• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

RecipeTin Eats

Fast Prep, Big Flavours

Small book

My cookbook "Dinner" now available!

  • My RecipeTin
  • My cookbook!
  • Recipes
  • Recipes By Category
    • Mains
      • Chicken
        • Chicken mince
      • Beef Recipes
        • Ground Beef (Mince)
      • Pork
      • Lamb
      • Turkey
      • Shrimp / Prawns
      • Salmon
      • Fish
      • Salad Meals
    • Quick and Easy
    • Soups
    • One Pot
    • Stews
    • Slow Cooker
    • Sides
      • All
      • Vegetables
      • Show Off Salads
      • Rice (all)
      • Fried rice recipes
      • Rice (plain)
      • Potato
    • Pasta
      • All
      • Pasta bakes
      • Pasta salads
    • Sweet
      • Cakes
      • Cheesecakes
      • Cupcakes & Muffins
      • Cookies
      • Puddings & Cosy Desserts
      • Bite Size
      • Pies
      • Slices & Bars
      • Frosting & Icing
      • Ice cream
    • Cuisine
      • Asian
        • All
        • Stir fries
        • Noodles
        • Soups
        • Chinese
        • Japanese
        • Korean
        • Thai
        • Vietnamese
      • French
      • Greek
      • Indian
      • Italian
      • Mediterranean
      • Mexican
      • Middle Eastern
      • South American
    • Dietary
      • Gluten Free
      • Low Calorie
      • Vegetarian
    • Other Categories
      • BBQ
      • Breakfast
      • Burgers
      • Cocktails
      • Party Foods
      • Rice Recipes
      • Roasts
      • Sandwiches & Sliders
  • Collections
  • About
    • Me
    • RecipeTin Meals
    • Free Recipe Books
    • Contact
    • Food Bloggers Central
    • Nitty Gritty
      • Policy: Use of Recipes & Images
      • Privacy & Disclosure
Home Christmas Christmas Mains

Chicken Brine – for the juiciest roast chicken of your life!

By:Nagi
Published:29 Nov '19Updated:1 Feb '21
234 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

This is a chicken brine that will yield the most succulent, juiciest roast chicken you will EVER have in your life! Brining injects flavour and moisture as well as tenderising – you will be blown away how juicy the chicken breast is!

Once you learn how to brine chicken and taste the incredible results, you will never look back!

How to brine chicken - photo of whole raw chicken submerged in brine solution

Chicken Brine

Brining is the process whereby chicken (or other meat) is submerged in a salty liquid  (“brine”) and left to marinate to add flavour, tenderise AND add moisture so the chicken stays juicier when roasted.

It injects flavour and seasoning right into the flesh of a whole chicken in a way that no other method can, even by slathering liberally with herb and garlic butter under the skin which is my favourite non-brining way to roast chicken.

It’s a technique widely used by chefs. In Sydney, there are a handful of restaurants famous for their roast chicken – such as Glebe Point Diner, Boronia Kitchen and Restaurant Hubert – and they are all brined!

This brine recipe is adapted from a recipe by Thomas Kellar, one of the greatest culinary masters of the world.

Photo of the juiciest roast chicken fresh out of the oven, ready to be served

What does brined chicken taste like?

The chicken is seasoned with salt all the way through the flesh, with a hint of the flavourings of the brine. The brine flavourings are not intended to be dominant – it’s more of a subtle perfume rather than a strong flavour. You don’t need strong flavours when the flesh of chicken is seasoned this way because you’ll taste chicken flavour in a way you never have before!

The juiciest chicken breast EVER!

Here’s an up close and personal of the breast of brined roast chicken – LOOK HOW JUICY IT IS! It’s hard to believe your eyes but it’s true, it IS possible to make chicken breast this succulent – but only with a chicken brine!

Close up showing how juicy chicken breast is when chicken is brined

What you need for Chicken Brine

To make chicken brine, all you need is water and salt. Everything else is for flavour so it’s optional and customisable – see below for substitutions for each.

What goes in brine for chicken
  • Salt and water – the only two ingredients that are non negotiable, they are the brine!

