Buttermilk-Brined Roast Chicken over Potatoes
Buttermilk combined with salt and sugar ensure a juicy, flavorful bird. Roasting it over potatoes, garlic, and rosemary makes it a big meal all in one pan.
Ingredients
1 whole chicken (3-4 lbs)
1 pint buttermilk
1 tbs sugar
2 tsp salt
2-3 lbs potatoes, cubed
2 sprigs rosemary
6 cloves garlic, foot removed but left in their paper
Method
- Place the chicken in a large, resealable bag
- Pour the buttermilk, sugar, and salt in the bag and squish it all around to evenly coat
- Transfer the chicken-in-a-bag into the fridge and let marinate for 12-24 hours
- Heat oven to 425F
- Place a large skillet or roasting pan in the oven for at least 10 minutes to pre-heat
- Toss the potatoes, garlic (still in their paper), and rosemary in a glug of olive oil with a pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper
- Place the potatoes into the pre-heated pan and then rest the bird breast side up on top of the potatoes
- Place in the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is brown, about 45-75 minutes
- Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest at least 10 minutes
- Carve the bird and serve with the roast potatoes and a big salad (encouraging your dinner-mates to eat the garlic after squeezing from their paper wrappers)
