Cooking
David Leite’s Best Brined Roast Chicken
[ad_1]
This best brined roast chicken is the best method for brining chicken we’ve ever experienced as featured in The Washington Post. Created by David Leite, it brilliantly blends pureed aromatic vegetables and herbs before adding them to the brining solution. We think of it as a refined brine.
This roast chicken recipe makes brining worth the effort. Honest. It results in some of the most flavorful roasted chicken The One and I have ever made.
The volume of kosher salt varies greatly from brand to brand due to the size of the crystals. The two brands mentioned in the recipe–Diamond Crystal and Morton–which are the two most widely available, will give you perfect results. Don’t even think of using sea salt or table salt.–David Leite
☞ READ THE ARTICLE: A BETTER BRINE FOR CHICKEN
Why our testers loved this
There’s a whole bunch of reasons our recipe testers gobbled this up. They found it to be exceeding juicy, which is saying a lot–especially for chicken breast, which is notoriously dry. Patty Fabian also found the bird to be “perfectly seasoned” and named it the “most flavorful roast chicken that’s ever come out of my oven!”
Annie A. joined in with her comment, “There are almost no words to describe its succulence, chicken-soup-like depth of flavor, and buttery, roasted presentation.”
Notes on ingredients
- Whole chicken–(not pictured) A 4-to-5-pound bird is perfect for the recipe. You don’t need the giblets or gizzards. Freeze them then pull them out when making chicken stock or chicken gravy.
- Kosher salt–Depending on the brand of kosher salt you’re using, you may need to adjust the amount of salt added to your brine. Crystal sizes in kosher salt vary dramatically. So if you’re using Diamond Crystal kosher salt, use 1 1/2 cups, and if you’re using Morton kosher salt, use a heaping 3/4 cup. If you’re uncertain of the brand, weigh your salt. You should have 7.5 ounces or 215 g.
- Granulated sugar–The addition of a little sugar to your brine improves the flavor of your roasted chicken and helps to give the chicken a golden-brown color.
How to make David’s best brined chicken
- Boil the salt, sugar, and peppercorns in water. Boil until the salt and sugar dissolve. Let cool.
- Dump the onions, leeks, carrots, celery, bay leaves, and fresh herbs in a blender. Add the vegetables to a high-powered blender. Make sure that all the vegetables are roughly the same size.
- Buzz the onions, leeks, carrots, celery, bay leaves, and herbs. Blend until the vegetable puree is smooth.
- Add the ice cubes and the water to the pot. Stir until the ice cubes are melted. Stir in the vegetable puree. Nestle the chicken in the pot. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
- Heat the oven. Set a rack inside a large roasting pan.
- Remove the chicken from the brine. Rinse and pat it dry.
- Roast the chicken. Place the chicken on the rack. Brush with melted butter. Roast until cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Rest. Let the bird sit, covered loosely with foil, before carving the chicken.
Best Brined Chicken FAQs
What does brining do for a chicken?
The overnight soak in a brine ensures that your roasted chicken is juicy. The herbs and vegetables added to the brine give the roasted chicken a boost of flavor. It’s definitely worth the extra effort to brine your chicken and something I do almost all the time
Can I use this method for turkey?
Yes, you can. Depending on the size of your turkey, you may need to double or triple the brine mixture. You want enough brine so that your turkey can be fully submerged.
What other herbs or spices can I use in this?
You can add or swap in other fresh herbs such as sage or parsley for the thyme and rosemary in this recipe. You could also replace the peppercorns with whole allspice.
Helpful tips
- To clean your leeks, remove the root end, slice the leeks lengthwise, and then crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Place them in a bowl, cover them with cool water, and let them sit for 15 minutes to allow any dirt and grit to settle. Use a slotted spoon to remove the leeks from the bowl, leaving the dirt and water behind.
- If you don’t have a pot large enough to accommodate the chicken and brine, use a strong, good-quality resealable 2.5-gallon bag. Stash the filled and sealed bag inside a large pot or bowl, in case it springs a leak.
- If your chicken is browning too quickly while roasting, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.
More great roast chicken recipes
☞ If you make this brined roast chicken, or any recipe on LC, consider leaving a review, a star rating, and your best photo in the comments below. I love hearing from you.–David
David Leite’s Best Brined Roast Chicken
This best brined roast chicken is the best method for brining your chicken, as far as I know. It blends aromatic vegetables and herbs to the brining solution before adding your chicken. The meat gets infused with lush flavors and juiciness beyond the average brined chicken.
For the roast brined chicken
Make the brine
-
Add 3 cups of the cold water to a large Dutch oven or pasta pot. Pour in the salt, sugar, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve, and then turn off the heat.
-
Meanwhile, add 2 cups of the water to a high-powered blender or food processor. Working in batches as needed, add the onions, leeks, carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary.
-
Purée until liquefied.
-
Add the ice to the pot along with the remaining 6 cups of cold water. Stir until the ice cubes melt and the water is cold. Add the puréed ingredients. Submerge the chicken, cover the pot, and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Roast the brined chicken
-
Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Place a rack in a roasting pan.
-
Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towel. Discard the brine.
-
Place the bird on the rack in the pan and tie the legs together with kitchen twine, if desired. Brush with the melted butter and season generously with pepper. Roast (middle rack) for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh meat (away from the bone) registers 165°F (74°C). The skin should be brown and crisp. If it starts to overbrown, loosely cover with a large sheet of aluminum foil.
-
Let the chicken sit, loosely tented with aluminum foil, for 15 minutes before carving.
- Salt–If you’re uncertain about the brand of your kosher salt, weigh it. You want to use 7.5 ounces or 215 g of kosher salt in your brine.
- Leeks–Clean the cut leeks by letting them sit in a bowl of ice water for 15 minutes so the grit can settle. Lift the leeks out, letting the grit remain in the water.
- Pot options–If you don’t have a pot large enough to accommodate the chicken and brine, use a strong, good-quality resealable 2.5-gallon bag. Stash the filled and sealed bag inside a large pot or bowl, just in case it springs a leak.
Serving: 1portionCalories: 193kcal (10%)Carbohydrates: 36g (12%)Protein: 1g (2%)Fat: 6g (9%)Saturated Fat: 4g (25%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 15mg (5%)Sodium: 63mg (3%)Potassium: 202mg (6%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 29g (32%)Vitamin A: 4103IU (82%)Vitamin C: 8mg (10%)Calcium: 69mg (7%)Iron: 1mg (6%)
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We’d love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
Recipe © 2019 David Leite. Photos © 2019 David Leite. All rights reserved. All materials used with permission.
[ad_2]
David Leite
Source link
