David Leite’s Best Brined Roast Chicken
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 10 mins
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Additional Time
1 d
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Total Time
1 d 1 hr 30 mins
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Servings
6 servings
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Calories
274 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
David Leite’s Best Brined Roast Chicken
Description
This brined roast chicken recipe begins with a wet brine containing kosher salt, sugar, peppercorns, onions, leeks, carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary in cold water with ice cubes. The aromatics are pureed to intensify the flavor dispersed throughout the brine. A whole 4 to 5-pound chicken is submerged and refrigerated for 8 to 12 hours, allowing the salt and herbs to deeply penetrate the meat.
After brining, the chicken is rinsed and dried before roasting at high temperature with melted butter and freshly ground black pepper. The butter promotes a crisp, golden skin while the high heat roasts the bird evenly. The result is juicy, well-seasoned meat with aromatic herbal notes from the brine and a richly colored crust.
This roast chicken is suitable for a centerpiece meal as it yields plenty of tender, moist meat with flavorful skin. Serve alongside vegetables or your choice of sides for a classic dinner. The brining process ensures the meat remains juicy after roasting.
For accuracy, weigh your kosher salt to achieve proper salinity in the brine, especially if unsure about the brand. Clean the leeks thoroughly by soaking in ice water to remove grit before pureeing. If your pot is too small for the chicken and brine, use a heavy-duty 2.5-gallon resealable bag placed inside a large bowl to brine safely without leaks.
Ingredients
For the brine
- 11 cups water cold
- 1 1/2 cups kosher salt Diamond Crystal or a heaping 3/4 cup Morton's kosher salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns whole
- 2 medium onion coarsely chopped, yellow
- 2 medium leek cleaned and coarsely chopped
- 2 medium carrot scrubbed well and coarsely chopped
- 2 ribs celery coarsely chopped
- 2 bay leaf
- thyme leaves from 6 stems
- rosemary leaves from 6 sprigs
- 9 cups ice cubes
- One (4-to-5-pound) chicken giblet/gizzard packet removed
For the roast brined chicken
- 3 tablespoons butter melted, unsalted
- black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
Make the brine
- Add 3 cups of the cold water to a large Dutch oven or pasta pot. Pour in the salt, sugar, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve, and then turn off the heat.
- Meanwhile, add 2 cups of the water to a high-powered blender or food processor. Working in batches as needed, add the onions, leeks, carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary.
- Purée until liquefied.
- Add the ice to the pot along with the remaining 6 cups of cold water. Stir until the ice cubes melt and the water is cold. Add the puréed ingredients. Submerge the chicken, cover the pot, and refrigerate overnight (8 to 12 hours).
Roast the brined chicken
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Place a rack in a roasting pan.
- Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towel. Discard the brine.
- Place the bird on the rack in the pan and tie the legs together with kitchen twine, if desired. Brush with the melted butter and season generously with pepper. Roast (middle rack) for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh meat (away from the bone) registers 165°F (74°C). The skin should be brown and crisp. If it starts to overbrown, loosely cover with a large sheet of aluminum foil.
- Let the chicken sit, loosely tented with aluminum foil, for 15 minutes before carving.
Notes
- Use a scale to weigh 7.5 ounces (215 g) of kosher salt for the brine if unsure about your brand, ensuring correct saltiness.
- Clean cut leeks by soaking in ice water for 15 minutes, allowing grit to settle before removing them.
- If your pot is too small, brine the chicken in a large, quality 2.5-gallon resealable bag placed in a bowl to contain leaks.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 274 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1portion | |
| Calories | 274kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 0.01g | 0% |
| Protein | 19g | 38% |
| Fat | 21g | 32% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Trans Fat | 0.3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 93mg | 31% |
| Sodium | 74mg | 3% |
| Sugar | 0.01g | 0% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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