade.
Yes. It works for turkey, hen, and even duck. For smaller birds or individual pieces, reduce the brining time.
Remove the chicken, discard the brine, and pat it dry thoroughly inside and out. If you want, you can add a salt free marinade and refrigerate it for up to two hours. Then cook it however you like and enjoy how juicy it turns out.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
Frozen breaded chicken breast in air fryer
I hope you like this whole chicken brine recipe as much as I do. If you find this post helpful, please rate it 5 stars and leave me a comment below. I love reading from you.
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Whole Chicken Brine
Equipment
- Large pot
Ingredients
- 1 Whole chicken 1.5-3kg
- 3 litres Water
- ½ cup Salt
- 3 tablespoons Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Mixed herbs
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 large Orange sliced
- 2 Bay leaves optional
- 1 sprig Fresh rosemary optional
Instructions
- Add 4 cups of water to a large pot, place it on medium heat, and bring it to a boil.
- Pour in salt and sugar, stir until they dissolve completely. Make sure no crystals remain.Add the mixed herbs and black pepper. Stir and take the pot off the heat.
- Pour in the orange slices, then add 2 litres of cold water, enough to fully submerge the whole chicken. The cold water will help cool down the brine quickly.
How To Brine a Whole Chicken
- When the brine is completely cool, submerge the whole chicken (for food safety reasons, the brine must be fully cooled and the chicken fully submerged).
- Cover the pot and refrigerate for the entire brining time (6-12 hours).
- Bring out the chicken, pat dry with paper towels and it's ready to be cooked.
Notes
- Reduce the sugar if you prefer a less sweet profile or if you’re using sweet sauces.
- Ensure the salt and sugar are fully dissolved in the water.
- Completely cool down the brine before use.
- For crispier skin, dry the chicken very well after removing it from the brine.
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