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Baked chicken is always such a good staple on the dinner table! Some oil and seasoning, maybe a lemon and some herbs, and within an hour you have a moist chicken with a crispy skin and a juicy interior. But imagine switching up your method? Try changing up your Sunday night supper by making buttermilk braised chicken. The same caramelized skin, with an incredibly juicy, tender interior, this method of cooking might become the new favorite.
Why Buttermilk?
It sounds odd, I’ll admit, to submerge chicken in buttermilk and cooking it. But think about it! There is a reason we eat buttermilk fried chicken! Chicken, or any protein, marinated in buttermilk for a long time, always comes out way more tender. Why? Because the acid in buttermilk is a great agent to help break down the muscles in the chicken. The result? Tender chicken that retains moisture!
So this recipe, while not fried and crunchy, is a no brainer. Start with a few veggies: 3 celery stalks, one large white onion, one white carrot, all chopped into large pieces. Place them in the bottom of a casserole dish. The key is to use a dish slightly smaller than you think you will need, so the buttermilk is sure to cover the chicken.
Season chicken quarters with salt, pepper, and za’atar (optional but definitely worth stocking your pantry with!). Za’atar is a mediterranean spice blend made of thyme, oregano, marjoram, sesame seeds, and sumac. If you can’t find Za’atar in your local grocer, a blend of any of the listed spices you have is a fine substitute. Place the seasoned chicken on top of the veggies and cover with 2 cups of buttermilk. Let it marinate at least 2 hours (though overnight is best).
Braised Buttermilk Chicken
Braising is the cooking technique that involves cooking a large cut of meat in both wet and dry heat. Covering the chicken in buttermilk covers the wet heat part, and the oven will cover the dry heat. After the chicken has marinated, place the casserole dish, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes. The goal is to get the chicken to come pretty close, but not all the way up to the ideal temperature of 165. So when it reached 155, crank the heat up to 425.
Bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the skin of the chicken becomes a beautiful golden brown. The chicken should be at least 165 at this point, but going over that temp with a braising method is fine, because the chicken will stay moist and juicy.
Switch up the normal baked chicken for dinner and make this buttermilk braised chicken! So juicy and tender, this will definitely become your favorite baked chicken recipe.
Want More Oven Roasted Recipes?
- Pernil
- Braised Short Ribs
- French Onion Pot Roast
- Garlic Hoisin Pork Tenderloin
- Spatchcock Mojo Chicken
Buttermilk Braised Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 celery stalks
- 1 large white onion quartered
- 1 large carrot peeled and chopped in large chunks
- 4 chicken quarters
- 1½ tbsp za'atar optional; sub out for dried thyme, oregano, sesame seeds, and sumac if available
- salt and pepper
- 2 cup buttermilk
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Instructions
- OPTIONAL: I started by french trimming my chicken quarters. Cut the leg bone about ½ an inch from the ankle (the soft spot). Take the blake of the knife and run it around the bone, about ½ inch up from where you cut. Using a thumb and forefinger, push the skin and meat up the bone another inch so the bone is naked and exposed.
- In a casserole dish, slightly smaller than you think you may need, add celery, onions, and carrots.
- Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper and place on top of vegetables.
- Pour buttermilk over the chicken so it is at least 75% covered and top with thyme and rosemary.
- Cover and store in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Overnight is best.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Uncover the chicken and bake for 45 minutes or until the chicken reaches about 155°
- Increase the heat to 450 and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until the skin of the chicken browns. Final temperature should be 165° minimum, but may be higher due to the long cooking time.
- Remove from oven and serve immediately.
