If you’ve ever wondered how restaurants get their chicken so juicy and flavorful, the secret is simple — it’s all in the brine! This easy chicken brine recipe takes just a few minutes to mix up, and it transforms your whole chicken into something truly special.

The salt and honey work together to lock in moisture while the lemon, garlic, and herbs add a beautiful depth of flavor. Once you try it, you’ll never roast chicken without brining again!

Why Brining Makes the Best Chicken

Brining helps poultry stay juicy. The salt in the brine actually changes the structure of the meat’s proteins, allowing them to absorb and hold onto more water. That means less moisture loss during cooking and a tender, succulent bite every time.

The salt also tenderizes the meat slightly, breaking down muscle fibers so the chicken cooks up more tender and evenly.

Instead of just seasoning the surface, brining also lets flavor soak deep into the meat. Every bite tastes perfectly seasoned — not bland in the center and salty on the outside.

Simple Ingredients for a Flavorful Brine

• Water: The base that helps distribute the salt and flavors evenly.
• Kosher Salt: Draws moisture in and out of the chicken, resulting in juicy, seasoned meat.
• Honey: Adds a subtle sweetness and helps with browning during roasting.
• Peppercorns: Infuse mild spice and depth into the brine.
• Lemons: Brighten the flavor and help tenderize the meat.
• Bay Leaves: Add an earthy, aromatic note.
• Parsley & Thyme: Fresh herbs that lend light, savory flavor.
• Garlic: Deepens the flavor and complements the herbs beautifully.
• Whole Chicken: The star of the show — brined to tender, juicy perfection.

Step-by-Step: How to Brine a Whole Chicken

1. Dissolve: Mix the water, salt and honey in a large pot over medium heat and stir until the salt is dissolved. Remove from the heat and let the water cool.
2. Brine: Add the remaining ingredients to the pot, then add the chicken to the brine solution and let it brine in the fridge overnight.

How Long to Brine Chicken

For best results, brine your chicken for 8–12 hours, or overnight.

Once you start brining your chicken, you’ll never go back! It’s such a simple step, but it makes all the difference — juicy, flavorful, and perfectly tender every time. Whether you’re roasting for Sunday dinner or meal prepping for the week, this chicken brine will take your cooking to the next level.

Now if you’re wondering how to cook this perfectly brined whole chicken, our go-to chicken recipe is our melt-in-your-mouth b

If you’ve ever wondered how restaurants get their roast chicken so juicy and full of flavor, the secret is simple — it’s all in the brine! This brined Roasted Chicken and Potatoes is one of those meals that makes you slow down and savor every bite.

The kids voted this was the best chicken and potatoes I’ve ever made and it was one pan and so dang easy.

The overnight brine infuses the meat with moisture and a subtle, herby flavor, while the garlic butter under the skin keeps every bite tender and golden. Add in roasted Yukon Gold potatoes that crisp up in the chicken drippings, and you’ve got a family dinner that is pure comfort food — with hardly any effort.

Why Brining Makes the Juiciest Chicken

The short answer is science! First, the salt in the brine breaks down the tight protein strands in chicken (or any poultry) which makes the structure more open to holding liquid molecules so it can retain more moisture.

When the chicken is submerged in the brine, the chicken soaks up the brine making it more juicy and more flavorful. The additional flavor in the brine like the lemon, fresh herbs and garlic all soak into the chicken so it’s flavored from the inside out!

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Brine

• Water: The base that helps distribute the salt and flavors evenly.
• Kosher Salt: Draws moisture in and out of the chicken, resulting in juicy, seasoned meat.
• Honey: Adds a subtle sweetness and helps with browning during roasting.
• Peppercorns: Infuse mild spice and depth into the brine.
• Lemons: Brighten the flavor and help tenderize the meat.
• Bay Leaves: Add an earthy, aromatic note.
• Parsley & Thyme: Fresh herbs that lend light, savory flavor.
• Garlic: Deepens the flavor and complements the herbs beautifully.

For the Chicken

• Whole Chicken: The star of the recipe — roasting the entire bird keeps it juicy, flavorful, and beautifully golden while naturally basting the potatoes as it roasts.
• Kosher Salt: Enhances flavor, draws out moisture for crisp skin, and seasons both the chicken and potatoes evenly.
• Butter: Adds richness and helps the skin turn golden and crispy while keeping the meat tender and moist.
• Garlic: Brings depth and savory aroma to the butter mixture and infuses flavor into the chicken and potatoes.
• Fresh Thyme: Adds bright, earthy notes that complement the chicken’s richness and balance the buttery flavor.
• Lemon: Infuses the meat with a fresh citrus aroma, helps tenderize the chicken, and

Sweet and savory teriyaki chicken is topped with fresh pineapple and all the classic taco fillings to make these Pineapple Chicken Tacos a major win at the dinner table.

