Basic Brine for Juicy, Tender Chicken or Turkey

I never make any sort of chicken/turkey without brining it first. Once you try this recipe, you won't either. This is my standard brine that I use most often. This allows me to add any flavoring, dry rub, or sauce to my chicken without competing with the brine flavors. The brining process forces water into the muscle tissues of the meat by a process known as diffusion and osmosis. This additional moisture causes the muscle tissues to swell and hold more water. The resulting water in the muscle tissues will make the meat more moist and tender. Any spices herbs or other flavorings you add to the brine solution will get taken deep into the meat with the water.

• Ready In: 5 mins
• Yields: 1 gallon

Ingredients

• 1  gallon cold water
• 1⁄2 cup kosher salt (reduce to 1/4 cup if using regular table salt.)
• 2⁄3 cup light brown sugar

Directions

1. Mix brine together well with a whisk.
2. Place 1 whole chicken (thawed or frozen- you may also use chicken parts.) in brine for 2 hours up to over night. Cover and store in the refrigerator.
3. Remove chicken from brine and rinse chicken well. You are now ready to make a tender juicy chicken dish of your choosing.
4. NOTES: You can do this with turkey, as well. Also, you will notice that your leftovers, even after refrigerated overnight, are so tender and juicy whether eaten cold or reheated. The moisture retention really helps to make a chicken meal morph into a second meal when it holds its moisture. If doing a whole turkey, use the recipe servings changer to up the servings to 6-10. Put your turkey in an insulated cooler with enough water to cover and add in a 5 pound bag of ice. Brine overnight.