  • Honey – for a touch of sweet, sub with sugar

  • Parsley, thyme and rosemary – 100% optional, switch with other herbs, or use dried

  • Peppercorns – use ground instead

  • Lemons, garlic and bay leaves – for flavour, optional


How to brine chicken

It’s as easy as this:

  • Bring all the brine ingredients to a boil with a bit of water – just to bring out flavour a bit and dissolve the salt;

  • Add cold water to bring the temperature down, then refrigerate until fully chilled;

  • Submerge chicken upside down (ie drumsticks and breast facing down) and brine for 24 hours in the fridge (even 12 hours is terrific);

  • pat dry, brush with butter and roast!

How to brine chicken

How long does it take to roast a 2 kg / 4lb brined chicken?

60 minutes at 180°C/350°F or until the internal temperature is 75°C/165°F or until juices run clear.

The formula is: About 15 minutes for every 500g/1 lb. So a 2 kg / 4 lb chicken will take 60 minutes, and a 1.5kg / 2 lb chicken will take 45 minutes (give or take 5 – 10 minutes, also smaller chickens will take about 20 minutes per 500g/1lb).

Brined chicken roasts about 20% faster than chicken that is not brined. A 2 kg / 4 lb chicken that is not brined takes 1 hour 25 minutes (see classic Roast Chicken recipe).

Can you use this for other meats?

Absolutely. I use this for pork, turkey breast and small whole turkey. For large whole turkeys, the better way is using a Turkey Dry Brine – more convenient, better result.

Difference between brining and marinating?

Brining is different to marinating in that there is a much higher liquid to meat ratio – a whole chicken is completely submerged in the chicken brine. Marinades usually have far less liquid and the chicken is mostly coated in it, rather than submerged (examples: my favourite Everyday Chicken Marinade, Greek Marinade, Vietnamese Lemongrass Marinade).

Platter of carved roast chicken on a plate, ready to be served

What to serve with roast chicken

Something carby and something green! Here are a few suggestions:

Potato and Bread sides for roast chicken

Potatoes au gratin (Dauphinoise Potatoes) fresh out of the oven
Potatoes au Gratin (Dauphinoise)
Close up of Paris Mash (Rich & Creamy Mashed Potato) being scooped up with a spoon
Paris Mash (Rich Creamy Mashed Potato)
Rustic brown bowl of Creamy Cauliflower Mash topped with a drizzle of butter
Creamy Mashed Cauliflower
Close up of slice of Irish Soda Bread (no yeast bread)
World’s best No Yeast Bread – Irish Soda Bread
These No Knead Dinner Rolls are like magic! Astonishingly easy, no stand mixer, just mix the ingredients in a bowl! recipetineats.com
Soft No Knead Dinner Rolls
  • Potatoes au Gratin – my favourite make-head-looks-and-sounds-impressive option, “it’s French, darling”

  • Paris Mash – for something sinfully rich, and very fine dining style

  • Everyday Creamy Mashed Potato which we will never, ever tire of

  • Creamy Mashed Cauliflower for a low carb option (don’t knock it until you’ve tried it)

  • Warm homemade No Knead Dinner Rolls or an easy, crusty, no yeast Irish Soda Bread

Side salad options for roast chicken

French Salad Dressing (French Vinaigrette) - Made with olive oil, mustard, white wine vinegar and eschalot/shallot. Keeps for up to 2 weeks. www.recipetineats.com
French Salad Dressing (French Vinaigrette)
Close up of Balsamic Dressing being drizzled over rocket salad with shaved parmesan
Rocket Salad with Balsamic Dressing and Shaved Parmesan
Close up of Green Bean Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Feta in a white salad bowl, ready to be served
Green Bean Salad with Cherry Tomato Feta
Bowl of Carrot Salad ready to be served
French Carrot Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing
Italian Dressing - the one dressing everyone should ALWAYS have in the fridge! Keeps for 2 weeks. www.recipetineats.com
Italian Dressing Recipe
Close up of a refreshing Cucumber Salad with a tasty Herb & Garlic Dressing
Cucumber Salad with Herb Garlic Vinaigrette
Balsamic Vinegar Dressing - A classic everyone should know: 1 part vinegar, 3 parts oil. Keep for 3 weeks+. www.recipetineats.com
Balsamic Vinegar Dressing
  • Crisp Garden Salad with Balsamic Dressing, French Dressing or Italian Dressing

  • Classic Rocket Salad with Shaved Parmesan (aka Arugula) – very fine dining / bistro style and also the world’s fastest side salad

  • Green Bean Salad with Cherry Tomatoes, a crispy, juicy Cucumber Salad with Herb & Garlic Dressing or, for something different, a Carrot Salad (bet you can’t stop eating this….)

