Buttermilk & Rosemary
Roast Chicken
Recipe from Kia Damon
Skip the traditional turkey in favor of this spatchcocked roast chicken. It does everything you want the turkey to do but with less work and more flavor. The magic of this recipe lies in the power of buttermilk. It acts as a double agent, imparting flavor but also deeply tenderizing the chicken, a dish that’s known for being disappointingly dry. Breathe new life into this bird and watch it fly from the platter.
15 mins
1 hour 30 mins
6 to 8
What You'll Need
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (3 to 4 pounds)
- Kosher salt
- 1 quart full-fat buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, picked and finely chopped
- 2 large yellow onion, halved and cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 10 garlic cloves, smashed
Directions
Step 1
To ensure the chicken is cooked evenly, we’re going to spatchcock it, creating more surface area for the heat to touch. First, flip the bird onto its breast. Holding it steady from the top, use kitchen shears to cut to the right of the tailpiece and follow the backbone right up to the neck opening. Repeat on the other side and then pull out the backbone. Once it’s removed, flip the chicken breast side up and press your hands down on the splayed chicken breast like you’re performing CPR.
Step 2
Salt the chicken all over and in the cavity. In a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk, Tabasco, and rosemary. Pour the mixture over the chicken in a zip-seal bag large enough to hold it comfortably. Put the bag in a bowl and place it in the refrigerator. Let it brine overnight, flipping the bag halfway through to ensure every part gets a chance to be submerged.
Step 3
When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400°F.
Step 4
Spread the onion and garlic evenly on the bottom of a large roasting pan. Remove the chicken from the brine and scrape a considerable amount of the excess off. Lay the chicken on top and slide it into the oven on the middle rack.
Step 5
Roast until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, 50 minutes to 1 hour, rotating the pan front to back halfway through. To keep the chicken from browning too much before it’s finished cooking, you can cover it with a tent of aluminum foil.
Step 6
Be sure to let the chicken rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Kia Damon
Kia Damon is a Florida-born chef, writer, host, and recipe developer. Her work has taken her from founding The Supper Club from Nowhere to being Cherry Bombe’s first Culinary Director to her own cookbook Cooking with Florida Water. Her work is a love letter to her roots and an attempt to bring cultures together. The best part? You can taste it.
