Go Back
–+ servings
A whole, uncooked chicken in a large pot filled with a quick chicken brine of water, lemon, and herbs.

Quick Chicken Brine

mylifeinbalancegroup.com/quick-chicken-brine/
An easy, quick chicken brine that creates the most flavorful and tender chicken and poultry.
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 15 minutes
Brine 2 hours
Total 2 hours 20 minutes
Recipe Makes (Approximate): 1 brine

Equipment

  • medium saucepan with lid
  • Large bowl
  • Large wooden spoon
  • large food-safe container heavy pot, sealable bag, or sous vide tub

Ingredients

For the Brine

  • ½ liter water (approximately 16 ounces or 2 cups)
  • 5 tablespoons kosher salt (100 grams or approximately 3 ounces)
  • 3-6 sprigs fresh herbs of choice (rosemary, thyme, parsley, etc.)
  • 4 large cloves garlic (smashed)
  • 1 pound ice

For the Chicken

  • 1 4-pound whole, uncooked chicken (or 4 pounds of uncooked chicken pieces)

Instructions

  • Pour ½ liter water into medium saucepan. Add 5 tablespoons kosher salt, 3-6 sprigs fresh herbs of choice, and 4 large cloves garlic to saucepan and quickly stir to incorporate.
  • Place saucepan on stovetop over high heat. Bring water to violent boil.
  • Once water boils violently, stir mixture until salt is completely dissolved, then move saucepan to cool burner and cover with lid. Let mixture stand, covered, 10 minutes.
  • Place 1 pound ice in large bowl. After brine mixture has stood 10 minutes, remove lid and carefully pour mixture into bowl over ice. Stir mixture gently until ice is completely melted.
  • When ice has melted, place 1 4-pound whole, uncooked chicken in large container. Carefully pour brine over chicken, making sure chicken is entirely submerged.
  • Let chicken rest in brine 2 to 3 hours at room temperature. Alternately, let chicken rest in brine 4 to 6 hours in refrigerator.
  • After chicken has brined for appropriate length of time, remove chicken from brine and drain well. Pat chicken completely dry with paper towels, then cook chicken as desired.

Recipe Notes

  • After brining your chicken, don't add any salt when you cook it or the chicken will be way too salty.
  • Fresh Herbs: You can use just one type of herb or a blend of your favorites.
  • Chicken: If you want to brine boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken, you can cut the brining time back to 30-60 minutes at room temperature and 1-2 hours refrigerated.
  • For a really crispy chicken skin, brine the chicken then let it air dry in the fridge until you're ready to cook it.
 

Alternate Brine Add-Ins

  • 1 white onion, sliced
  • 1-2 lemons, sliced into coins
  • bay leaves
  • cracked peppercorns
  • Italian seasoning
  • carrots
  • sweetener (white sugar, brown sugar, or honey)
  • fresh cilantro
  • sliced fresh jalapeños

Nutrition Information (Approximate)

Calories: 19calProtein: 1gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.03gSodium: 34932mgPotassium: 58mgTotal Carbs: 4gFiber: 0.4gSugar: 0.1gNet Carbs: 4gVitamin A: 10IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 76mgIron: 1mg
Recipe By: Cheryl Malik
https://mylifeinbalancegroup.com/quick-chicken-brine/