The chicken is so moist, you can serve it as is with a tiny drizzle of the pan juices (which are quite salty, so don’t go overboard!). If you’d like a gravy, make it while the chicken is resting – the recipe is in the notes.

I’ve also been known to drizzle with a touch of melted butter and squeeze of fresh lemon juice – it’s divine! – Nagi x


Watch how to make it

Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

How to brine chicken - photo of whole raw chicken submerged in brine solution

Chicken Brine

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 1 hr
Brining: 1 d
Total: 1 d 1 hr 15 mins
Mains
Western
5 from 54 votes
Servings5 – 6
Tap or hover to scale
Print
  • 3
Recipe video above. BRINING is the secret to the most succulent, tender roast chicken you will EVER have in your life! Adapted from a recipe by Thomas Keller, one of the great masters of the culinary world. The flesh is seasoned all the way through with a hint of the brine flavourings (herbs, lemon, garlic).

Ingredients

Brine

  • 2 litres / 2 quarts water , cold tap water
  • 1/3 cup kosher or cooking salt, NOT table salt (Note 1)
  • 2 lemons , quartered
  • 10 sprigs parsley , fresh
  • 7 sprigs thyme
  • 2 sprigs rosemary
  • 5 bay leaves, fresh (or 3 dried)
  • 1⁄4 cup honey
  • 6 garlic cloves, smashed (Note 3)
  • 1 tbsp black peppercorns

Roast Chicken

  • 1.5 – 2 kg / 3-4lb chicken , whole
  • 3 tbsp / 40g butter , melted
  • Salt and pepper to season

Instructions

Brining

  • Pour about 1/3 of the water into a large pot (large enough for the brine and submerged chicken) with remaining Brine ingredients. Bring to boil boil 1 minute, stir to dissolve salt.
  • Remove from heat, pour in remaining water. Cool completely before using (I cool about 30 min then refrigerate 1 1/2 hours). DO NOT put chicken in before full cool, this is a health hazard (Note 4).
  • Flip chicken upside down (so legs and breast are on underside. Submerge chicken in brine, cover and refrigerate for 12 – 24 hours (Note 5). Don't worry if underside of chicken doesn't stay under water – the the breast side is, that is what matters.

Roasting Brined Chicken:

  • Remove chicken from brine and pat dry to remove excess moisture.
  • Tie legs with string (if desired), tuck wings under. Drizzle/brush with most of the butter all over, including underside (butter will firm up on contact).
  • Sprinkle with pepper and the TINIEST pinch of salt, place chicken on a rack in a heavy based roasting tray. Set aside for 20 minutes.
  • Preheat fan forced oven to 220°C/430°F.
  • Turn down the oven to 180°C/350°F, then roast chicken for 50 minutes to 1 hour (Note 7) or until the internal temperature at the joint between the leg and thigh is 75°C/165°F, or until juices run clear.
  • Check at 45 minutes, rotate the pan if not browning evenly, and brush top with remaining melted butter.
  • Remove chicken from the roasting tray, cover loosely with foil and rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Chicken is so juicy, it needs little more than a tiny drizzle of the juices in the pan (go easy, it's salty). Otherwise, make a gravy while the chicken is resting – see Note 8.

Recipe Notes:

