Buttermilk-Brined Chicken With Cress And Bread Salad

Serves: 4

Terry Wiza

1 January 1970

Based on User reviews:

49

Spice

61

Sweetness

48

Sourness

43

mins

Prep time (avg)

4.7

Difficulty

Ingredients:

1 cup

Olive Oil

1 cup

Champagne

Directions:

1

Thinly slice 1 lemon

2

Whisk buttermilk, garlic, and 2 tablespoons salt in a medium bowl

3

Divide buttermilk mixture and lemon slices between 2 large resealable plastic bags

4

Place 1 chicken in each bag and seal, pressing out any excess air

5

Refrigerate, turning occasionally, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day

6

Preheat oven to 425°F

7

Remove chickens from marinade, rinse with cold water, and pat dry

8

Thinly slice half of a lemon; cut remaining whole lemon in half

9

Place chickens on a wire rack set inside a large rimmed baking sheet; stuff each with 1/2 bunch of marjoram and a lemon half

10

Working from neck end of chicken, gently loosen skin from chicken breasts

11

Place several lemon slices under skin of each breast

12

Rub chickens with butter; season with salt and pepper

13

Tie legs with kitchen twine and tuck wing tips under chicken

14

Roast chickens until they begin to brown, 30-35 minutes

15

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and roast until chickens are cooked through and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F, 20-25 minutes longer

16

Transfer chickens to a platter, tent with foil, and let rest while preparing bread salad

17

Keep oven on

18

Carefully pour chicken roasting juices from baking sheet into a large bowl (set baking sheet aside)

19

Whisk shallot, oil, and vinegar into juices in bowl; season vinaigrette with salt and pepper

20

Pour half of vinaigrette into a small bowl; set aside

21

Add bread to vinaigrette in large bowl and toss, pressing gently to help bread absorb vinaigrette

22

Transfer bread to reserved baking sheet and toast, tossing occasionally, until bread is golden brown but still soft in the center, 10-15 minutes (set bowl aside)

23

Place warm bread in reserved bowl

24

Add watercress and reserved vinaigrette; season with salt and pepper and toss to combine

25

Arrange salad on a platter and place chickens on top

26

Thinly slice 1 lemon

27

Whisk buttermilk, garlic, and 2 tablespoons salt in a medium bowl

28

Divide buttermilk mixture and lemon slices between 2 large resealable plastic bags

29

Place 1 chicken in each bag and seal, pressing out any excess air

30

Refrigerate, turning occasionally, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day

31

Preheat oven to 425°F

32

Remove chickens from marinade, rinse with cold water, and pat dry

33

Thinly slice half of a lemon; cut remaining whole lemon in half

34

Place chickens on a wire rack set inside a large rimmed baking sheet; stuff each with 1/2 bunch of marjoram and a lemon half

35

Working from neck end of chicken, gently loosen skin from chicken breasts

36

Place several lemon slices under skin of each breast

37

Rub chickens with butter; season with salt and pepper

38

Tie legs with kitchen twine and tuck wing tips under chicken

39

Roast chickens until they begin to brown, 30-35 minutes

40

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and roast until chickens are cooked through and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F, 20-25 minutes longer

41

Transfer chickens to a platter, tent with foil, and let rest while preparing bread salad

42

Keep oven on

43

Carefully pour chicken roasting juices from baking sheet into a large bowl (set baking sheet aside)

44

Whisk shallot, oil, and vinegar into juices in bowl; season vinaigrette with salt and pepper

45

Pour half of vinaigrette into a small bowl; set aside

46

Add bread to vinaigrette in large bowl and toss, pressing gently to help bread absorb vinaigrette

47

Transfer bread to reserved baking sheet and toast, tossing occasionally, until bread is golden brown but still soft in the center, 10-15 minutes (set bowl aside)

48

Place warm bread in reserved bowl

49

Add watercress and reserved vinaigrette; season with salt and pepper and toss to combine

50

Arrange salad on a platter and place chickens on top