Buttermilk-Marinated Roast Chicken

Ingredients

• ·1 whole chicken (about 4 lb)
• ·1.75 tsp kosher salt
• ·2 cup buttermilk
• ·black pepper (freshly ground)

Steps

1. 01The day before cooking, season the 4-lb chicken inside and out with 1¾ tsp kosher salt and pepper.
2. 02Place chicken in a gallon zip-top bag and pour in 2 cups buttermilk. Seal and refrigerate 12–24 hours.
3. 03Heat oven to 425°F. Remove chicken from buttermilk; tie legs together with kitchen twine.
4. 04Place chicken in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, breast side up. Roast 20 minutes until skin starts to brown.
5. 05Reduce heat to 400°F. Continue roasting, rotating pan every 10 minutes, until the thigh registers 165°F internal — about 45 more minutes.
6. 06Rest 10 minutes before carving.

Variations (1)

• Dairy-Free Buttermilk Chicken (Coconut)Same technique but with thick coconut milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice in place of buttermilk. Still tender, slightly sweet.by Marcus T.

Community discussion (5)

• Sarah K.

  cooked this▲ 422 months ago

  Made this for Sunday dinner. The 24-hour buttermilk soak is the move — I tried 12 hours once and it's noticeably less tender. Worth the planning.

  • Daniel R.

    ▲ 122 months ago

    Same. I now always brine on a Saturday for Sunday. The crisp on the skin is unreal.

• Jamie L.

  cooked this▲ 282 months ago

  Pro tip: tie the legs tight before roasting. Mine flopped open the first time and the breast cooked way faster than the thighs.

• Maya P.

  cooked this▲ 182 months ago

  Subbed kefir for buttermilk because that's what I had. Worked perfectly, slightly more tang.

  • Theo W.

    ▲ 62 months ago

    Kefir is the underrated brining liquid. Also great for pork chops.