Boosting chicken flavor
 

What will give the most boost to chicken flavor, brining, marinating, injecting, or the rub used?

I prefer brining and then putting a rub on my poultry for flavoring.

Kosmos Q chicken soak then a poultry rub hands down

All three would certainly contribute, it's just a matter of finding the "right" combination that hits your hot button. I like to brine and rub wth yardbirds, it works well for me, although I'm always trying different combos.

Salt!

Think about it.
How is it possible that dilution will increase the chicken flavor?
It is not possible.
By increasing the water molecules inside the bird you are diluting, all you can do is flavor the water you put in, and that does NOT concentrate the flavor of the bird itself.
By reducing the water content of the bird you are concentrating the flavor.

If you are capable of cooking a bird well so it comes out juicy, then you will not benefit from brining, so go the salt rub and dry brine it.
Most will disagree, but science isn't democratic:tongue::biggrin1:

Mix up some chicken base a inject it. Note the base is very salty.

I like to inject a low sodium chicken broth that I infuse with fresh rosemary and sage and mix in a little olive oil. make sure you shake the solution well before injecting. I like to brine, but for extra flavor injection is the only way to go.

You could try injecting chicken soup broth.

If you are talking whole chicken or spatchcocked chicken, I prefer to apply a seasoning slurry of oil, rub and fresh herbs under the skin of the breast. Then a nice coating on the outside as well. If you have small hands or a handy child, you can work the skin loose over most of the breast and thghs, slurry and roast at high heat.

Thanks for the response. Reason for asking, I normally do thighs for competition and have that down, but yesterday I did two spatchcocked. One I did Chris Lilly recipe for white sauce chicken and one with salt, pepper, rub, and a glaze. Both were tender and juicy and had a light smoke flavor, but most of the real flavor was in the skin and didn't make it to the meat. Am looking for a way to get the flavor to the meat without removing the skin. Sounds like injecting may be the best way.

I like my chicken to taste like smoky chicken not ham or sardines and that is the reason to inject to change the flavor from its base to something entirely different. In your original post you asked how to get the chicken to taste more like chicken. Now if your asking how to add to the flavor of the chicken. that is something entirely different. Yes you can inject Two of my favorites are Creole butter and just plain old butter with some Tony Cacherees mixed in. but you just can't go wrong with a simple marinate in Zesty Italian for about 2-3 hrs

But remember to add the mushed sardines to the Zesty Italian dressing first

:tape:SHHH!! your tellin my secrets:roll:

Both were marinated in Italian dressing. I'll do some experimenting.