1. SALT – important!! Must use kosher salt or cooking salt (same thing, different name in different countries) which are larger grains than table salt.
If using table salt (ie the fine grains of salt served at the table that you put on your food), decrease by 2 tablespoons. 
2. Brine flavourings substitutions:
  • Honey – sub same amount maple syrup, or 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • Fresh herbs – use more of one of them, switch out with sage leaves or other fresh herbs of choice. OR use 1 tbsp dried herbs of choice
  • lemons – lime, or oranges, or leave out
  • Peppercorns – sub 1/2 tsp ground pepper
3. Garlic, smashed – smack palm of hand down on side of knife to make garlic burst open but largely stay in one piece. Can sub 2 tsp jar paste, in emergency.
4. Warm brine = cosy environment for bacteria to start forming in chicken = health hazard! Brine must be completely chilled before putting chicken in.
5. Brining time – 12 hours is enough, 18 to 24 hours is ideal. Don’t go longer than 24 hours because the chicken starts getting too salty. Can take chicken out, pat dry and refrigerate for a while until cooking.
6. Taking chicken out of fridge a while before cooking helps it cook more evenly.
7. Cook times: 20 minutes plus 10 minutes for every 500g/1 lb. So a 2 kg / 4 lb chicken will take 60 minutes, and a 1 kg / 2 lb chicken will take 40 minutes.
Note: Brined chicken cooks faster than unbrined chicken by about 15 to 20 minutes.
8. GRAVY option: Pan juices are very salty so gravy needs to be made with salt reduced broth plus water (gravy for “normal” roast chicken uses only chicken broth/stock)
50g / 3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp / 40g flour (any white)
All liquid from pan topped up with LOW SODIUM / Reduced Salt chicken broth to make up 1 cup
1 cup / 250ml water
Melt butter over medium heat, add flour, stir for 1 minute. Add half the liquid while whisking. Once incorpoated and lump free, add remaining liquid & water. Continue cooking for 2 minutes, stirring regularly, until gravy thickens. Season with pepper – I highly doubt you will need salt!
9. Frozen chicken can be put in the brine once it’s partially thawed. It will finish thawing in the chicken while it brines.
10. Source: Brine based on a recipe by Thomas Keller, one of the great masters of the culinary world! Known for high end iconic restaurants such as Per Se in New York and the French Laundry in the Napa Valley.
11. Nutrition per serving, chicken only.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 432cal (22%)Carbohydrates: 5g (2%)Protein: 63g (126%)Fat: 17g (26%)Saturated Fat: 5g (31%)Cholesterol: 188mg (63%)Sodium: 189mg (8%)Potassium: 644mg (18%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 1g (1%)Vitamin A: 198IU (4%)Vitamin C: 26mg (32%)Calcium: 49mg (5%)Iron: 4mg (22%)
Keywords: Brine for chicken, brine for turkey, Chicken brine, how to brine chicken, juicy roast chicken
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

Originally published May 2014, updated November 2019 with fresh photos, video and most importantly, Life of Dozer added!

Life of Dozer

Dozer taking me for a walk in Melbourne’s Bourke Street Mall!

Staying in an Air BNB for a week, cramming in meetings and generally pretending to be a Melbourne-ite for a week. First time I’ve driven down – it’s a long 10 hour drive – but I REALLY wanted to bring Dozer down with me this time and I’m so glad I did. He’s having a blast, more photos to follow – he’s causing a riot down here!

Dozer the golden retriever and Nagi in Melbourne - November 2019

SaveSave

Previous Post
Garlic Herb Butter SLOW COOKER Turkey Breast
Next Post
Vegeta (vegetable stock powder / seasoning)

Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

Read More

Free Recipe eBooks

Join my free email list to receive THREE free cookbooks!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Cooked this? Rate this recipe!




234 Comments

  1. Shelby says

    December 11, 2022 at 12:57 pm

    5 stars
    This chicken was so delicious!

    Reply
  2. Antonio Benito says

    December 4, 2022 at 3:13 am

    question;
    Could the same brining solution, or what’s left of it, be used for a second chicken or maybe for pork chops?

    Reply
  3. Dee says

    December 3, 2022 at 10:17 pm

    Hi Nagi. I don’t have a fan forced oven so I’m not sure what to set my oven temp at and how long to cook the chicken.

    Reply
  4. Sue R says

    December 3, 2022 at 5:38 pm

    5 stars
    Someone may have mentioned it but too many comments to read. Two more tips from Tomas was he used clarified butter and he let the chicken dry in the fridge for 2 or 3 days to make it even crispier.

    Reply
  5. John says

    October 31, 2022 at 11:36 pm

    This recipe is so easy to follow and the chicken was delicious, so succulent. I served with roast potatoes, steamed buttered peas and carrots, and with the gravy recipe from this site. Delicious!

