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

SAVOR With Jennifer

Create. Explore. Experience. Savor.

  • Home
  • RECIPES
  • About
  • CONTACT
  • Work With Me
You are here: Home / Essential Skills / Simple Turkey and Chicken Brine

Simple Turkey and Chicken Brine

Share
Pin
Email
Tweet
Yum
Flip
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Simple Chcicken Brine chicken turkey in a pot on red napkin with herbs and spices in brine water

This Simple Turkey and Chicken Brine is so easy and will make your bird ridiculously moist and flavorful.

Simple Turkey and Chicken Brine ina large stock pot

Why brine you might ask?

The process of soaking a turkey or chicken, or many other kinds of meat, in a salt water and herb solution causes the meat to become infused with seasoned, flavorful moisture that will be retained along with it’s own natural juices through-out the cooking process.  The leaner cuts, like the breast will always be more moist and juicy and have more flavor then if they were not brined.

And leftovers? If everyone hasn’t fought for the last juicy morsel, think thick-cut chicken club sandwiches or wraps for lunch the next day that are possibly even better then the first go around.

This brine can be put together in 5-10 minutes.  It’s easy to make up either the night before or the morning of the day you plan to cook your chicken.

I particularly love this brine with several favorite dishes:

  • Herb Butter Spatchcock Chicken and Roasted Vegetables.
  • Roasted Turkey Breast with the Best Easy Gravy
  • Roasted Spatchcock Chicken with Sage Brown Butter

Herb Butter Spatchcock Chicken and Roasted Vegetables on circular white platter with a blue stripe napkin

What type of salt should I use?  Are there differences?

The short answer is yes.  I always use course kosher salt like Mortons.  There are many types of salt.  Iodized table, kosher, sea, pickling, and while they all taste salty, some types of salt have additives that affect the taste and different crystal sizes will alter the result, possibly producing an overly salty bird.

It’s important to note that a brined bird will take a little less time to cook then if it had not been brined.  So, if the recipe you are following does not call for a brined chicken, start to check for doneness with a meat thermometer prior to the expected end time.

If you are brining the day that you plan to cook your chicken, brine for 4-5 hours and use 1 cup of salt per gallon of water as the recipe below calls for.  If brining overnight or longer then 8 hours, use 1/2 cup of salt per gallon of water and reduce the other brine ingredients in half.

If one gallon of brine is not sufficient to cover your chicken due to the size of the vessel that you are using to brine in, increasing the amount of water to 1.5 or 2 gallons is fine as long as you are also proportionately increasing the brine ingredients.

Simple Chcicken Brine chicken turkey in a pot on red napkin with herbs and spices in brine water

Sometimes, life happens and dinner plans change.  If you no longer plan to cook your chicken when originally desired, simply remove from the brine and thoroughly rinse the chicken to stop the brining process.  Wrap or ziplock the chicken until the next day when it can be cooked.  I don’t recommend leaving the chicken in the brine for over 24 hours or it tends to become too salty even with the over 8 hours lesser salt recommendation.

How did your chicken turn out?  I’d love to hear from you!  Leave me a comment below…

Simple Chcicken Brine chicken turkey in a pot on red napkin with herbs and spices in brine water
Print Pin

Simple Turkey and Chicken Brine

This Simple Chicken Brine is so easy and will make your turkey or chicken ridiculously moist and flavorful.
Course Essential Skills, Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Simple Chicken Brine
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Brine Time 5 hours
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 57kcal
Author Jennifer Grissom

Ingredients

  • 16 cups water - divided 16 cups = 1 gallon
  • 1 cup coarse kosher salt such as Mortons
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary chopped or 1 tablespoon dried
  • 1/4 cup fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried
  • 6 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon peppercorns
  • 1 4-6lb whole chicken (or turkey breast) see recipe notes for a large turkey

Instructions

  • Boil 2 cups of water either on the stovetop in a small saucepan.
  • Add the sugar and salt to the boiling water and stir until dissolved.
  • Remove from heat and add the rosemary, thyme, garlic, and peppercorns.  Let spices and herbs sit in hot water for 1 minute.
  • Using a tall stockpot, add the boiled water and the remaining 14 cups cool water and stir to combine.
  • Add a 4-6lb chicken (or turkey breast) and place in the refrigerator for 4-5 hours.
  • Remove the chicken or turkey from the brine and rinse thoroughly.

