Oven-Baked Buttermilk Chicken and Potatoes

This oven baked buttermilk chicken and potatoes is an easy sheet pan meal that makes use of an otherwise wasteful product - curdled milk. Make this easy one pan meal and discover how good crispy buttermilk chicken and potatoes can be!

Making an easy sheet pan meal out of nothing

In my mother’s house, there is usually a carton of curdled milk on the counter.

While for most people, curdled milk is a cause for devastation - oh no, all that milk gone to waste! - in my mother’s house, curdled milk is an opening for conversation.

“What shall we make this time”, she would ask, putting on her robe. Our answers were usually as varied as syrniki, oladushki, or simple old pancakes.
Anywhere where Southerners use buttermilk, Russians use a product that would otherwise go to waste - curdled milk.

That was the thought that struck me as I opened my fridge the other day and discovered a barely-touched 1-litre carton of milk that has expired. And so I got to thinking, could I make buttermilk chicken that tasted like the real deal with curdled milk? And yes, my friends, the short answer is - yes you can!

When to serve this oven baked buttermilk chicken ?

Everyone loves chicken and potatoes! Especially when they are combined into one tasty dish. I’m not sure what makes comfort food so special, but it can vow children, adults and double as a go-to dish when you have guests or picky eaters over.

This sheet pan meal is one of those perfect dinners, no matter the season or weather. Obviously, the best time to make this oven-baked buttermilk chicken is when you have leftover curdled or spoiled milk that needs to be used.

No point in crying over spilled milk when it can be put to good (and delicious) use.

If you haven’t considered what to do with spoiled or curdled milk before, don’t fret. Cooking and baking with sour milk is a perfect substitute for buttermilk. That extra acidic punch that assaults your nostrils is actually the perfect acidity you need to create tasty dishes.

While this chicken dish hasn’t claimed the first spot on my favourite chicken dishes (check out my Chicken Marbella recipe for that) it is a really great second.

St. Patricks Day Meal

I love to serve this affordable baked buttermilk chicken and potatoes as a St. Patrick's Day recipe.

It's cheap, filling, and makes due of a product you would otherwise throw out! What could be more Irish than that?

In fact, you can make this whole recipe and feed a family of 6 for well under $10.

How to cook chicken soaked in buttermilk

Whether you go for store-bought buttermilk or prefer to use some leftover curdled milk, the process is very simple and straightforward. Simply, pour the sauce seasoned with your spices over your chicken and potatoes and let the oven do its job. The result will be a perfectly tender and juicy chicken.

How long to marinate chicken in buttermilk

When it comes to marinating chicken, one key thing to remember is that the longer you leave it, the softer it will become. This may sound like a good idea at first, but the general rule of thumb is that anything longer than 24 hours will result in a mushy and less-than-ideal dish.

At the same time, you don’t want to leave the marinating on for too little because the flavour doesn’t have a lot of time to penetrate the meat.

Another thing to look out for is marinades that are especially acidic. Buttermilk definitely falls under this category so anything between 2 to 4 hours is a good timeframe to keep in mind.

If you are in a rush, you can always skip the marinading time - but keep in mind you’ll lose some of the amazing softening qualities of buttermilk or sour milk.

What to do with curdled milk

In simple terms, curdled milk is simply milk that has been hit with some bad bacteria. While your first thought could be to throw it out and start again, there are actually plenty of ways to utilize it in your cooking and baking.

Any recipe that calls for buttermilk can easily be substituted with curdled milk.

That includes pancakes, biscuits, brownies, or savoury recipes like mac and cheese or bread.

Why you should make this Oven-baked Buttermilk Chicken

There are plenty of reasons why you should make these tender and crispy buttermilk chicken and potatoes. Here are some of my favourites:

• Full of protein
• Promotes no waste in the kitchen
• Simple
• Flavorful
• A complete meal
• A full sheet pan meal in one tray
• Kid-friendly
• Perfect for days you don’t feel like spending hours in the kitchen

Ingredients

To make this crispy buttermilk chicken and potatoes you will need:

• Whole chicken
• Olive oil
• Red wine vinegar
• Soy sauce
• Buttermilk / sour milk
• Herbes de Provence seasoning
• Ginger
• Barberries
• Black pepper
• Salt
• Potatoes

See recipe card for exact quantities.

Equipment

• Baking sheet
• Chef's knife
• Large bowl
• Roasting pan

Directions

To make the oven-baked chicken and potatoes

Preheat oven to 360F. Prepare a large roasting pan or baking sheet. Pat chicken dry with paper towels.

If using large potatoes, cut them into circles. If using small, new potatoes, wash them and leave whole, or cut into halves.

If you are starting with a whole chicken, cut it into parts (I love this video for breaking up how to cut a chicken into pieces).

To make the buttermilk marinade

Transfer chicken parts to a large bowl. Add olive oil and mix well. Add vinegar, soy sauce, buttermilk, and seasonings. Cover bowl and transfer buttermilk chicken to the refrigerator to marinade for at least 2 hours, and up to overnight.

Baking buttermilk baked chicken and potatoes

Transfer chicken to baking sheet or roasting pan. Surround with potatoes.

Drizzle potatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour ¼ cup of the remaining marinade on chicken. Season Transfer to 360F oven to bake for 45 minutes, basting the chicken as it cooks.

Storage and Making in Advance

If you are not going to cook or bake with spoiled milk right away, know that you can keep buttermilk or spoiled milk in the fridge past its due date. The only thing to look out for is if it starts growing mold.

If you marinade your chicken in buttermilk sauce, it is safe to keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. After that, it will probably start to get mushy.

You can also make this dish in advance or eat it the next day. This buttermilk chicken makes for an excellent packed lunch during busy weeks and can last in the fridge for at least 3 to 4 days.

Substitutions

This buttermilk chicken and potatoes sheet pan meal is naturally gluten free and grain-free. Here are some adaptations you can do to adapt it further:

Whole 30 and Paleo

Substitute the potatoes with carrots, or rutabaga.

Variations

Add some spice - You can adapt the seasoning on this dish to suit your taste profile. You can try adding smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, or chilies to add some extra spice.

Swap out the vegetables - if for some reason you are not a fan of potatoes, you can try large sweet potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, parsnips or rutabaga, or a mix of all the above.

Top Tips

• Once my mom would notice the milk started to taste funny, she would leave it outside overnight to speed up the process and get the best lactobacteria properties from your curdled milk. The key to this is that you need to use that milk right away.
• If you have more buttermilk or curdled milk leftover, you can use it to boil the potatoes.
• You can also cook pasta in buttermilk or curdled milk just as you would use water. This is an excellent way to infuse extra flavour into pasta dishes with milky or creamy sauces. Alternatively, you can also use the buttermilk for the sauce and add your toppings as desired.
• You don't have to use a whole chicken. You can use any chicken parts you like - drumsticks and thighs on the bone would benefit greatly from this buttermilk marinade.

Accompanying Dishes

Here are other things to serve alongside this sheet pan baked buttermilk chicken and potatoes:

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