How Long Do You Brine Chicken Wings? The Ultimate Guide

Brining chicken wings is an excellent way to make them extra juicy, flavorful and tender. But exactly how long should you brine chicken wings to get the best results? The ideal brining time can vary depending on the type of brine and the size of the wings. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through everything you need to know to brine chicken wings perfectly every time.

Why Brine Chicken Wings?

Brining means soaking meat in a saltwater solution (wet brine) or covering it with a lot of salt (dry brine) before cooking. This is done for more than one reason.

• It helps the meat retain moisture during cooking, keeping it juicier.

• It allows the salt to deeply penetrate the meat seasoning it throughout.

• It can help break down muscle fibers, making the meat more tender.

Chicken wings have naturally lean meat and skin that can dry out quickly when cooked. Brining is an ideal technique to help prevent this. The salt helps the meat keep its moisture and gives the wings a great flavor. This results in juicy, well-seasoned chicken with great texture.

Wet Brine vs Dry Brine

There are two main methods for brining chicken wings:

Wet Brine

A wet brine is a saltwater solution the raw wings soak in. A basic brine is made by dissolving salt and sugar in water, along with any desired seasonings.

Wet brining requires more hands-on time since you need to fully submerge the wings in the liquid. But it allows the brine to penetrate deep into the meat.

Dry Brine

With a dry brine, the raw wings are heavily coated with salt, then refrigerated uncovered. The salt draws moisture out of the wings, then that moisture dissolves some of the salt, creating a brine right on the surface of the meat.

Dry brining requires less hands-on time. The brine does get into the meat a little, but not as much. It works best for foods like wings that have a lot of surface area compared to their volume.

How Long to Brine Chicken Wings

The ideal brining time can vary based on the size of the wings and whether you use a wet or dry brine:

• For whole chicken wings, brine for 2-4 hours (wet brine) or 4-12 hours (dry brine).

• For wing sections (flats and drumettes), brine for 1-2 hours (wet brine) or 2-8 hours (dry brine).

With wet brining, the thickness of the meat matters. Whole wings have more meat than wing sections that have been cut up, so the brine needs a little more time to fully soak them.

With dry brining, having more surface area exposed matters. Separated wings offer the most surface area for the brine to form on the meat.

In general, you can brine for a longer time within those ranges. But excessive brining time can make the texture too dense or salty.

Here are more details on recommended brine times:

Wet Brine

• Whole wings: Brine for 2-4 hours. 3 hours is ideal.
• Wing sections: Brine for 1-2 hours. 90 minutes is ideal.

For a wet brine, aim for the lower end of the time range if using a very concentrated salt solution. Go for a longer time if using a milder brine.

Dry Brine

• Whole wings: Brine for 8-12 hours. 10-12 hours is best.
• Wing sections: Brine for 4-8 hours. 6 hours is ideal.

With dry brining, the longer time helps form a thoroughly seasoned crust on the exterior of the wings.

Tips for Brining Chicken Wings

Follow these tips for best results when brining wings:

• Use a 5-10% salt to water ratio for wet brines. Too little salt won’t brine well but too much can make the wings overly salty.

• Make sure wings are fully submerged in a wet brine. Weigh them down with a plate if needed.

• Pat wings dry after wet brining and let sit 30 minutes before cooking. This helps form a dry exterior for crisping.

• Sprinkle dry brine wings evenly to coat all surfaces. Flip halfway through brining time.

• Chill both wet and dry brined wings until ready to cook for food safety.

• Avoid brining too long, which can make the texture dense. Stick within the recommended time ranges.

• Rinse off wings after wet brining if the brine is very concentrated to prevent over-salting.

Sample Brined Chicken Wing Recipes

Here are some delicious brined chicken wing recipes to try:

Easy Baked Brined Chicken Wings

• Brine whole wings in a wet brine of salt, brown sugar and spices for 3 hours.
• Pat dry, then bake at 450°F for 40-50 minutes until crispy.

Simple Dry Brined Chicken Wings

• Coat separated wings in a dry brine of salt, baking powder and seasoning. Refrigerate for 6 hours.
• Bake at 425°F for 25-35 minutes until browned and tender.

Sweet and Spicy Brined Chicken Wings

• Soak whole wings in a wet brine of salt, brown sugar, Sriracha and spices for 4 hours.
• Grill or broil until charred and crisp.

Lemon Pepper Dry Brined Wings

• Toss wing sections with a dry brine of salt, lemon pepper and dried herbs. Refrigerate 8 hours.
• Fry or air fry until deeply golden brown.

The Takeaway

Brining is a simple technique that makes a big difference for juicy, well-seasoned chicken wings. Use a wet brine of 2-4 hours for whole wings, or 1-2 hours for wing sections. For dry brining, go 8-12 hours for whole wings or 4-8 hours for sections. Following these guidelines will help you achieve perfect brined chicken wings every time!