Notes

-This brine amount is perfect for a 4-6 pound chicken or turkey breast.  Double the amount of brine for a large turkey.
-If brining overnight or longer then 8 hours, use 1/2 cup of salt per gallon of water and reduce the other brine ingredients in half. 
-I don't recommend leaving the chicken or turkey in the brine for over 24 hours or it tends to become too salty even with the over 8 hours lesser salt recommendation. 
-If one gallon of brine is not sufficient to cover your chicken due to the size of the vessel that you are using to brine in, increasing the amount of water to 1.5 or 2 gallons is fine as long as you are also proportionately increasing the brine ingredients.
-If you no longer plan to cook your chicken or turkey when originally desired, remove from the brine and thoroughly rinse the chicken to stop the brining process.  Seal and refrigerate until ready to cook. The previously brined chicken or turkey can be refrigerated up to two days before cooking if the brine has been thoroughly rinsed.
Nutrition facts are approximate and are based on brine ingredients only.

Nutrition

Calories: 57kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Sodium: 14147mg | Potassium: 38mg | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 90IU | Vitamin C: 3.3mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 0.7mg
Jennifer - Savor With Jennifer Image
Jennifer Grissom

Mother, Gardener, Book Devourer, and Food Obsessor. I love being inspired with fresh, seasonal ingredients and relish every opportunity to elevate my home cooking. Join me!

Read more…

Previous Post: « Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Cajun Shrimp
Next Post: Herb Butter Spatchcock Chicken and Roasted Vegetables »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Jennifer - Savor With Jennifer Image
Jennifer Grissom

Mother, Gardener, Book Devourer, and Food Obsessor. I love being inspired with fresh, seasonal ingredients and relish every opportunity to elevate my home cooking. Join me!

Read more…

Love Fabulous Recipes? Join me!

As Seen In:

Reader Favorites

  • Sticky Asian Baked Pork Ribs
  • The Bomb Italian Sausage Sandwich on white plate The Bomb Italian Sausage Sandwich
  • Sticky Asian Blood Orange Chicken
  • partially sliced Blueberry Lemon Sour Cream Pound Cake on wire rack Blueberry Lemon Sour Cream Pound Cake
  • overhead view of white bowl with homemade cherry pie filling Homemade Cherry Pie Filling
  • The best teriyaki marinade pored out of measure cup onto a steal The BEST Teriyaki Marinade
  • The Best Cherry Pie Recipe with Homemade Filling
  • Crockpot French Dip Sandwich Recipe on white plate with fries and au jus Crockpot French Dip Sandwich Recipe
  • close up of Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Recipe From Scratch Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Recipe From Scratch
  • Blueberry Sour Cream Muffins with Streusel in a muffin tin from a side angle Blueberry Sour Cream Muffins with Streusel Topping

Recent Favorites

Blood Orange Citrus Salad with Orange Vinaigrette on a gray plate

Blood Orange Citrus Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

close up of Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Recipe From Scratch

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Recipe From Scratch

three Italian Herb Garlic Cheddar Biscuits From Scratch stacked on top of each other

Italian Herb Garlic Cheddar Biscuits From Scratch

Roasted Lemon Parsley Butter Potatoes on a white plate

Roasted Lemon Parsley Butter Potatoes

close up of Baked Shrimp Macaroni and Cheese

Baked Shrimp Macaroni and Cheese

one raspberry puff pastry tarts with lemon cream cheese and drizzle shown up close

Raspberry Puff Pastry Tarts with Lemon Cream Cheese

Orange Cranberry Pound Cake sliced open with drizzling glaze

Orange Cranberry Pound Cake

right side of white bowl of Roasted Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Roasted Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes

square imagae of 4 double chocolate banana muffins

Double Chocolate Banana Muffins

a Sheet Pan Polish Sausage Sandwich on a white plate with onions and peppers

Sheet Pan Polish Sausage Sandwich

Footer

Send me Fabulous Recipes!

Mother, Gardener, Book Devourer, and Food Obsessor. I love being inspired with fresh, seasonal ingredients and relish every opportunity to elevate my home cooking. Join me!

Read more...

My Favorites

Blood Orange Citrus Salad with Orange Vinaigrette on a gray plate
close up of Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Recipe From Scratch
three Italian Herb Garlic Cheddar Biscuits From Scratch stacked on top of each other

Categories

  • 30 Minute Meals
  • Appetizers, Hors d'oeuvres, and Starters
  • Baking
  • Beef
  • Bread
  • Breakfast
  • Dessert
  • Drinks and Cocktails
  • Essential Skills
  • Fish and Seafood
  • Kitchen Tools
  • Lamb
  • Lunch
  • Main Course
  • Pork
  • Poultry – Chicken & Turkey
  • Recipe
  • Salads
  • sandwiches
  • Sauces
  • Side Dishes
  • Soups and Stews
  • Supper
  • Uncategorized
  • Vegetarian

Copyright © 2021 · Foodie Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Savor With Jennifer uses cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site, we will assume that you are happy with it.OkPrivacy policy