Best Perfect Chicken Brine Recipes

CHICKEN BRINE

Steps:

• If water is cold, heat it for about 90 - 120 seconds in the microwave (you want it very warm, but not hot). You can also do this on the stove top if you prefer.
• Stir salt and brown sugar into water. Stir until salt and sugar are completely dissolved and liquid is translucent.
• Add chicken to a watertight bowl or bag. Pour brining liquid over chicken and seal bag or cover bowl tightly. Make sure brine covers chicken completely; prepare additional brine if necessary.
• Allow chicken to brine in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours. Pat chicken dry with a clean towel or cloth before cooking.

QUICK CHICKEN BRINE

Steps:

• Combine water, salt, and aromatics (garlic, herbs, etc.) in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand for 10 minutes.
• Place ice (or ice water) in a large bowl (or very large measuring cup) and pour brine over ice. Stir until ice is melted.
• Place chicken in a large plastic bag and pour brine over chicken. Seal and let sit at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, or refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours. Drain chicken and pat dry. Use in any recipe, but make sure to only lightly salt the chicken surface once you've brined it.

CHICKEN BRINE

Steps:

• In a very large stockpot add the water, kosher salt (do not use table salt), sugar, garlic, sage, basil, black peppercorns and bay leaves and bring to a boil on high heat.
• Stir well until sugar and salt have dissolved.
• Turn off heat and let cool naturally until water is at room temperature.
• Add chicken to the pot and cover.
• Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, up to 8 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Remove chicken from brine and rinse under a very slow stream of water (sanitize your sink after rinsing).
• Dry the chicken with paper towels inside and out and stuff the chicken cavity with apple and onion.
• Place into baking pan and cook for 15 minutes, then lower heat to 375 degrees and cook for 40-45 minutes or until the middle of the thigh reads 165 degrees on a probe thermometer.

PERFECT CHICKEN

Steps:

• Pour the chicken broth into a saucepan with the onion and garlic; bring to a boil and cook at a boil until the liquid reduces by half, about 10 minutes. Pour in the white wine, return to a boil, and reduce the liquid by half again, about 10 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, rosemary, and sage; simmer until the mushrooms are tender and have given up their juice, about 15 more minutes. Stir in cream, butter, lemon, and capers; reduce heat and simmer the sauce until thickened, about 10 minutes (45 minutes in all).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place the cornstarch into a shallow bowl and press the chicken thighs into the cornstarch on all sides until thoroughly coated. Shake off excess cornstarch. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; pan-fry the chicken thighs until they develop a golden brown crust, about 8 minutes per side. Place the chicken thighs into a 9x9-inch baking dish and pour the sauce over the chicken.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the sauce is bubbling and the chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a chicken thigh should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

THE ULTIMATE BARBECUED CHICKEN

Steps:

• For the brine, in a mixing bowl combine the water, salt, sugar, garlic, and thyme. Transfer the brine to a 2-gallon sized re-sealable plastic bag. Add the chicken, close the bag and refrigerate 2 hours (if you've only got 15 minutes, that's fine) to allow the salt and seasonings to penetrate the chicken.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce. Wrap the bacon around the bunch of thyme and tie with kitchen twine so you have a nice bundle. Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the thyme and cook slowly 3 to 4 minutes to render the bacon fat and give the sauce a nice smoky taste. Add the onion and garlic and cook slowly without coloring for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, give the sauce a stir, and turn the heat down to low. Cook slowly for 20 minutes to meld the flavors. Once the sauce is done cooking, remove about 1 1/2 cups of the sauce and reserve for serving along side the chicken at the table. The rest of the barbecue sauce will be used for basing the legs.
• Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
• Preheat a grill pan or an outdoor gas or charcoal barbecue to a medium heat. Take a few paper towels and fold them several times to make a thick square. Blot a small amount of oil on the paper towel and carefully and quickly wipe the hot grates of the grill to make a nonstick surface. Take the chicken out of the brine, pat it dry on paper towels. Arrange the chicken pieces on the preheated grill and cook, turn once mid-way, and cook for a total of 10 minutes. Transfer the grill marked chicken to a cookie sheet and then place in the oven. Cook the chicken for 15 minutes, remove it from the oven and then brush liberally, coating every inch of the legs with the barbecue sauce and then return to the oven for 25 to 30 more minutes, basting the chicken for a second time half way through remaining cooking time. Serve with extra sauce.

PERFECT CHICKEN BRINE

Steps:

• Mix water, kosher salt, white sugar, garlic, sage, basil, peppercorns, and bay leaf in a large pot over medium-high heat; bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the salt and sugar are dissolved completely, about 20 minutes.
• Remove pot from heat and cover with a lid. Cool brine at room temperature for 2 hours before refrigerating to cool completely.

SIMPLE CHICKEN BRINE

Steps:

• Pour the warm water into a container that is twice the volume of the water. Pour in the salt, sugar, soy sauce, and olive oil. Stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved, then allow the brine to cool to room temperature.
• To use, place chicken in the brine, cover, and refrigerate two hours for skinless breasts, 4 hours for bone-in pieces, and 4 hours to overnight for whole chickens. Drain and pat the chicken dry before cooking. One gallon of brine is enough for 6 pounds of whole chicken or bone-in chicken pieces, and up to 10 pounds of skinless, boneless chicken breasts.