Chicken Brine
on Sep 20, 2024
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With just water, lemons, and some fresh herbs, you will be able to create the perfect environment for chicken to cook! This chicken brine recipe will leave you with the most tender and juicy chicken.
This chicken brine makes cooking your chicken a breeze! The blend of fresh, savory, and zesty flavors make this chicken a versatile addition to a variety of meals. Nobody wants to eat dry and tough chicken, but that won’t be an issue with this recipe! The chicken is cooked in a seasoned brine on low heat for hours, leaving you with juicy and tender meat.
You can use this chicken for practically any recipe, and the bright earthy flavor will effortlessly enhance the entire meal. The best part about this recipe is how easy it is to make! All you have to do is get the ingredients together and allow it to cook. Once you try it, you’ll realize why the time is worth it!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The brine is simple to throw together yet will deliver strong and bold flavors to the chicken.
- It only takes 5 minutes to prepare, the brine and oven do the rest of the work.
- The chicken comes out extremely tender and juicy.
- It is very versatile! You can use this yummy chicken for so many different dishes.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken—We use a whole uncooked chicken, but chicken breasts or thighs work as well.
- Water
- Lemons—The citrus will help tenderize the chicken and add a subtle flavor.
- Fresh Parsley—To add an unmistakable earthy and clean taste.
- Fresh Thyme—For a sweet, peppery flavor.
- Bay Leaves—To round out and deepen the other herby flavors.
- Garlic—Freshly minced garlic or garlic powder.
- Sea Salt—Helps bring out the flavor of the other ingredients.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Chicken Brine
Step #1. Add all of your ingredients to a large stock pot. Stir to combine.
Step #2. Cook the chicken over low-medium heat until the chicken reaches an internal temperature. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Definitely! Brining your chicken will make the meat more tender, juicy, and have visible results. Not only does the brine help retain moisture in the chicken, but it will also add moisture as it cooks. While the chicken sits in the brine, it will absorb and distribute the flavor more evenly than if you were to just season the surface. Although it takes a while, it is absolutely worth the wait!
It is not necessary to pierce the chicken before you brine it, as it will still absorb the moisture and flavor while it cooks. With that being said, it can be helpful and if you’d like to then go ahead! You can use a fork or sharp knife to make a few holes around the chicken.
You can prepare a brine beforehand and store it in the fridge for up to a week until you are ready to use it. But, once you use it for any kind of meat it is recommended that you do not use it again. Even though it has been heated, the brine is not considered safe to use more than once after the meat has touched it.
Popular Substitutions and Variations
This tender and juicy chicken can be used for many different recipes and take your dish to the next level! Here are some of our favorite ways to use it:
- After removing the meat from the bones, you can shred it or dice it and throw it in any type of soup that uses chicken, such as chicken and rice soup!
- You can remove the meat and shred the chicken to toss in chicken enchiladas or homemade taquitos.
- The chicken can be diced or shredded to sprinkle on top of any type of salad, including chicken caesar salad or a Mediterranean chicken salad.
- You can slice the chicken and use it on sandwiches or paninis. Some delicious options include a buffalo chicken sandwich or chicken pesto panini!
How to Serve Chicken Brine
Brined chicken can be served in so many different ways, and the options for side dishes are endless! We like to add a side of mashed or au gratin potatoes, dinner rolls and butter, and a mix of oven baked veggies such as cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, or peas for a satisfying meal.
Expert Tips
- If you don’t have fresh garlic, you can use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder instead.
- Add water as needed to ensure the pot is completely full and covers the chicken as much as possible.
- Once the chicken is finished cooking you can discard the lemon slices, thyme, parsley, and bay leaves.
- You can use dried herbs instead of fresh, and store the brine for up to two weeks before using.
More Chicken Recipes To Consider
Chicken Recipes
Chicken and Biscuits
From Scratch Recipes
Lemon Pepper Chicken
Soups, Stews & Chowders
Classic Chicken Noodle Soup
Soups, Stews & Chowders
Easy Baked Potato Corn Chowder
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Chicken Brine
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 3 large lemons, sliced
- ½ cup fresh parsley
- 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 bay leaves
- 1 whole chicken, about a 4 pound chicken
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
Instructions
- Add all of your ingredients to a large stock pot. Stir to combine.
- Heat over medium heat just until well combine. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- Add the whole raw chicken to the pot and add enough cold water to cover the bulk of the chicken. Add the lid to the pot and stick in the fridge. Let rest for roughly 4 hours.
- Once the chicken is brined, remove from the pot and cook how you'd like. I'd recommend roasting it, cooking it in the air fryer, or cooking it in the instant pot. See notes for additional information on cooking the chicken if needed.
- Cook the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- You can prepare this brine ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to a week before using it.
- You can use dried herbs instead and store the brine for up to two weeks.
- You can add water as needed to ensure the pot is completely full.
- If you don’t have fresh garlic then you can use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder instead.
- Here’s how to cook a whole chicken in the Instant Pot.
- Here’s how to roast a whole chicken in the oven.
- Here’s how to air fry a whole chicken.
