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Chicken Wing Brine

Simple Chicken Wing Brine Recipe

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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 290
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups cold water
  • 1/4 cup kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed (optional)
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns (optional)
  • 1 bay leaf (optional)
  • 2 lbs chicken wings, separated into flats and drumettes
  • 1 tbsp baking powder

Method
 

  1. Stir water, salt, sugar, and aromatics in a large bowl until dissolved.
  2. Pat wings dry, submerge in brine, cover, and refrigerate 30 minutes to 2 hours.
  3. Remove wings, pat completely dry, and toss with baking powder if baking.
  4. Bake on a wire rack at 425°F (220°C) for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and crispy, or fry at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes.
  5. Toss hot wings in sauce and serve immediately.

Notes

A 30 minute soak gives you noticeably juicier meat; for maximum flavor without any texture change, pull the wings right at the 2 hour mark. The baking powder on the skin only works with an oven bake, skip it when frying.