Honey Buttermilk Roast Chicken ~ roasted chicken plays on our primal instincts…and unless you’re vegetarian, juicy charred meat is hard to resist. Perhaps not so primal is the wonderful honey buttermilk brine that infuses every bite.
For a fairly basic roast chicken, this has got a ton of earthy appeal.
This is a recipe that you can throw into a zip lock baggie to marinate when you leave for work, and then throw into the oven when you get home. The combination of the buttermilk brine, the high heat, and a little last minute basting with honey results in that fantastic golden crust. The milk solids from the buttermilk and the sugars from the honey caramelize in the heat and that’s what makes it so darned delicious. .This is roast chicken for dummies, and you can’t screw it up.
I usually like to cut the breasts in half so that all the parts are more or less the same size. I didn’t do that this time and I should have, the chicken will all cook evenly and the brine has a chance to infuse into a the breast meat better when it’s not in such a large piece.
A quick word about fresh rosemary – I have a mini obsession going with rosemary lately, it has such a great zippy, piney flavor. For this dish I mince some up in the marinade, and then roast a few sprigs in and around the chicken. I serve it with more fresh sprigs. Every time the chicken or your fork brushes against it the herb gives off that wonderful aroma.
I adapted my recipe from The Midnight Baker
Honey Buttermilk Roast Chicken
Ingredients
marinade
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 3 sprigs rosemary leaves, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
garnish
Instructions
- Combine the chicken parts, the buttermilk, olive oil and honey in a large heavy duty zip top plastic storage bag. Remove any excess air from the bag and zip tight.Massage to combine everything well and completely coat the chicken. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 10 hours.
- Set oven to 425°F.
- Line a baking pan with parchment paper or foil. Shake off excess marinade and arrange the chicken on the pan. Lightly brush to top of each piece with olive oil.
- Roast in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, until the chicken is browned and cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. at the thickest portion of the meat (don't let the probe touch any bone). During the last 10 minutes of cooking, baste each piece with honey once or twice.
- Serve garnished with fresh rosemary sprigs.
Notes
Nutrition
Don’t forget to pin this luscious Honey Buttermilk Roast Chicken!
more chicken…
Roasted Chicken with Allspice and Citrus
Poached Chicken with Parslied Bread Sauce
This is totally my kind of comfort food! This reminds me of a dish my grandmother used to make with sour cream. I could not get enough of it.
Roast chicken has never looked better and I’m loving all that rosemary!
Beautiful chicken! So moist with the buttermilk 🙂
WOW, THAT IS INSPIRATION. MOST TIME I END UP USING ONLY MY MOM’S EASY CHICKEN RECIPES. YOURS ARE AWESOME!! CONGRATULATIONS SUE. YOU POST ONLY CREATIVE RECIPES. THANKS FOR SHARING.
This chicken looks so juicy and the crispy crust is irresistible! Another winner for dinner! (Wish it was in my fridge at home)
Hello! Pretty much every one of your recipes has me intrigued and licking my lips! Love how appetizingly simple this one is. Never seen honey combined with buttermilk before used as a marinade. I bet the chicken is so sweet and tender!
Yeah, juicy charred meat always has my number! Love a crispy roast chicken skin — so much flavor. Yeah I know all about the fat — but who can resist? This is terrific — great recipe, outstanding pictures. Thanks.
Primal indeed! I instantly started salivating when I saw this. Looks amazing, Sue!
They look lipsmackingly delicious and the chicken are very juicy!
You can never have too many roast chicken recipes and what buttermilk does to chicken is heavenly – thanks for a great recipe! 🙂