Buttermilk-Brined Chicken with Cress and Bread Salad
A succulent roasted chicken dish where the birds are brined in buttermilk and lemon, then served atop a rustic bread salad with watercress. The chicken is infused with marjoram and finished with a flavorful vinaigrette.
Ingredients
- •2½ whole lemons
- •2 quarts buttermilk
- •4 cloves garlic
- •2 tablespoons kosher salt
- •2 whole chickens
- •1 bunch fresh marjoram
- •¼ cup unsalted butter
- •to taste black pepper
- •1 small shallot
- •½ cup olive oil
- •⅓ cup Champagne vinegar
- •1 loaf country-style bread
- •2 bunches watercress
- •8 cups trimmed stems
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Thinly slice 1 lemon. Whisk buttermilk, garlic, and 2 tablespoons salt in a medium bowl. Divide buttermilk mixture and lemon slices between 2 large resealable plastic bags. Place 1 chicken in each bag and seal, pressing out any excess air. Refrigerate, turning occasionally, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
480 min
- 2.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Remove chickens from marinade, rinse with cold water, and pat dry. Thinly slice half of a lemon; cut remaining whole lemon in half. 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. Working from neck end of chicken, gently loosen skin from chicken breasts. Place several lemon slices under skin of each breast. Rub chickens with butter; season with salt and pepper. Tie legs with kitchen twine and tuck wing tips under chicken.
15 min
- 3.
Roast chickens until they begin to brown, 30-35 minutes. 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. Transfer chickens to a platter, tent with foil, and let rest while preparing bread salad. Keep oven on.
55 min
- 4.
Carefully pour chicken roasting juices from baking sheet into a large bowl (set baking sheet aside). Whisk shallot, oil, and vinegar into juices in bowl; season vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
5 min
- 5.
Pour half of vinaigrette into a small bowl; set aside. Add bread to vinaigrette in large bowl and toss, pressing gently to help bread absorb vinaigrette.
5 min
- 6.
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).
15 min
- 7.
Place warm bread in reserved bowl. Add watercress and reserved vinaigrette; season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Arrange salad on a platter and place chickens on top.
5 min