How long do you let chicken sit in salt water?
Matthew Alvarez
Published Apr 01, 2026
Let the chicken soak in the brining solution for several hours. For small pieces, 1 or 2 hours is sufficient, while 8 to12 hours is ideal for a whole chicken. If you can't spare that much time, a brine will still impart flavor and improve tenderness if used for only a short period of time, at least 2 hours.