Do I need brine my chicken before I marinate it?

[Major Nikon]

5. Either way, both or neither

I gave up on brining chicken a long time ago. A brine if done correctly will move salt into the interior of the bird, but it will also move meat flavors out into the brine water. Instead I just apply salt to the outside, loosely cover, and place in the fridge for 24 hours. The salt draws moisture from the meat where it combines with the salt and then returns to the interior. So you get the same effect as brining without washing out flavor from the meat.