Chicken breast has a reputation for being dry and forgettable, but this fast and easy dry brined chicken breast fixes all of that with minimal effort. A quick dry brine rub seasons the meat all the way through and dramatically improves the texture. And high heat combi steam roasting keeps the chicken juicy and tender, and cuts down on cooking time. You can get the whole dish done in less than an hour, and most of that time is hands off.
This is a genuinely useful recipe to keep in your back pocket. The chicken works beautifully served hot alongside roasted veggies for dinner, sliced into salads or sandwiches, or tucked into meal prep containers for the week ahead. The ingredient list is short, the prep minimal, and the result is far more delicious than a standard grilled chicken breast with little additional work.
Why does this recipe work well in a steam oven?
Combi steam is ideal for cooking chicken breast because the added humidity protects the meat from drying out while the high heat cooks it quickly and evenly. In a conventional oven, chicken breast can go from undercooked to dry in just a few minutes, but the steam helps keep the surface moist while the interior reaches temperature. Combined with the short dry brine, this creates chicken that’s seasoned all the way through with a tender, juicy texture that’s difficult to achieve using dry heat alone.
As an Amazon affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may also contain other affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Dry brined chicken ingredients and substitutions
See the recipe card further down for full method and ingredient quantities.
- Chicken breasts: Large boneless, skinless chicken breasts work best here. Cutting deep slashes into the thicker end helps even out out the meat so it cooks more evenly. If you prefer a more uniform looking chicken breast, you can pound the thicker ends with a meat mallet instead.
- Bay leaves: Ground bay leaves add an aromatic savory note that really lifts the flavor of the chicken. Don’t skip them if you can help it – I’ve tried the brine without and it’s ok, but once you try the bay leaves they really become an essential part of the flavor.
- Black peppercorns: Freshly ground pepper gives a warmer, fresher flavor than pre-ground pepper.
- Salt and brown sugar: The salt seasons and tenderizes the meat, while the sugar balances the flavor and helps with light caramelization.
- Garlic powder: Adds savory depth without overpowering the chicken.
- Olive oil: Helps the chicken roast evenly and prevents the exterior from drying during cooking.
Dry brined chicken variations
You can easily adapt the flavor profile of this chicken depending on how you plan to serve it. Add smoked paprika or red pepper flakes to the brine for a smokier or spicier finish, or include dried thyme or oregano for a more herb-forward flavor.
This dry brined chicken technique also works with boneless chicken thighs, though they will need a little more cooking time depending on size.
If you want a more deeply browned finish, baste the chicken with melted butter near the end of cooking and briefly switch the oven to broil/grill mode for the final minute or two.
How to make my easy dry brined chicken breast
View, save and print the recipe card further down in this post; read on for the visual walk-through.
Grind the bay leaves and peppercorns using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle until finely ground. Mix with the salt, brown sugar and garlic powder.
Cut 2-3 deep slashes into the thicker ends of each chicken breast so they’re an even thickness throughout. Sprinkle the dry brine mixture generously over all sides of the chicken, rubbing it into the slashes you’ve cut as well as all over the outside.
Preheat your oven. Pat the chicken dry to remove excess moisture and loose brine, then rub with olive oil. Place onto a lined tray or baking dish and roast until cooked through but still juicy, about 12-14 minutes.
If using a thermometer, aim for an internal temperature of 155°F/68°C before resting.
Rest the chicken for 7-10 minutes before slicing. During this time the temperature will continue to rise and the juices will redistribute through the meat. Your ‘finished’ temperature should be 165°F/73°C in the thickest part of the chicken.
Slice across the grain and serve warm or cold.
Tips for success
Don’t skip slashing the chicken breasts to achieve a more even thickness. It makes a huge difference to how evenly the meat cooks. If you prefer, you can pound the thick ends to flatten out the meat more uniformly.
Timing matters with dry brining. Less than 30 minutes won’t properly season the meat, while longer than an hour can alter the texture too much.
Patting the chicken dry before cooking is important because excess moisture can interfere with browning and prevent the oil from coating the surface properly.
