A super simple roast chicken recipe! This whole chicken is brined in seasoned buttermilk and then roasted until it’s perfectly browned with crispy, delicious skin and tender juicy meat. If you haven’t tried this method yet, you need to make Buttermilk Roast Chicken this weekend!
Here it is, the best buttermilk chicken recipe ever! Marinated in buttermilk, garlic, and herbs, this truly is the best-roasted chicken I’ve had.
Buttermilk is often paired with chicken in recipes, as it has the ability to flavor and tenderize chicken meat, making it extra delicious. I use buttermilk in my Nashville Hot Chicken, Buttermilk Chicken Tenders, and Popeye’s Chicken for exactly that reason, and the same method works with a whole roasted chicken as well.
I think you’ll be making this roasted whole chicken recipe often. Serve it for dinner, or use it to make chicken sandwiches or prepped meals for the week. A whole chicken is such a versatile ingredient.
Do you need an impressive chicken recipe to serve guests? Try my easy Stuffed Cornish Hens, or make Roasted Sumac Chicken!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Incredibly Tasty: Brining a whole chicken in buttermilk with seasonings gives it amazing flavor. The buttermilk also tenderizes the meat. This recipe makes a delicious whole roasted chicken.
- An Overnight Marinade: You’ll want to marinate your chicken in buttermilk for 12-24 hours, which makes it perfect for prepping the day ahead of time.
- Easy Recipe: There is nothing difficult about this recipe for making buttermilk baked chicken. Simply marinate the chicken, then roast it.
- Versatile Main Dish: Buttermilk Roast Chicken is delicious with any of your favorite side dishes. Try serving it with Roasted Broccolini and Instant Pot Red Potatoes or Crockpot Mashed Potatoes.
Key Ingredients
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Chicken: Choose a whole chicken that’s between 3.5-4.5 pounds for this recipe. Make sure that it’s thawed and any internal things have been removed before you start.
- Buttermilk: This is a must, of course, to make buttermilk roast chicken.
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, chopped fresh rosemary, and minced garlic add savory flavor to the marinated chicken.
How to Make Buttermilk Roast Chicken
- Marinate the Chicken: Add the chicken to a gallon sized zip top bag, followed by buttermilk, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Seal the bag, letting any excess air out, and move the mixture around so that it gets into the cavity of the bird and coats the entire outside. Place the bag in a bowl, breast side down, and marinate in the fridge for 12-24 hours.
Tip!
Don’t over marinate. Leaving the chicken in the buttermilk for more than 24 hours will cause too much tenderizing and make the chicken’s texture too soft.
- Prepare to Roast: Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking. Preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C standard oven, or 430°F/220°C convection/fan oven.
- Roast Chicken: Remove the chicken from the bag and scrape off the buttermilk mixture. Transfer to a roasting pan, and roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes, rotating halfway through. The chicken is ready when the thickest part of the breast registers at 165°F/74°C with an instant read thermometer.
- Rest and Serve: Allow the chicken to rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. Serve with mashed potatoes, broccoli, and a drizzle of fresh lemon juice.
Recipe Tips
- Truss the Chicken: This is optional, but trussing the chicken legs will ensure even cooking. Use kitchen twine to wrap the legs and wings, tying them close to the body of the chicken. Alternately, you can just criss-cross the chicken’s legs.
- Add More Seasoning: Experiment with your favorite herbs and spices in this buttermilk chicken recipe. Fresh thyme and parsley would be nice, or a bit of cajun or Italian seasoning.
- When Plating: This chicken is delicious with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and some flaky salt added right before serving.
- Learn How to Carve a Chicken: Carving a whole roast chicken is easier than you might think! Get full instructions here.
How to Make a Pan Gravy
I made a delicious gravy with the drippings from this Buttermilk Roast Chicken! Here’s How:
In a saucepan, create a roux by mixing together 2 tablespoons butter, ¼ cup flour, and 1 ½ – 2 cups of strained pan drippings. Heat and whisk until well mixed and thickened. Add water or broth to get a thinner consistency if desired. It’s easy!
What to Serve with Buttermilk Roast Chicken
Any roast chicken dinner, including this one, Slow Cooker Whole Chicken, Easy Roast Chicken, Spatchcock Chicken, or Roasted Cornish Hens, just needs a few delicious side dishes to turn it into a satisfying meal.
A Potato Side Dish is always delicious with roast chicken. Serve your Buttermilk Roast Chicken with Crockpot Mashed Potatoes, Instant Pot Red Potatoes, or Air Fryer Baked Potatoes.
Add a Veggie like these Air Fryer Vegetables, or make Roasted Broccolini.
Serve a Casserole to make your meal even more special. Broccoli Casserole, Creamy Green Bean Casserole, or my Buttery Herb Stuffing would be perfect.
FAQs
Marinating chicken in buttermilk has a few benefits. The acidity of the buttermilk physically tenderizes the meat, making it tender. The buttermilk also adds flavor to the meat, and helps the skin get the deep brown color that you see.
Yes, any longer than 24 hours and the texture of the chicken will be too broken down by the acidic buttermilk. The ideal buttermilk marinating time for chicken is 12 hours.
There is no need to rinse the brined chicken, and actually you want some of that buttermilk to remain on the skin. Instead of rinsing, just gently scrape off most of the buttermilk into the sink.
Leftover chicken is my favorite because there are so many things that you can do with it!
Shred up any extra chicken meat and refrigerate for up to three days. Then use your pre-cooked chicken to make Baked Chicken Tacos, Chicken Pot Pie, or Chicken and Rice Soup.
Before storing your leftover chicken make sure it has cooled down before placing it in an airtight container and storing it in the fridge. The chicken will last up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
You are going to be amazed at how tender and flavorful Buttermilk roast chicken is! Don’t forget to Pin the recipe for later.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Buttermilk Roast Chicken
Equipment
- Gallon sized Ziploc bag
- Kitchen twine
- Roasting dish or pan
Ingredients
- 3.5-4.5 pound whole chicken
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
To marinate the chicken:
- Add the chicken to a gallon sized zip top bag, followed by buttermilk, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Seal the bag letting any excess air out, and move the mixture around so that it gets into the cavity, and the chicken is well coated.
- Place the bag in a bowl breast side down, and allow to marinate in the fridge for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours. Longer than that and the texture of the chicken will become too soft.
- Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C standard oven, or 430°F/220°C convection/fan oven.
- Remove the chicken from the bag (preferably in the sink), and scrape off the buttermilk mixture. Transfer to a roasting pan, and roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes rotating halfway through. The chicken is ready when the thickest part of the breast registers at 165°F/74°C.
- Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. Serve with mashed potatoes, broccoli, and a drizzle of lemon juice.
Notes:
- Make Gravy: In a saucepan, create a roux by mixing together 2 tablespoons butter, ¼ cup flour, and 1 ½ – 2 cups of strained pan drippings. Heat and whisk until well mixed and thickened. Add water or broth to get a thinner consistency if desired.
- Storing Leftovers: Before storing your leftover chicken make sure it has cooled down before placing it in an airtight container and storing it in the fridge. The chicken will last up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Toni says
Oh, everyone at my house really loved this! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Allyssa says
Super loved it! Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious!
Taylor says
This was so easy and made the absolute perfect dinner! Crispy skin with juicy and tender insides. We had leftovers all week long!