Buttermilk Roast Chicken ~ Diane's Vintage Zest!

Buttermilk Roast Chicken

Confession:  I still get nervous around raw meat.  I can handle any vegetable without blinking, but animals are scary!  Over the years, I baby-stepped my way from frozen shrimp, to raw ground turkey in my chili, to grilling chicken tenderloins, and even cubing chuck roast for my soup.  The last part of facing my fear is to attack meat with bones!

The only recipe I have ever attempted with a bone has been the Teriyaki Chicken Thighs by Ellie Krieger, which I absolutely loved.  I have aspirations of roasting a chicken and using the carcass for a homemade stock, but in the meantime I'm still terrified!

*Update* I made chicken stock here and it's so easy!

********************

So how did this recipe come about?  I went to the grand opening of a new grocery store and the chicken drumsticks were ridiculously cheap, so I couldn't resist buying them.  This isn't the whole bird, but it's a step in the right direction.

I searched for a simple roast chicken recipe and came across this one from Smitten Kitchen.  It's super easy, flavorful, and moist.  After I bit into the first piece, I was almost convinced that I hadn't cooked it enough because it was so moist!  I adapted the spices to my taste, but it's nearly identical to the original verson.  Bon appetit!




Buttermilk Roast Chicken
Adapted slightly from Smitten Kitchen



  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 1 1/2 tsp. table salt
  • 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp. paprika, plus extra for sprinkling (like Deb, I used Hungarian paprika from my trip to Budapest two years ago!)
  • 2 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 2 1/2 to 3 lbs. chicken parts
  • Drizzle of olive oil
  • Flaked or coarse sea salt, to finish


Directions
1. Whisk the buttermilk, garlic, table salt, sugar, paprika and the black pepper together in a bowl.

2. Place chicken parts in a freezer bag or lidded container and pour the buttermilk brine, covering all of the parts.  Refrigerate for at least 2 but preferably 24 - 48 hours.  I marinated mine for just over 24 hours, and it turned out wonderfully!



3. When ready to roast, preheat oven to 425 degrees.



4. Line a baking dish with foil.  Remove chicken from buttermilk brine and arrange in dish.



5. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, then sprinkle with additional paprika and sea salt to taste.


6. Roast approximately 30 minutes for legs and 35 to 40 for breasts, until brown and a bit scorched in spots.  Serve immediately.


Since I was so antsy to have dinner, I forgot to photograph it for the final plating.  :(  I ate it with broccoli & cauliflower with a bit of parmesan topping.  Perfection!

This will definitely be one of my go to recipes in the future, and it required such minimal effort.  I'm almost over my fear of bone-in meats thanks to this recipe.

Let me know if you try it and how it turns out!




15 comments:

  1. So simple, yet the results look so tasty! My kids love chicken so I'm sure they will love this.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This looks Delicious! Stopping over from Krafty Inspiration Thursday :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yum! This looks great! My husband would love it! Im going to have to try it soon!

    I would love for you to share this (and any other post!) at my Life of the Party link up! It just opened! Im going to poke around your blog a little more. :)
    http://thegrantlife.com/life-of-the-party-1/

    ReplyDelete
  4. the drumsticks are the best part anyway! Thanks for sharing on Foodie Friday

    ReplyDelete
  5. I always have these ingredients on hand. I'm pinning this I see this as dinner soon.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Diane,

    Your Buttermilk Roast Chicken is just beautiful and will wonderful flavor. Hope you have a great weekend and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

    ReplyDelete
  7. Buttermilk will definitely do that to any recipe {or so I have been told.} That chicken looks delicious.

    Thank you for linking to Raising Imperfection.
    Please come back Friday to see if you were featured. :)

    ¤´¨)
    ¸.•*´
    (¸¤ Lanaya | xoxo
    Raising-Reagan.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. This chicken sounds like it would be so moist and delicious! Thanks for linking up with What's Cookin' Wednesday!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Sounds delicious! A perfect fall meal. Can't wait to try it. Thanks for sharing at Inspire Us Thursday on Organized 31.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks for linking up to Gingerly Made's Show & Tell. You've been featured! http://www.gingerlymade.com/2013/08/show-tell-features_27.html

    ReplyDelete
  11. It's so easy and wonderful, that it's definitely a favorite around here. :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. It tastes better than it looks. Not bad for my first time!

    ReplyDelete
  13. It definitely is! Now I understand what all the fuss is over soaking in buttermilk. I back this recipe 100%!

    ReplyDelete
  14. It is definitely perfect for fall because it's foolproof and quick. Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thanks! I hope your readers enjoy!

    ReplyDelete

I love to hear your comments! And putting in your two cents is always free. :)

.