Bourbon Chicken Brine Recipe + Video
User Reviews
5
2 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
10 mins
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Brine Time
4 hrs
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Total Time
4 hrs 10 mins
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Course
Main Course, Others
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Cuisine
American
Bourbon Chicken Brine Recipe + Video
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This is simply the best bourbon brine recipe, guaranteed to turn chicken breasts (or just about any other cut of meat) into a moist, incredibly flavorful, and utterly irresistible main dish!
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Ingredients
- 6 cups water + 3 cups cold water, boiling
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup kosher salt
- ½ cup bourbon sub rye whiskey, spiced rum, brandy
- 1-2 cinnamon stick
- 5 teaspoons black peppercorns whole
- 1 teaspoon allspice whole
- 2-3 bay leaf
- 2-3 garlic smashed, whole cloves
- 3-5 pounds chicken breast bone-in or boneless (or swap for chicken thighs or wings
Instructions
- Boil 6 cups of water.
- Meanwhile, set out a large mixing bowl. Combine the brown sugar, salt, and bourbon, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, allspice, bay leaves, and garlic.
- Pour the boiling water over the sugar mixture. Stir well to dissolve the salt and sugar. Then pour in 3 cups of ice-cold water to bring the temperature down. (You don't want the chicken cooking in the brine because the water is too hot.)
- Place the chicken pieces in the brine. Cover and refrigerate. Brine the chicken pieces 4-8 hours for boneless chicken, or 6-24 hours for bone-in chicken pieces.
- When you're ready to cook, remove the chicken from the brine, pat it dry with a paper towel. Then cook as desired. See suggested cooking methods in the notes section below.
Notes
- We suggest smoking, roasting, or grilling brined chicken. You can roast bone-in chicken breast at 375°F for 35 to 45 minutes. The boneless chicken breast will roast in approximately 15 to 20 minutes, depending on their size.
- For grilling, preheat the grill to 400°F. Grab grill bone list chicken pieces for 8 to 12 minutes flipping once, or bone-in chicken pieces for 12 to 15 minutes per side.
- Optional Add-Ins: orange slices, dried chiles, fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, or sage.
- Also try with other proteins like pork, beef, and salmon!
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
2 reviews
Excellent
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