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5.0 from 3 votes

Bourbon Chicken Brine Recipe + Video

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!

Prep Time
10 mins
Brine Time
4 hrs
Total Time
4 hrs 10 mins
Course: Main Course , Others
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 6 cups boiling water + 3 cups cold water
  • 1 cup light brown sugar packed
  • ½ cup kosher salt
  • ½ cup bourbon sub rye whiskey, spiced rum, brandy
  • 1-2 cinnamon sticks
  • 5 teaspoons whole peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon whole allspice
  • 2-3 bay leaves
  • 2-3 whole garlic cloves smashed
  • 3-5 pounds chicken breasts bone-in or boneless (or swap for chicken thighs or wings)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Boil 6 cups of water.
  2. Meanwhile, set out a large mixing bowl. Combine the brown sugar, salt, and bourbon, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, allspice, bay leaves, and garlic.
  3. 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.)
  4. 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.
  5. 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!