Ceylon Tea-Brined Chicken
Brining chicken in Ceylon tea creates juicy, subtly flavored meat with gorgeous golden skin. A weekend favorite.
Tea brining is a technique that infuses poultry with flavor while keeping the meat incredibly moist. Ceylon's clean, smooth profile makes it ideal—it adds depth without bitterness.
The brine combines strong-brewed Ceylon tea with salt, brown sugar, garlic, and bay leaves. Submerging the chicken for at least 4 hours allows the flavors to penetrate deeply.
After brining, pat the chicken dry and roast at high heat for crispy skin. The tea tannins help the skin turn a beautiful golden brown.
The result is chicken that's seasoned all the way through, with a subtle earthiness that guests can never quite identify but always love.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (about 1.5 kg)
- 4 bags Ceylon tea
- 4 cups hot water
- 1/4 cup salt
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 tbsp olive oil
How to make it
- 1Steep tea bags in hot water for 10 minutes. Remove bags, stir in salt and brown sugar until dissolved. Add garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns. Let cool completely.
- 2Place chicken in a large container. Pour brine over chicken, adding cold water to cover if needed. Refrigerate 4–8 hours.
- 3Remove chicken from brine, pat very dry with paper towels. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes.
- 4Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). Rub chicken with olive oil, season lightly with pepper.
- 5Roast for 50–60 minutes until skin is golden and internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F).
- 6Rest 10 minutes before carving. Serve with roasted vegetables.
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