For An Umami Boost, Add A Classic Sushi Ingredient To Chicken Brine

There are five basic tastes that taste buds are able to pick up on: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami, or savory (though some might argue that our sense of taste is more complex). A great dish makes these flavors their playground, ensuring they balance each other out for the best cumulative flavor. The different flavors and textures can then come together to create the dining experience of your dreams. You can achieve just such an experience with a flavorful chicken brine.

Umami flavors are perfect for leveling up countless dishes, which is why chefs like Nadia Aidi turn to such ingredients to improve any dish, and chicken brine is no different. Chef Russell Kook of The Bellevue Chicago has the perfect, if surprising, recommendation for imbuing the power of umami flavors into your chicken brine: seaweed. "It adds a complex, umami depth of flavor that enhances the chicken without overpowering it," chef Kook explains.

While the rich flavor of seaweed will certainly open up paths for unique and unexpected flavor combinations, chef Russell Kook also has recommendations for spices to further amplify the chicken brine. "You can also experiment with spices like sumac or za'atar for a citrusy, earthy kick that complements the natural richness of the chicken," chef Kook says. These spices are popular choices in many North African and Mediterranean dishes and are incorporated into meat, salad, and even dessert dishes.

Sumac and za'atar are great choices to use in combination with other core flavors in chicken brines. Kosher salt and water are the key ingredients of many brines, easily seasoning the chicken on their own. Some recipes will call for brown sugar in the brine and others will even require feta cheese for tanginess; such ingredients satisfy the taste buds that detect sweet and sour flavors. None of these flavors should dance alone in any dish, so don't hesitate to find the umami key missing from your tomato sauce or other key elements of your dishes.