Overnight Lemon Herb Chicken Brine Recipe
This citrusy overnight brine infuses whole chicken with lemon, garlic, herbs, and spices, resulting in incredibly juicy, flavorful, and tender meat ready for roasting, grilling, or smoking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 12 hours 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Brining, Roasting, Grilling, Smoking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Scale
Brine Ingredients:
- 1 whole chicken (4–5 lbs)
- 1 gallon cold water
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 lemons, halved
- 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 3–4 bay leaves
- 4–5 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 bunch fresh parsley or thyme
- Optional: 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- In a large stock pot or brining bucket, combine water, salt, and brown sugar. Stir until dissolved. Squeeze lemon halves into the mixture, then drop them in.
- Add garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, rosemary, parsley, and red pepper flakes if using. Submerge the whole chicken breast-side down. Make sure it is fully covered — add more water if needed.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight (8–12 hours).
- Remove chicken from brine, discard brine. Rinse chicken well and pat dry with paper towels.
- Let chicken air-dry uncovered in the fridge for 2–4 hours for crispier skin if roasting or grilling.
- Proceed with seasoning and cooking as desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 215 kcal
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 1560mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
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Find it online: https://mbeams.com/overnight-lemon-herb-chicken-brine-recipe/