Learn how to Dry Brine Chicken Breasts with this easy recipe. Using only sea salt and time, the simple dry brine locks in moisture and amps up the chicken’s flavor. It’s one of my favorite methods for making perfectly juicy and tender chicken at home.
The kitchen is basically my second home at this point, so it’s no wonder I have a few tricks up my sleeve when it comes to cooking perfect chicken. This dry brine chicken recipe is just one of many. If you’re looking for more ways to make restaurant-quality chicken at home, I’d recommend checking out my Perfect Chicken Breast and Roasted Chicken recipes while you’re here.
Dry Brine Chicken Breast
A dry brine is a technique that involves rubbing salt (and sometimes other spices) onto meat before chilling it in the fridge for usually up to 24 hours. It’s a method I particularly love using with chicken breasts. The process is just so simple and gives me juicy, tender, and perfectly cooked chicken every time! Trust me, it’s a must-try step.
Dry brining chicken breasts works the same as a wet brine but is, well, drier. The layer of salt over the chicken draws moisture out of the meat, which then dissolves the salt and soaks back into the meat, seasoning it all the way through. This process also slightly alters the chicken’s protein structure, helping it retain more moisture and encouraging browning during cooking.
One try and you’ll understand why dry brining is one of my go-to techniques. The chicken is always packed with far more flavor than what I’d get if I were to season it at the last minute.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken – I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. If the breasts are uneven or one is larger than the other, I’ll gently pound them to an even thickness (about ¾ to 1 inch thick) with a meat mallet before brining.
- Salt – I always go with coarse kosher salt when I’m brining meat. Sometimes, I’ll combine the salt with a pinch of smoked paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, or dried herbs (thyme, oregano, or rosemary) for more flavor.
How to Dry Brine Chicken Breasts
Prepare: First, I place the chicken breasts on a rack set over a sheet pan (or a plate).
Season: I pat the chicken completely dry on both sides with paper towels, then sprinkle the salt evenly all over.
Dry brine: I move the salted chicken to the fridge, uncovered, and let it brine for 4 to 24 hours (overnight is best, but even a few hours will make a big difference).
Cook: When I’m ready to cook, I take the dry brined chicken breasts out of the fridge and pan-sear them until golden and juicy.
Chef Tip + Notes
I’ve dry brined chicken breasts for as little as 4 hours and was still left with juicy and delicious chicken. But if you have the time, I highly recommend chilling the breasts overnight. I tested this recipe a bunch and found that a 12-hour dry brine delivered the best flavor and texture (although you can refrigerate the chicken for up to 24 hours if needed).
- Dry the chicken: All my dry brine recipes begin by patting the meat dry with paper towels. Just think of moisture as the enemy here. The drier the surface, the more evenly the salt can draw out moisture, dissolve, and reabsorb.
- Don’t rinse: I learned the hard way not to rinse the brined chicken under running water. All this did was splash bacteria around my sink. The salt won’t wash away anyway since it’s already been absorbed into the meat.
- Using other chicken cuts: This dry brining method works just as well on chicken thighs, drumsticks, wings, and whole chicken.
- How to cook: I prefer to pan-sear brined chicken breasts, but you can roast, grill, air fry, sous vide, or smoke them instead.
Serving Suggestions
You can usually find a few pounds of brined chicken breasts in my fridge throughout the week. A quick prep the night before sets them up to be pan-seared for an easy next-day dinner.
I love pairing these extra juicy chicken breasts with a side of roasted red potatoes and something green, like sautéed green beans, for weeknight meals. I always make sure my chicken gravy is on the table, too.
These chicken breasts are also delicious with a quick pan sauce (a must-make if you’re pan-searing the breasts) or a vibrant chimichurri.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: The salted chicken breasts can be left in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
How to Store: Store the cooked and cooled chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.
How to Reheat: To keep leftover chicken juicy, I like to reheat it in a covered baking dish with a splash of water or broth at 350ºF for 10 to 15 minutes or until it’s warmed through.
More Brine Recipes
Dry Brine Chicken Breast Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts over a rack on a sheet tray or plate. Pat them dry well on both sides with a paper towel.
- Evenly season the chicken breasts on both sides with the salt.
- Place uncovered in the refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours. The longer the brine time, the better.
- Remove them from the fridge and cook according to your liking. I prefer them pan-seared.
Dry Brine Chicken Breast Recipe