Best Brine for Chicken Wings (Smoked, Baked, Grilled, Air Fryer and Deep Fried)

brine chicken wings next to wing sauce, ranch dressing and a plate of vegetables

Best Brine for Chicken Wings (Smoked, Baked, Grilled, Air Fryer and Deep Fried)

Want to make the best and easiest brine for chicken wings? This easy brined chicken wing recipe is salty, slightly sweet and umami, with an optional spicy kick. Brining chicken wings is one of the best methods to get super crispy and flavorful smoked, grilled, baked or fried chicken wings! The flavor of this chicken wing brine is so incredible you don’t even need sauce!

Course dinner, lunch

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Brining Time 2

Total Time 2 10

Servings pounds

Calories 535kcal

Author Aubrey

Cost $6

Equipment

1 small pot
1 large bowl
1 baking sheet and cooing rack
smoker, oven, grill, air fryer or deep fryer optional

Ingredients

Chicken Wings

2-3 lbs chicken wings or wingettes (drums and/or flats)

Chicken Wing Brine

5½ cups water
½ cups light soy sauce must be light soy sauce
3 tablespoons kosher salt do not use table salt
½ cup light or dark brown sugar (firmly packed)
1 tablespoon minced ginger optional but recommended
4 large cloves minced or pressed garlic
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes·
1 teaspoons cayenne pepper

Instructions

Set 4 cups of cold water aside.
In medium pot, on medium high heat, heat 1½ cups water, soy sauce, kosher salt, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, crushed red pepper and cayenne pepper until brown sugar and salt are fully dissolved (2-3 minutes).
Remove from heat and pour mixture into large bowl (large enough to fit all your chicken wings).
Add your remaining cups of cold water to the mixture. Refrigerate the chicken wing brine mixture until fully cooled.
Once mixture is fully cooled, add your chicken wings to the brine. Be sure they are fully submerged.
Place bowl in refrigerator and brine chicken wings for approximately 2 hours.
Remove wings from brine (discard unused brine) and place chicken wings on cooling rack on top of a sheet pan or a baking sheet covered in paper towels. This will allow the excess brine to drain.
Pat wings dry to remove any excess brine. Allow wings to dry refrigerated on baking sheet for 10-15 minutes (minimum) or up to 60 minutes. The more time you allow your wings to dry, the crispier they will cook.
Cook your brined chicken wings in the smoker, oven (baked), grill, air fryer or deep fryer.

Notes

Chicken Wing Brine Cooking Methods: This chicken wing brine recipe works for smoked brined chicken wings, baked brined chicken wings, grilled brined chicken wings, air fryer brined chicken wings and deep fried brined chicken wings.

Traditional Chicken Wing Brine: Omit soy sauce and ginger. Add additional ½ cup of water and 2 tablespoons salt. Add 3 springs rosemary and 3 sprigs thyme.

Nutrition