Teriyaki Chicken Tacos

You know how sometimes a flavor combo just sticks in your brain? I have been stuck on these pineapple tacos ever since my friend Jill told me about her family’s take on them.

There’s something simply divine about teriyaki chicken with sweet pineapple. Add in the experience of eating it as a taco, with all the other classic toppings in the mix, and it’s truly amazing.

Easy Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

While my crew normally eats tacos with hot sauce, we all enjoyed these tacos with a drizzle of this easy homemade teriyaki sauce on top. It packs so much sweet and savory flavor, and you can make it in just minutes.

If you’ve never made teriyaki at home, then you definitely should give it a try! The flavors are perfectly balanced, and it’s such a simple recipe. This sauce is way better than anything you can find bottled and for sale on grocery store shelves.

Pineapple Chicken Tacos

Listen, I know that pineapple in savory dishes can be divisive. But, I have to admit that I am unapologetically on team pineapple. I adore Hawaiian pizza. And, I love these pineapple chicken tacos for the same reasons.

If you have someone w

How cool is it that this quick chicken recipe is the easiest chicken we make, and it is also some of the tastiest chicken we make? Seasoned with plenty of terrific flavors and quickly cooked in any number of ways, this chicken is the weeknight main dish that the whole family enjoys.

The Fastest Way to Cook Chicken

You only need a few minutes to get this chicken ready to cook and you’ll be sitting down to eat just ten minutes later. The chicken is great on its own with a side of raw vegetables and ranch dip. It can also be sliced thin for sandwiches, or chopped bite-size for soups, salads, or pasta.

I’ve been making this chicken probably every other week for over 5 years now. And yes, it’s taken that long for me to share it here on the website.

The recipe is another favorite from The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook. However, I use the chicken in so many other recipes, I decided it was past time to share the original here.

Why make this chicken?

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Cheesy Cream Cheese Chicken and Rice Casserole

If you’re craving a creamy and indulgent chicken casserole, then this cheesy chicken and rice casserole is a must-try! Made with juicy chicken, fluffy rice and lots of cheese, it’s a family favorite!

Growing up my mom made, and still does make, the best casseroles. I don’t care that it’s 2025 and people are worried more about kale pureed into overnight oats, casseroles feel like home and I’m always a fan of an easy chicken and rice recipe for dinner. We call this one angel chicken casserole in our house and it’s based off of two recipes, the crockpot chicken and rice recipe and Mom’s famous Busy Day Casserole recipe.

Typical angel chicken is a creamy sauce with chicken served over angel hair pasta, but I decided to transform the flavorful saucy chicken into a casserole by combining it with rice. It is total comfort food and full of delicious homey flavors! It’s called “angel chicken” for a reason…it tastes like heaven!

Ingredients for Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

If you have some leftover chicken or bought a rotisserie chicken at Costco but aren’t sure how to use it, this recipe is a great option. You only need a few pantry staples to make this hearty and irresistible casserole recipe:

• Cream Cheese: I recommend using full fat or possibly 1/3 less fat but avoid fat free for the best texture and flavor.
• Butter: adds richness and flavor
• Cooked Chicken: diced or shredded (I use rotisserie from Costco)
• Cooked Rice: I use 1/3 wild rice and the rest white rice.
• Cream of Chicken Soup: I use my homemade recipe, but feel free to use a can of condensed soup if you want.
  • NOTE: You can swap for cream of mushroom soup or cream of celery soup if needed.
• Garlic: adds flavor
• Good Seasons Dry Italian Dressing Mix: You can find this at the grocery store on the salad dressing aisle next to the other salad dressing packets.
• Chicken Broth: helps keep the casserole moist as it bakes
• Colby Jack Cheese: Some goes in the casserole and the rest gets sprinkled on top for extra cheesiness.
• Salt and Pepper: adds flavor
• Fresh Parsley: Don’t skip this! This is a creamy, cheesy and rich dish and the parsley adds the tiniest bit of brightness I think the casserole needs.

The measurements needed for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.