    Reply
  6. Kathy says

    October 28, 2022 at 4:35 am

    Hi Nagi!
    I love all your recipes. I wonder if you could do chicken wings in this brine? Maybe for a shorter time? 6-10 hours???

    Reply
  7. Maggie says

    September 18, 2022 at 1:53 pm

    Hi Nagi! I LOVE recipe tin. I barely touch my cupboard full of cookbooks anymore – your recipes are spot on every time!

    I’ve been trying to find a way to cook chicken that doesn’t have the ‘chicken stink’ as partner my calls it. Found something online saying to bath the chicken in vinegar before cooking. Wondering if this brine might do the job instead? Or could I do both? And how long would you brine a single breast?

    Thanks for all your incredible tips and recipes. You’re a household name in my family xx

    Reply
  8. Ron says

    July 14, 2022 at 7:00 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Nagi ,I am a Nagi devotee ,a very ordinary cook but it’s something I like ,I find all of your recipes easy to follow and the ingredients easy to obtain in Melbourne ,this recipe rocks also , thank you

    Reply
  9. Jeannine says

    June 26, 2022 at 5:11 am

    How do you feel about leaving chicken/turkey legs splayed instead of tied in close? I think the theory is the dark leg meat cooks faster so it takes less time and hence protects the breast meat.🤔

    Reply
  10. Monica says

    June 8, 2022 at 12:23 pm

    I know people always say ‘that was a great recipe’, but Nagi, this made an amazing difference to the chicken. I cooked my chicken on the BBQ, and it was tasty and juicy. The leftover meat was even delicious the next day, it didn’t dry out. I don’t know why it has taken me so long to try brining. Never, going to BBQ or roast a chicken without doing this first. A winner.

    Reply
  11. sania a tolentino says

    May 16, 2022 at 3:26 am

    thank u so kuch, nagi! the chicken turned out to be so juicy and flavorful. according to my sons coz they forgot to leave some for me. will definitely use this brine recipe from now on.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 16, 2022 at 6:49 pm

      WHAT?? How could they?!! Well at least they enjoyed it! N x

      Reply
  12. Chris says

    April 1, 2022 at 5:17 am

    I’m going to spatchcock the chicken after brining, then cook it on the BBQ. Any tips?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 1, 2022 at 1:51 pm

      I haven’t tried that Chris but it sounds good! N x

      Reply
    • Angie says

      April 16, 2022 at 10:56 am

      I am spatchcocking after brining too (tomorrow)! How did yours turn out?

      Reply
      • Chris says

        April 18, 2022 at 5:18 am

        Mine turned out great! So tender. I’m definitely using your brine again! Thanks so much

        Reply
  13. Deb says

    March 31, 2022 at 3:51 am

    5 stars
    This will be my go to bribe recipe!!! The chicken was moist, juicy and flavorful. I thought my 5 year old grandson was going to eat the whole chicken!! One question, if I wanted to make a large batch, should I just triple the ingredients and does this recipe work well with chicken parts?

    Reply
  14. Gordon says

    March 6, 2022 at 1:44 am

    Thanks, Nagi for your really great brine recipe, I only use it for chicken these days. Would the same recipe work for pork?

    Reply
Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

Free Recipe eBooks

Join my free email list to receive THREE free cookbooks!

Meet Dozer

Official taste tester of RecipeTin Eats! Meet Dozer
As Featured On

What's for Dinner?

Close up of beef enchiladas in a baking dish, fresh out of the oven

Beef Enchiladas

Butter Chicken served over basmati rice in a bowl, ready to be served

Butter Chicken

Overhead photo of 2 black bowls with Chinese Chicken Salad with Asian Dressing, ready to be eaten

Chinese Chicken Salad

Salisbury Steak recipe in skillet.

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

Vietnamese Coconut Caramel Chicken - 7 ingredient magic. The coconut fragrance is heavenly! recipetineats.com

Vietnamese Coconut Caramel Chicken

Fast prep. Big flavours!

Never miss a recipe

Back to Top
  • Related
  • RecipeTin Japan
  • Food Bloggers Center
  • Help
  • Contact Us
  • Image Use
  • Privacy Policy & Terms
Site Credits Maintained by Zao Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled © RecipeTin Eats 2023 · All Rights Reserved Back to Top