Description
A cornerstone recipe for any kitchen, Roasted Buttermilk Chicken leverages the magic of buttermilk to create a roasted chicken that is moist, tender, delicious, and STUNNING. The basic recipe is literally three ingredients (chicken, buttermilk & salt) and it’s as easy as letting it sit overnight, then popping it in the oven until done. Beautiful results!
Ingredients
- 1 whole, roasting chicken
- 3 cups buttermilk
- 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Combine buttermilk, salt, and your choice of spices and herbs in a large ziplock freezer bag. Stir to combine. Place fresh, whole chicken in the bag, positioning it to be mostly covered by buttermilk brine. Zip to close, removing as much air as possible.
- Place chicken in the fridge to marinade; 8 to 24 hours, turning at the halfway point to ensure equal exposure to buttermilk. (See note regarding brine times.)
- Preheat oven to 425⁰f (215⁰c). Prepare a roasting pan with non-stick spray. Remove chicken from buttermilk, being sure to drain the body cavity. Place in the center of the waiting roasting pan. Let stand at room temperature for 25 minutes then place in 425⁰f (215⁰c) oven for 20 – 25 minutes (the skin should be starting to sizzle). Then drop your temperature down 375⁰f (190⁰c) until done to an internal temperature of 170⁰f (77⁰C). Times will vary depending on the size of your fowl. If in doubt, use a meat thermometer to test the internal temperature, at the center of the thigh, where the meat is thickest.
- Remove from oven and allow to rest for about ten minutes before carving and serving. Drippings make for a FANTASTIC pan gravy, so if you’re sauce inclined, remove chicken to rest, decrease your pan and then whip up your sauce with a bit of stock and a cornstarch slurry right in the pan, on the stove top.
Notes
Q: How long and I marinade this chicken?
A: In the recipe I suggest 8 to 24 hours, but I’ve buttermilk marinaded almost double that, pushing past 48 hours. If you’re considering going past the 24-hour mark there are two things to consider: the freshness of your chicken and the amount of salt you use. Reduce your salt by half a tablespoon if you’re pushing your time and be sure your chicken as fresh as possible. you don’t want your chicken going ‘off’ while in the buttermilk. Because that is nasty!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour + 15 minutes
- Category: Mains
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American