I love chicken and would choose it over any type of meat any time, any day. But sometimes, the fine line between my risking salmonella and chewing something like leather is a hard spot to find.
The solution to moist chicken meat? Brining! Chicken and other types of meat with less fat such as turkey and pork benefit from brining as the process permeates the meat with flavor and traps in the meat’s natural juices during cooking. An hour in the saltwater mixture before going into the oven, these brined roasted chicken pieces come out super juicy and flavorful.
Brined Roasted Chicken
Prep Time
1 hrs
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hrs 45 mins
Course:
Main Entree
Servings: 4 Servings
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken thighs or legs
- 2 tablespoons butter , melted
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
For the Brine
- 4 cups cold apple juice
- 3/4 cup kosher salt
- 3/4 cup sugar
Instructions
-
Wash chicken and pat dry. Add chicken pieces to brine mixture and refrigerate for about 1 hour. Remove chicken from brine and rinse well.
-
In a small bowl, combine butter, garlic powder, paprika, pepper and thyme and brush mixture on all sides of chicken. On a roasting pan, arrange chicken skin side up in a single layer and roast in a 425 F oven for about 35 to 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.
For the Brine
-
In deep container, combine apple juice, sugar and apple juice. Stir until sugar and salt are dissolved.
More Great Stuff!
I used a buttermilk brine for some fresh skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts a few weeks ago and it was divine! That one was left to soak over-night though. Is an hour long enough? or does juice permeate the meat more quickly? I may just have to do some experimenting. =) Thanks for the inspiration.
Hi Nichole
Here is a guide for brining from Cooking Engineers
“The brining time depends on the shape of your meat as well as the type of meat. Generally, a good rule of thumb is 2 hours per pound of solid poultry when using the 1/2 cup salt per gallon brine. Cut up poultry will have reduced brining time. For chicken pieces like breasts or thighs, 2 hours is usually enough time. Pork may take about four times as long to brine as poultry. In most cases, it’s difficult to predict how fast the salt moves into the meat when you double or halve the salt in the brine, but it’s worth experimenting with to have your brining “finish” at a time where you will be around to remove the meat from the brine. ”
Thanks for the visit