Buttermilk Marinated Roasted Chicken Recipe

ByBrooke Burks Published: Modified:
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This buttermilk marinated roasted chicken recipe is about to become your new best cooking friend. Harness the tenderizing power of a buttermilk brine that transforms any cut of chicken.

We add some delicious flavor to the brine for a sweet and smoky flavor that enhances the juicy chicken.

Two pieces of cooked chicken drumsticks are served on a green patterned plate placed on a wooden surface. A blue baking dish containing more chicken is visible in the background. The drumsticks are seasoned with herbs and have a slightly crisped appearance.

Roasted chicken is so simple and easy! When the girls were still in school, many weeknights, we would roast chicken for supper for a healthy and easy way to have a good supper.

Chicken is so versatile. You can change the seasonings in even this recipe to make it something new and totally different. When we brine it in buttermilk it adds so much flavor and keeps any cut of chicken tender.

Buttermilk is a must in lots of southern chicken recipes. Just like our FRIED CHICKEN, we harness the power of its flavor and acidic properties and use them to our advantage.

Ingredients

Like so many of our recipes, these ingredients are just to get you started with one of dozens of flavor combinations you can add to this recipe.

All that is required for the buttermilk marinade is buttermilk and salt. The rest is up to you! We make it easy and give you a good suggestion below with pantry staple ingredients.

Two seasoned, cooked chicken drumsticks are on a green-patterned plate on a wooden surface. In the background, a blue baking dish holds additional drumsticks in cooking juices. The scene suggests a freshly prepared meal.
  • Buttermilk – low fat is best for brining. It tends to be a bit more acidic than its full fat brother and works best to tenderize with.
  • Fresh garlic – we like it minced and we use a good bit. Don’t be afraid!
  • Salt – puts the brine in brine adding flavor and tenderness.
  • Sugar – to balance the salt. These two ingredients work together to sing a beautiful melody.
  • Smoked paprika – sometimes referred to as Hungarian paprika, we use it for color and flavor.
  • Black pepper – flavor in the simplest and purest form.
  • Bone in chicken – any cut will work. You may even use a whole chicken, cut up for this one.
  • Olive oil – olive oil adds a beautiful, smooth flavor to the roasted chicken.
  • Dried parsley or rosemary – for garnish and optional. Just for color.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

This one is so easy I almost feel bad calling it a recipe. It is more of a method than anything else. We are here to guide you on this easy and flavorful chicken recipe.

A hand holding a measuring cup filled with white liquid is pouring it into a bowl with blue decorative patterns. Various cooking ingredients and tools, including spices, sugar, a jar of mustard, and raw chicken pieces in a plastic bag, are on the wooden surface.

In a large bowl, add buttermilk.

Top-down view of a kitchen setup showing hands preparing a mixture in a blue and white bowl on a wooden countertop. Ingredients include a jar of minced garlic, a container of white powder, and uncooked chicken pieces in a plastic-lined container.

Add in fresh, minced garlic.

Overhead view of a kitchen counter. A person seasons batter in a blue-rimmed bowl with black pepper. Nearby, there is a whisk, a container with a spoon, a baking pan lined with a bag, and raw chicken pieces in a plastic tray.

Add salt and pepper.

A person is seen from above preparing to mix ingredients in a bowl on a wooden countertop. The bowl contains a liquid and spices. The person is holding a small container of a white, creamy substance and a spoon. Chicken pieces and kitchen tools are nearby.

Mix in sugar.

A person is holding a small bottle of ground ginger, sprinkling some into a bowl with a creamy mixture. The bowl is on a wooden countertop, near a whisk, a stovetop, and a container with raw chicken pieces. There is also a plastic bag next to the chicken.

And smoked paprika.

A plastic bag containing marinated chicken is placed inside a black rectangular baking dish. The baking dish rests on a wooden cutting board in the center of a stovetop with two burners visible on either side.

Place chicken pieces in a large gallon size bag and pour marinade over chicken.

Two hands are holding a sealed plastic bag containing marinated chicken pieces over a wooden surface. Two stove burners and a baking tray are visible on either side.

Seal bag and remove as much of the air as possible. Gently massage buttermilk mixture into chicken. Marinate 2 to 48 hours in the refrigerator.

A blue rectangular dish with five uncooked, marinated chicken drumsticks is placed on a wooden cutting board resting on a stovetop. Next to it is a small baking pan. The stove burners are visible on the right side.

Pour about half a tablespoon of olive oil in bottom of casserole pan. Preheat oven to 425. Remove chicken from bag and drip as much of buttermilk off as possible. Place in casserole dish.

A person's hand is seasoning raw chicken drumsticks in a blue baking dish placed on a wooden board over a stove. A loaf pan is on the left side of the dish. The person is wearing a watch with a blue screen.

Drizzle another half a tablespoon olive oil over the top of chicken.

A person is seasoning chicken drumsticks with salt in a blue baking dish on top of a wooden cutting board. The dish is placed on a stove. A loaf pan and a salt container are next to the dish. The person is wearing a smartwatch on their wrist.

Top with a bit more salt and pepper.

A ceramic dish containing uncooked, seasoned chicken drumsticks is placed on a wooden cutting board. The cutting board is situated on a gas stove with a black loaf pan placed on the left side.

As well as a bit more smoked paprika.

A person's hand is sprinkling seasoning onto four raw chicken drumsticks in a blue baking dish. The dish is placed on a stovetop, and a loaf pan sits to the left on a wooden cutting board. The person is wearing a watch.

