Citrus Chicken Brine Recipe

Our citrus chicken brine with Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, onion, and garlic guarantees the most flavorful and juicy meat, and is perfect for grilling!

Prep Time30

Brine Time:2

Total Time2 30

Course: Brine

Cuisine: Barbecue

Servings: gallon

Calories: 612kcal

Ingredients

4 quarts water
½ cup kosher salt
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
4 oranges halved
2 limes halved
1 lemon halved
1 large red onion chopped
4 garlic cloves smashed

Instructions

In a large pot, combine water, kosher salt, raw sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce. Stir the mixture well until the salt and sugar are fully dissolved.
Squeeze the juice from the halved oranges, limes, and lemon into the brine mixture. Drop the citrus halves into the pot as well. Add chopped red onion and smashed garlic cloves.
Place the pot on the stove over medium heat. Warm the mixture, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a gentle simmer. This helps to infuse the flavors and ensure all ingredients are well incorporated.
Once the mixture has simmered for a few minutes, turn off the heat and let the brine cool to room temperature.
Place chicken pieces in a large container. Once the brine has cooled, pour it over chicken, ensuring that it is fully submerged. If needed, add additional water to cover entirely.
Seal the container and put it in the refrigerator. Let it brine for the recommended time, depending on the cut (see notes below).
After brining time is complete, remove chicken from the brine. Rinse under cold running water to remove excess salt from the surface and pat dry with paper towels.

Notes

For brining chicken, 1 to 4 hours is usually sufficient. If you're in a rush, even 30 minutes will help, but for the best flavor and moisture, aim for the full 4 hours. Just make sure not to go too much longer than that, or it can get too salty. If you're brining a whole chicken, you can go up to 12 hours in the fridge.

Nutrition