Perfect Chicken Brine
Perfect Chicken Brine balances salt, a touch of sugar, and aromatic herbs to deeply season poultry and lock in juiciness. Garlic, sage, basil, peppercorns, and bay leaf lend a fragrant, savory backbone that shines after roasting or grilling. Ideal for whole birds or bone-in pieces, it’s a dependable prep step before any weekend cookout or holiday dinner.
- Prep15 mins
- Cook30 mins
- Serves16
- DifficultyEasy
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Perfect Chicken Brine, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 44 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 18 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 92 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
- 1 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 59
- Heart Health
- 45
- Metabolic
- 51
- Digestive
- 28
- Inflammatory
- 33
- Performance
- 48
- General Wellness
- 1
In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring the water, kosher salt, sugar, sage, basil, garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaf to a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until the salt and sugar are fully dissolved, about 20 minutes.
- 2
Remove from the heat; cover and let it steep for 20 to 30 minutes.
- 3
Place the pot in an ice bath and stir from time to time until the brine reaches room temperature, 20 to 30 minutes.
- 4
Refrigerate until completely chilled before using, at least 1 hour.
- Calories 261.34 kcal Moderate 13%
- Protein 7.24 g Moderate 14%
- Carbohydrate 29.81 g 11%
- Total Fat 13.01 g Moderate 17%
- Saturated Fat 2.19 g Moderate 11%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 0.0 mg Low Source 0%
- Sodium 146.88 mg Moderate 6%
- Dietary Fiber 7.51 g Good Source 27%
- Total Sugars 19.29 g --
- Added Sugars 9.95 g Moderate 20%
- Calcium 59.86 mg Low Source 5%
- Iron 1.92 mg Moderate 11%
- Potassium 188.14 mg Low Source 4%
- Vitamin A 26.59 mcg Low Source 3%
- Vitamin C 0.42 mg Low Source 0%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Garlic 🧄
About This Recipe
Perfect Chicken Brine is made with 8 ingredients and serves 16. It takes about 45 mins and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Black Peppercorns, Cane Sugar, Dried Basil, and Dried Bay Leaves. Each serving provides about 261.34 kcal, and is a good source of fiber.
Recipe Questions
- What is Perfect Chicken Brine made of?
- The main ingredients are Black Peppercorns, Cane Sugar, Dried Basil, Dried Bay Leaves, Dried Sage. The full list of 8 is above.
- How long does it take to make Perfect Chicken Brine?
- About 45 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 30 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 261.34 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Perfect Chicken Brine easy to make?
- This recipe is rated easy, with 8 ingredients and 4 steps.
- Is Perfect Chicken Brine healthy?
- Perfect Chicken Brine has an easyChef Pro health score of 47/100. Per serving, it provides 261.34 calories and 7.24 g of protein, or 14% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 146.88 mg (6% of the Daily Value), saturated fat at 2.19 g (11% of the Daily Value) and added sugars at 9.95 g (20% of the Daily Value). It contains Garlic, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.
The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.
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