Brined Chicken Wings

Brining Chicken Wings enhances their flavor and ensures the seasoning really gets developed through the whole wing.

Brined Chicken Wings give you a perfectly juicy bite and pack a bunch of flavor even without seasoning. It can sound intimidating to do, but it only takes 2 or 3 ingredients to pull together and some time. Be sure to try it out the next time you make chicken wings.

Why should you brine chicken wings?

We usually brine meats that need a little help to be tender and juicy. However, chicken wings are usually tender and juicy on their own so brining just enhances that flavor and seasons the wing from the inside out. Since they’re so small it doesn’t take long to do either.

Brining also is a great way to keep the tender meat from drying out using different cooking methods. It keeps those flavors locked in especially when frying or grilling.

Can you use the baking powder method with this recipe?

If you haven’t already heard what the baking powder method is, it’s a simple way to season and bake chicken wings resulting in a perfectly crisp skin. It doesn’t required any breading or frying either so they’ll become a family favorite for more reasons than that they’re tasty. (Such as, they’re easy to make.)

Since the baking powder method also uses salt, they would be too salty using the brine and baking powder method together. It’s a great option for just about any other type of wing, though!

How do you brine chicken wings?

Brining chicken wings takes just a few steps. First, you’ll want to put together your brine, which sounds harder than it is. Brine is simply a water and salt mixture. If you want, you can also include sugar and seasonings to flavor and enhance the wings even more.

One thing that does matter is the amount of salt depends on the kind of salt you use, so be sure to check out this awesome guide on How to Brine for more information. It also has some great tips on timing and amounts of brine for other types of meats.

How long does it take to brine chicken wings?

Chicken wings are so small already that it doesn’t take long at all. Most meats take 4 or more hours depending on the size, but for chicken wings you’ll only need to have them in the brine for 2 or so hours. Having them in for longer won’t hurt, but try to avoid keeping them in the brine overnight.

This is a perfect option if you start prepping in the early afternoon for a late dinner or for a party (we can hope for parties again in the future, right?!). Just throw the wings in the brine and prepare the rest of your meal until they’re ready to bake. When you bake the wings, I recommend using an instant read thermometer to check for doneness. No one wants to eat underdone or dried out wings.

Print