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? Serving it with a side of Irish mashed potatoes, known as Colcannon.
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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. For another chicken preparation, check out my chicken kofta kebabs..
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.
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:
Tried and loved this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below! Your reviews mean a lot to me, so if you've got any questions, please let me know in a comment.
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!
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 wedges. If using small, new potatoes, wash them and leave whole, or cut into halves.
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 2 hours.
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.
Notes
Tip: If you have more buttermilk or curdled milk, you can also use it to boil the potatoes. You can also cook pasta in buttermilk or curdled milk - just use it the same way you use water.
Welcome to At The Immigrant's Table! I blend my immigrant roots with modern diets, crafting recipes that take you on a global kitchen adventure. As a food blogger and photographer, I'm dedicated to making international cuisine both healthy and accessible. Let's embark on a culinary journey that bridges cultures and introduces a world of flavors right into your home. Read more...
I love recipes that use up ingredients that wouldn't otherwise get used! The soy sauce and ginger gave this chicken really great flavor and it came out juicy and crispy on the outside. Delicious!
WOW! This looks amazing! I'm a HUGE chicken and rice kinda guy and your pictures look stunning (love that background too!) The overnight buttermilk marinade sounds like a smart move and I bet that makes some super tender chicken. Keep up the great work!
From the moment I see this, I started craving it. Definitely looks so delicious and yummy. The texture and the juiciness of the chicken meat is making this recipe an instant favorite.
This chicken is so delicious, I like that the marinade time is just 2 hours, this makes for a fairly fast dinner. Nothing like chicken and potatoes, my whole family loved it.
Gloria says
I love using buttermilk in recipes. The perfect way to make juicy chicken. This recipe will be a hit with the family for dinner any night of the week.
Veronika says
I love recipes that use up ingredients that wouldn't otherwise get used! The soy sauce and ginger gave this chicken really great flavor and it came out juicy and crispy on the outside. Delicious!
Jamie says
This buttermilk chicken was so tender and juicy! I love the tip about adding some buttermilk with potatoes. It added a lot of flavor. Thank you!
Devan says
WOW! This looks amazing! I'm a HUGE chicken and rice kinda guy and your pictures look stunning (love that background too!) The overnight buttermilk marinade sounds like a smart move and I bet that makes some super tender chicken. Keep up the great work!
Amy Liu Dong says
From the moment I see this, I started craving it. Definitely looks so delicious and yummy. The texture and the juiciness of the chicken meat is making this recipe an instant favorite.
Katie Crenshaw says
This chicken turned out moist, tender, and flavorful! I made the perfect dinner!
LaKita says
This recipe for chicken and potatoes is so simple to make, comforting, and delicious. It came out perfect!
Tristin says
My whole family loved this buttermilk chicken! It came out so juicy and delicious. It was perfect with the potatoes.
Silvia says
This chicken is so delicious, I like that the marinade time is just 2 hours, this makes for a fairly fast dinner. Nothing like chicken and potatoes, my whole family loved it.
Jim says
your nutrition is missing carbs and fiber
kseniaprints says
Will fix right away!
Nicole says
Looks delicious! What kind of barberry are you using (dried?) and they go in the marinade, right?
kseniaprints says
Yes, dried barberries, and into the marinade they go 🙂
Sharon says
If I can't find barberries, what would be a substitute? It says 8 pieces, is this just 8 little fruits ?
Can't wait to fix this!
kseniaprints says
Yes, they're just there to give a bit of flavor to the sauce! You can sub them for dried blueberries or unsweetened cranberries or even Goji berries.