If you make chicken on the regular, but it always comes out rather dry or flavorless, you need to get on the brine train. Brining your chicken always involves salt, but there are two different methods: wet brine and dry brine. However, the internet’s opinions are mixed about which yields better results. Food Republic spoke with Dennis Littley, chef and recipe expert at Ask Chef Dennis. Littley is a poultry professional, whether it’s perfectly juicy chicken quarters or crispy baked drumsticks, and he provided a trove of information on the topic. “Brining is one of the best ways to enhance flavor, lock in moisture, and improve the texture of chicken,” he said, “but whether to go with dry or wet brining depends on the dish and cooking method.”
He continued, saying that “wet brining is best for whole chickens or lean cuts like breasts, which can dry out more easily.” Dry brining, on the other hand, “works particularly well for fried chicken,” as well as skin-on pieces that are getting roasted, because it helps the skin “crisp up beautifully.”
So there is your answer: It’s based on which part of the chicken you’re cooking, and how you’re cooking it. Said Littley, “Brining, whether wet or dry, is all about building layers of flavor and enhancing texture … with the right balance of salt, seasonings, and time, you can transform an ordinary bird into something incredibly juicy and flavorful.”
Wet brining: What to include and how to do it
A wet brine, according to Littley, “infuses moisture into the meat, making it ideal for roasting and grilling, where chicken is more prone to drying out.” He continued, “Wet brining works by breaking down muscle proteins, allowing the meat to absorb extra liquid that helps keep it juicy during cooking.” There is a downside, though, and it’s that wet brining “can dilute flavor if not seasoned properly.” So be sure to include “aromatics like garlic, herbs, or spices,” said Littley. Parsley, thyme, and sage would all be delicious, as well as bay leaves, or you can toss whole peppercorns in. To spice things up a bit, too, you can chop up jalapeño, or toss in red pepper flakes.
Wet brining is very simple to do, though it does require a bit of prep, namely boiling your saline solution in a big enough pot to accommodate however much chicken you’re brining. This ensures complete dissolution of both salt and, in some cases, sugar. Then you’re going to wait for the entire vat to cool completely before dropping in your chicken and refrigerating for at least 12 hours at minimum (though if you’re in a hurry, even 30 minutes can make a difference). When it’s done in the saltwater bath, just pat it dry and cook.
Dry brining: Making your chicken skin shatteringly crisp
Dry brining, in contrast, is “simply coating the chicken in salt and seasonings, then letting it sit uncovered in the fridge for several hours or overnight,” said Littley. He pointed to the fact that it takes up less space in your fridge, and you don’t have to deal with liquid, especially post-brine raw chicken water. Dry brining works by first drawing out moisture, “but then the salt helps the meat reabsorb its own juices, resulting in concentrated flavor and a firmer, juicier texture,” he said. There’s a reason it’s the better brine for Thanksgiving turkey.
To achieve this, you can use just kosher salt, or a mixture of salt, herbs, a sweetener like sugar, and even the punch of zested citrus peel. Generously sprinkle your salt or mixture all over and rub it in, including on the inside if you’re brining a whole chicken. Move your chicken to a flat, lipped surface like a plate or a baking sheet so the juices don’t run all over your refrigerator. You can actually keep it in there for up to three days. As Littley mentioned, dry brines are ideal for skin-on chicken (especially chicken wings) “because it helps develop a crispier, more flavorful crust,” so definitely follow-up with a cooking method like roasting, where the chicken won’t be sitting in its own juices. As with wet brining, be sure to pat the skin dry before cooking to achieve that crackly outer crust.
