Rich's Tongfamily (Richtong.net add-on)

All Recipes | Roast Chicken 101. This is a good basic intro to brining a chicken and also to trussing.
One secret to really flavorful, juicy roast chicken is brining-i.e., soaking in salt water. Kosher chickens are always brined before selling; this is one of the reasons that kosher birds tend to taste better. To brine a chicken, dissolve 1/2 cup kosher salt in 1/2 gallon of water, immerse the chicken in the solution and place immediately in the refrigerator. You should let it soak for at least 3 hours, but overnight is great too. When you’re ready to cook the chicken, pour out the brine, rinse the chicken cold running water so it won’t taste excessively salty, then pat it dry with paper towels. You can still achieve a delicious roast chicken even without brining, but do give it a try sometime. You’ll love the results.