Buttermilk Chicken Recipe
This easy Buttermilk Chicken Recipe takes only minutes to prepare, but some patience is needed as the chicken tenderizes in its buttermilk bath.
The Buttermilk Marinade has only 2 easy-to-find to find ingredients: buttermilk and salt. The buttermilk is slightly acidic and tenderizes the chicken, helping to create a bronze coloring as the sugars caramelize in the oven. The salt increases flavor intensity and is key to enhancing the flavor of both sweet and savory food.
Why You Must Make
- There are only 3 ingredients needed to make this fabulous entree!
- An overnight marinating is key for a super moist and tender chicken.
- Leftovers are perfect for sandwiches!
Ingredient Notes
- Salt – Use kosher salt or fine sea salt. Salt is a flavor enhancer. Dishes taste flat without it. Of course, if you have a medical reason for avoiding salt, follow your doctor’s orders.
- Buttermilk – If none is available, you can make a buttermilk substitute by putting 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar in a 1 cup liquid measuring cup. Stir to combine and let rest for 5 minutes or so to allow the milk to thicken and curdle. This will make one cup of a buttermilk substitute. Double for 2 cups, etc.
- Roasting Chicken – 3½-4 pounds. Remove the neck and/or organ meats from the cavity of the chicken if included. Rinse and pat dry if desired.
Recipe Tips
- Use a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh to monitor the internal temperature while the chicken is cooking.
- Starting with the oven at 425° helps ensure the exterior browns. You’ll decrease the oven temperature about halfway through so it doesn’t get too dark.
- You’ll want it to reach an internal temperature of 180° before eating.
- PRO-Tip: You can pull the chicken out at 170° because carryover cooking (due to residual internal heat continuing to cook the chicken) will bring the chicken up 10° as it rests. Make sure to place the roasted chicken on a cutting board or plate and cover it with foil during the resting time.
- PRO-Tip: The acidic nature of the buttermilk is key to making the meat tender. Plus, the sugar in milk, lactose, helps produce a beautifully browned exterior via caramelization. Nosrat’s cookbook mentions that plain yogurt or crème fraîche can be used instead of buttermilk.
- If you rinse off your chicken in the kitchen sink before marinating, make sure to sanitize your sink afterward. Raw chicken often harbors bacteria, so you don’t want any cross-contamination.
How to Make
Frequently Asked Questions
Salmonella is difficult to detect as it has no obvious aroma. Knowing that raw eggs and poultry can harbor this bacteria means extra precautions should be taken when cooking with them. Make sure to wash any contaminated surfaces with a strong disinfectant or place dishes and cutting boards in the dishwasher to avoid cross-contamination. Plus, wash your hands well after touching raw chicken.
The range for marinating chicken is 6 to 24 hours. If there is a strong acid in the marinade, marinate for less time to prevent the chicken from getting mushy. The smaller amount of acid in the buttermilk allows the chicken to remain in the marinade for up to 24 hours.
As long as the leftovers haven’t been left at room temperature longer than 2 hours, you can store any leftover buttermilk chicken in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, covered well.
Buttermilk Chicken Recipe
An easy two-ingredient marinade that makes a beautiful, tender roast chicken!
Ingredients
- 1 Roasting Chicken, 4 pounds, giblets and neck removed from cavity
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt or sea salt
- 2 cups buttermilk
Instructions
- Remove packaging from chicken, pat dry, and place in a large zip-top bag.
- Mix the buttermilk with the salt and pour into the bag with the chicken. Seal and place in the refrigerator on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Chill for 12-24 hours, flipping occasionally.
- An hour before roasting, pull the chicken from the refrigerator, remove it from the bag, and dispose of the bag its contents.
- Tie the legs together with butcher's twine and place in a roasting pan.
- Preheat the oven to 425°. Roast for 20 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 400°.
- If one side of the chicken is browning more than the other, rotate the pan, and continue roasting for 30-40 minutes longer or until the chicken is browned and the juices run clear when a knife is inserted into the thigh.
- Remove to a cutting board, cover with foil, and let rest before slicing.
Notes
If your chicken is browning too fast, tent with foil. but note that this recipe makes a nicely browned chicken.
Smaller or larger roasting chickens will work well, too.
This recipe is adapted from Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 794Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 1666mgSodium: 1946mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 0gSugar: 4gProtein: 110g
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2 Comments on “Buttermilk Chicken Recipe”
Your chicken looks beautiful with that golden brown skin Liz! Bet it’s a winner-enjoy:@)
……..That looks super tender and juicy!