A thermometer is very helpful here because chicken breast cooks quickly at high heat. Pulling it slightly before the final target temperature ensures it stays juicy after resting.
Serving suggestions
- Dry brined chicken is incredibly versatile. Serve it warm alongside vegetables, potatoes or rice for dinner, or slice it thinly for salads, wraps and sandwiches.
- The cooked breasts keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days, making them excellent for meal prep. For longer storage, freeze whole cooked breasts sealed tightly or vacuum packed to avoid freezer burn.
- To reheat, use gentle combi steam settings to help maintain the juicy texture.
This 30 minute dry brined chicken breast proves that chicken breast doesn’t need long marinating times or complicated techniques to turn out well. A simple rub and the controlled environment of a steam oven creates chicken that’s flavorful, tender and reliably juicy every time. Once you try this dry brine method, it’s likely to become one of your regular weeknight staples.
Spread the word
If you’ve made and enjoyed this recipe (or any others on the site!), would you leave a review and rating? Reviews are incredibly helpful to other cooks, and help me understand the sorts of content you enjoy or questions you have. You can rate and review any recipe by clicking the star icons at the top of the recipe card.
Fast and Easy Dry Brined Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 3 whole dried bay leaves broken into small pieces
- 1 tsp black peppercorns whole
- 1 tsp fine salt table salt
- 1 Tbsp dark brown sugar packed
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 skinless chicken breasts large, about 1 ½ lb/700g total
- 2 Tbsp olive oil or other cooking oil of choice
Instructions
- Using a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle, grind the pieces of bay leaf and the peppercorns until finely ground. Transfer to a small bowl and add the salt, brown sugar and garlic powder, and stir to combine.3 whole dried bay leaves, 1 tsp black peppercorns, 1 tsp fine salt, 1 Tbsp dark brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- Cut 2-3 deep slashes crosswise into the thicker end of each chicken breast (don't cut all the way through!) so they're a more even thickness all the way across. Place the chicken on a large plate and sprinkle generously all over with the spice/salt mixture. Drag the chicken around on the plate a bit, to get all the rub onto it. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour (if you go less than half an hour, the brining process won’t be done; much longer than an hour and you'll alter the texture of the chicken so it's unpleasant to eat).2 skinless chicken breasts
- When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to Combi Steam, 430°F/220°C, 60% (high) steam. Take the chicken out of the fridge. Pat it all over with paper towel to remove any moisture and excess brine mixture (you don’t have to rub off all the brine, just any large clumps or loose bits).
- Rub the chicken with the olive oil and place it onto a lined sheet pan or baking dish. Roast in the preheated oven until cooked through but juicy, approximately 14 minutes. If you have a meat probe and would like to use that, the internal temperature at the thickest part of the chicken should reach 155°F/68°C.2 Tbsp olive oil
- Let the cooked chicken rest for 7-10 minutes in a warm place – don’t skip this as it finished the cooking process, and makes a huge difference to the texture and juiciness. The meat should reach an internal temperature of 165°F/73°C during resting. If you don’t have a probe, check for doneness by cutting into the chicken – it should be white and juicy and no longer pink.
- Slice the chicken crosswise (against the grain) and serve warm or cold.
Notes
- Bay leaves. I initially tried the dry brine mixture without the bay leaves, as I thought they surely couldn’t add too much to the end result. I was wrong! They are the ‘missing ingredient’ and I now wouldn’t make this dish without them. The grinding of the leaves is annoying, I know, but it’s worth doing, and the rest of the dish is pretty low-effort as a trade-off.
- Browning. The cooked chicken will be tender and have fabulous flavor, though it might not be super browned. I find that’s fine for most uses – sliced in sandwiches or salads you won’t even notice it. If you really need the chicken to be well-browned on the outside, baste it with melted butter a few minutes before the end of cooking, and switch your oven over to broil for those last few minutes.
- Serving and storage. You can keep the cooked chicken breasts whole and refrigerate, covered, for up to 4 days. For freezing, I prefer to leave whole and vacuum seal single breasts – they’ll keep for 3-4 months like this, without risk of freezer burn.
