Buttermilk chicken has long been one of my favourite alfresco summer suppers. My method of choice has usually been to spatchcock/butterfly a chicken – or rather, many chickens – and then cut them into feisty quarters to layer up on serving plates. I’ve altered this to make cooking speedier and conveying easier, by starting off with drumsticks.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 2 hr 40 min |
| Prep: | 10 min |
| Inactive: | 2 hr |
| Cook: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 12 chicken drumsticks (approximately 3 pounds total weight)
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, bruised and skins removed
- 1 tablespoon crushed peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon Maldon salt, sea salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Place the chicken drumsticks in a large freezer bag, and add the buttermilk and 1/4 cup of oil.
- Add the bruised garlic cloves to the bag with the crushed peppercorns and salt.
- Sprinkle in the ground cumin and finally add the maple syrup, and then squish everything in the freezer bag around to mix the marinade and coat the chicken.
- Leave the buttermilk marinated chicken in the fridge ideally overnight or out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Take the chicken pieces out of the bag shaking off the excess marinade, and then arrange them in a roasting tin lined with foil.
- Drizzle over the 2 remaining tablespoons of oil, and then roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until brown, even scorched in parts, and juicily cooked through.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 599 |
| Total Fat | 39 g |
| Saturated Fat | 8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 8 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Protein | 51 g |
| Cholesterol | 248 mg |
| Sodium | 855 mg |
Reviews
Hi Nigella and readers, you can buy GLAD brand oven bags. So im just wondering if everything can be marinated in that overnight and then put straight in the oven, bag and all? without all the extra handling. Has anyone tried that??
This is so delicious and easy.. it has become my go to for chicken. Thank you Nigella!
Easy weeknight chicken dish. Definitely double the cumin.
Found this recipe via “My Daughter’s Kitchen” by Maureen Fitzgerald, the Philly Inquirer Food Editor. Delicious, nutritious and fun whacking the peppercorns!
Per the reviews, I doubled the amount of pepper, maple syrup, and cumin. I marinated overnight (which I think was key) and the end result was juicy with just the right amount of kick. I put with a side of BBQ sauce but no one even used it. So easy to make – will definitely keep in rotation.
LOVED it! Very easy to make and tasty. I used chicken thighs and divided the recipe into three zip lock bags, since I’m only cooking for two. I added a pinch of curry to one of the freezer bags. I left one bag in the fridge over night and put the other two in the freezer. I also drizzled a bit of the marinade over the chicken before throwing it in the oven. All of them were tasty and juicy.
We’ve made this numerous times; sometimes adding more cumin or maple syrup but it’s always good.
Wow! What a simple, yet tasty way to make chicken. I used skinless breasts and thighs, and went a little heavier on the cumin. Other than that, recipe was followed as written. Now I just need some suggestions on what to serve with it. I’ll definitely put this one in my recipe book.
After making this, I agree that perhaps the spices need to be doubled to give it more flavor. The meat was tender and juicy, yet a bit bland for my taste.
Good, but nothing special. I followed other poster’s advice and doubled all the spices. You could taste the different flavors, and while they complemented the chicken well, it didn’t blow any of us away. Will probably not make again.