Many of you have asked me about this photo, which is seen at the top of my updated banner on the blog. So, I decided to share the recipe for this incredibly succulent roast chicken, which I have to confess is probably one of the best weekend dinners you can make for your family!
The recipe comes from Samin Nosrat and her book, “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat – Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking”, a New York Times bestseller. Surprisingly enough, the recipe lists only two ingredients besides the chicken itself: salt and buttermilk. Yes, it is that simple! The only requirement for this recipe to be successful is time. Marinating the chicken overnight in a brine made out of buttermilk and salt is essential. Not only will this tenderize the protein and add moisture to your chicken, but it will also help achieve a deeply caramelized and exquisitely golden skin as the chicken roasts in the hot oven.
What to serve with this roast chicken
This chicken pairs exceptionally well with roasted rainbow carrots or a winter citrus salad or some braised green beans on the side. To make it an even more complete meal, add some small, unpeeled potatoes seasoned with salt, pepper, lemon juice and a generous drizzle of olive oil, to the same roasting pan with the chicken. You will have a perfect one-pan meal to share and enjoy this weekend!
How to make One of the Best Chicken Dinners
- 1 chicken (about 3 ½ – 4 Lbs.)
- --- sea salt
- 2 cups buttermilk
- The day before you want to cook the chicken, remove the wingtips by cutting through the first wing joint with poultry shears or a sharp knife. (You might want to reserve them for stock). Season the chicken generously with salt and let it sit for 30 minutes.
- Stir 3 tablespoons sea salt into the buttermilk to dissolve. Place the chicken in a gallon-size re-sealable plastic bag and pour in the buttermilk. If the chicken won’t fit in a gallon-size bag, double up two plastic produce bags to prevent leakage and tie the bag with a piece of twine.
- Seal it, squish the buttermilk all around the chicken, place on a rimmed pan, and refrigerate. Over the next 24 hours you can turn the bag a couple of times so every part of the chicken gets marinated.
- Pull the chicken from the fridge an hour before you plan to cook it. Preheat the oven to 425°F, with a rack set in the middle position.
- Remove the chicken from the plastic bag and scrape off as much buttermilk as you can without being obsessive. Tightly tie together the legs of the chicken with a piece of butcher’s twine. Place the chicken in a 12-inch cast iron skillet or a shallow roasting pan.
- Slide the pan all the way to the back of the oven. Rotate the pan so that the legs are pointing toward the rear left corner and the chicken is pointing toward the center of the oven (the back corners tend to be the hottest spots in the over, so this orientation protects the breast from overcooking before the legs are done). Pretty quickly you should hear the chicken sizzling.
- After about 20 minutes, when the chicken starts to brown, reduce the heat to 400°F and continue roasting for 10 minutes and then move the pan so the legs are facing the back right corner of the oven. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes or so, until the chicken is brown all over and the juices run clear when you insert a knife down to the bone between the leg and the thigh. (If the chicken gets too brown before it is done, cover loosely with a piece of foil.
- When the chicken’s done, remove it to a platter and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving.
NEW COOKING CLASSES AT CULINARIA COOKING SCHOOL:
For those of you who live in the area and wish to register, a list of my new classes for the first quarter of 2019 at the cooking school is now available on the school’s website. They are also listed on this blog under the “Culinaria Cooking Classes” tab. Several classes are already full, so we added new dates to accommodate those on the waiting list.
I hope to see you there!
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This may become my “go to” recipe. It looks delicious and easy to prepare.
Thank you Lynn! It is super easy to prepare and extremely flavorful – you should definitely try it!
This chicken looks gorgeous! Will definitely try it. Thanks for sharing, Marilena! 🙂
Thank you so much Nicole! I hope you try it – I know you will like it!
I absolutely love your food photography by the way 🙂
This roast chicken came out golden brown and so tender. We really enjoyed. We might reduce the amount of salt a bit but otherwise it was so tasty. And leftovers for sure!!
Yes! The buttermilk really tenderizes any protein, for sure! So happy to know you liked it, Susan. The amount of salt you add to the buttermilk often depends on the size of the chicken, but definitely reduce the salt next time, according to your taste!