Butterfly Buttermilk Chicken
Buttermilk chicken has to be my ULTIMATE method of roasting chicken. There is something magical about the way the buttermilk keeps the chicken hydrated as it roasts, allowing all the natural goodness inside to remain. The magic behinds this is because buttermilk is only slightly acidic, and therefore, capable of tenderising chicken without toughening up the meat like stronger marinating acids (such as lemon and vinegar). The enzymes present in buttermilk also help in breaking down the protein in the chicken, resulting in tender, flavourful chicken that really is the best in the world.
I personally like to marinade my chicken in a unique, commercially prepared, spicy buttermilk sold by my partner which they make daily. The exact ingredients I am still chasing as it seems to be a guarded secret, however, I do know it is a simple concoction of buttermilk, finely chopped coriander and green chilli with a touch of freshly grated ginger. If you cannot get this, do not worry, just buy plain, fresh buttermilk and add the extras if you want (or just leave plain).
Finally I share with you 4 images, the first being the ‘final roasted’ end result and a couple of earlier pics showing how the chicken looks after marination. I also decided to ‘butterfly’ the chicken (split in half down the back bone, and splayed) as I wanted to do something different; make a change. If this is not for you keep the chicken whole.
Oh I should also add that the recipe is for 1 medium sized chicken, but in the pictures you can see I roasted 2 as for my family one is often not enough!
Please try and let me know what you think?
Ingredients
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1.2 kg fresh chicken- butterfly (split in half)
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Marinade
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1 litre of buttermilk- plain or spicy
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Roasting Spices
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Sprinkling sea salt flakes
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Plenty of fresh black pepper- coarsely ground
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Large pinch of dried chilli flakes- optional
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Extra virgin olive oil- generous glug (amount)
Instructions
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Prepare chicken:
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01 Remove any excess skin, giblets and parsons nose. Cut each chicken in half through the back bone and flatten.
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Marinate:
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02 Place chicken into a plastic container and pour over the buttermilk. Seal with a lid and leave in the fridge to marinate for up to 48 hours. I recommend turning the bird during the marination, so that all flesh has been immersed in the buttermilk.
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Roast:
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03 Remove chicken from the liquid, making sure to pour out all the liquid from inside. Either place on a roasting wrack in a large oven proof dish or balance sturdily on halves of fresh onion. Discard the buttermilk.
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04 Season the chicken with the roast spices and finish with a generous glug of extra virgin olive oil.
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05 Place in the centre of a preheated oven and cook for approximately one hour plus a bit more if required until golden brown and well cooked. It is OK to baste during cooking but not essential.
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06 Serve hot with your favourite vegetables etc, or cold with salad or as a picnic lunch.
Notes
Marinade in either a large bowl with tight fitting lid or zip lock freezer bag. Always make sure you have enough buttermilk to cover the bird, and if not it is important that you constantly turn the chicken regularly during marination to make sure ALL the flesh gets covered. Another tip is during cooking, is that if you do not have a roasting wrack take 2 even sized onions (skins removed), cut in half and sit the chicken on top. Finally, if the bird appears to colour too much during roasting, cover with a damp piece of baking paper or tin foil top for the last 20 minutes of cooking. If you do not want to butterfly the chicken leave whole, and remember that whole chickens tend to take a little longer to roast.