And rosemary or parsley for color. Bake 30 to 45 minutes uncovered until internal temperature reaches 160 to 165,

A plate with two cooked chicken drumsticks, seasoned and roasted, with a blue baking dish in the background. The chicken has a golden-brown crust and is served on a green and white decorative plate placed on a wooden surface.

Allow to rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

A person wearing a white chef's hat and gray shirt is smiling and holding two wooden spoons. They are leaning forward over a white table next to a silver laptop displaying the Apple logo. The background is plain white.

Why Brooke loves this recipe!

Recipes are like antiques. They are meant to be handed down from one generation to another. Each one holding a special memory or nostalgic memory. Here is why we love this one!

Logo for "The Buttered Home" featuring a butter churn in the center enclosed by a circular design. The text "EST 2018" is on either side of the churn. Below the circle, the text reads "THE BUTTERED HOME" with the tagline "home cooking made easy" underneath.

Roasting or baking chicken is so common a practice for quick suppers in most households. You can mix this buttermilk marinade up tonight, brine the chicken and have it tomorrow night for supper. The longer it sits, the better it gets! Getting ahead during busy weeks is a win but doing it this way that provides so many health benefits also adds to the wins of this recipe!

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A close-up of a plate with a cooked chicken drumstick and a piece of roasted chicken thigh on a wooden table. A blue baking dish with more chicken is in the background.

Variations

We love to get your wheels turning. Here are a few suggestions you might try to make this recipe your own!

  • Spicy – add some cayenne to the brine and on the chicken for a spicy kick.
  • Herbs – using what you love the best or even what you have on hand here makes a big difference and can make this a whole different recipe. Rosemary, thyme, oregan, chives or even dill make this a whole new dish.
  • Citrus – lemons and oranges can make this absolutely wonderful. Who doesn’t love ORANGE CHICKEN?

Equipment

🔧 I love to share recipes that are no special equipment required but here are a few things that would definitely make this recipe easier!

Storage

Once the chicken comes to room temperature, place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

It can also be frozen for up to three months provided it is well wrapped for the freezer.

⭐ LOVE THIS RECIPE? It would mean so very much to me if you would take a moment to rate this recipe and leave me a sweet comment in the recipe card below! ❤️❤️We hope you love all of the Southern and healthy recipes we share here at The Buttered Home and would love to see you back here often!

Two roasted chicken drumsticks placed on a round, green-patterned plate next to a blue baking dish containing another drumstick. The food is set on a wooden surface.

Buttermilk Marinated Roasted Chicken

This buttermilk marinated roasted chicken recipe is about to become your new best cooking friend. Harness the tenderizing power of a buttermilk brine that transforms any cut of chicken. We add some delicious flavor to the brine for a sweet and smoky flavor that enhances the juicy chicken.
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 30 minutes
Serving Size 6

Ingredients

  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon garlic fresh, minced
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tablespoon black pepper
  • 3 pounds chicken bone in
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • parsley

Want to save this recipe?

We’ll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, mix buttermil, garlic, salt, pepper, sugar and paprika. Place chicken pieces in a large, zip top bag and pour mixture over the chicken. Seal bag removing as much air as possible. Place in a dish and marinate for 2 to 48 hours.
    2 cups buttermilk, 1 tablespoon garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1/2 tablespoon black pepper, 3 pounds chicken
  • Preheat oven to 425. Drizzle 1/2 tablespoon olive oil on bottom of a baking dish. Remove chicken from refrigerator and bag. Place in the prepared oven safe dish, draining each piece well, in a single layer and drizzle other half of olive oil over top of chicken.
    1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Season with a bit more salt, pepper, parsley and smoked paprika if desired. Place uncovered in oven and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, checking half way through. For certain done-ness, use a meat thermometer to check for 160 to 165 internal temperature.
    parsley
  • Allow the chicken to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

See How To Make It!

🍴 PRO TIP!

If you do decide to use a whole chicken and want to cut it up yourself, the best tip I can give is to use a good, sharp knife. Cut down the back bone, on either side first to split the chicken in half.

The wings and legs can be broken where you will need to cut them and once they are removed all you need to do is carefully cut out the breast from the two remaining halves. A sharp knife and careful patience are all you need!

🗹 RECIPE FAQ’S

How do I know the chicken is done?

Having a good meat thermometer is key here. Take the temperature at the thickest part of the chicken and it should read 160 to 165. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 to 10 minutes and it should reach 165 during the rest time.

What cut of chicken is best for roasting?

Any cut that is bone in. Boneless will require much less time. We do prefer to do it with the skin on to help lock moisture in. If you use skinless chicken, you may need to cover with foil up until the last 5 to 10 minutes of cooking time to prevent over browning.

The most helpful tip for the buttermilk marinade.

Using a gallon-size bag is great for this. Less mess and it allows you to easily massage the meat. We also recommend placing the bag of chicken in a plate or bowl to place in the refrigerator in case of leaks!

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

🍽️ SERVING SUGGESTIONS. What goes great with this recipe? Let me tell you!

These are my favorite dishes to serve with buttermilk roast chicken:

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Reader Review

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“I loved the freezer tips and made a double batch so we could enjoy some next week. This easy delicious recipe is a keeper.”

– Karen

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Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

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6 Comments

  2. Baking at what temperature
    Read the recipe twice and don’t see oven temp? Making this tonight marinating now…thanks!
    I’m guessing 350-375??
    Thanks I have chicken legs I’m roasting tonight 🧡

    Reply