Buttermilk Roast Chicken with Roasted Parsnips & Carrots with Brown Rice

The chicken was, in a word, delectable. Marinated overnight in a simple brine of buttermilk and spices, it was tender and juicy. Mike went back for a third piece. The parsnips and carrots were a great complement to the chicken. It makes so much chicken I'll definitely make this for company next time.

Buttermilk Roast Chicken

slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen's recipe

2 cups buttermilk

5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed (we used about 8 cloves)

1 tbsp. table salt

1 tbsp. granulated sugar

2 tsp. paprika

Lots of fresh ground pepper

2 1/2 to 3 lbs. chicken parts (we used legs and thighs)

drizzle of olive oil

flaked or coarse sea salt, to finish

Whisk buttermilk with garlic, table salt, sugar, paprika, and lots of freshly ground black pepper in a bowl. We placed the chicken in the bowl, swished it around to make sure all the pieces were good and coated with the brine, and covered it. The original recipe suggests putting everything into a gallon freezer bag, but a) I have very bad luck with leakage and ziploc bags, and b) we were out of them anyway! Refrigerate the chicken for at least two hours or for up to 24 to 48 hours.

When ready to roast, preheat over to 425 degrees. Line a baking dish with foil. Remove chicken from buttermilk brine and arrange in dish (we shoved as much of the chicken as we could into a 9 x 13 in baking pan, and we still have some chicken left over for roasting tomorrow). Drizzle lightly with olive oil, then sprinkle with additional paprika and sea salt to taste. We roasted the legs and thighs for 40 minutes, until brown and scorched in spots. The original recipe suggests roasting legs for 30 minutes, or if you're roasting breasts, for 35 to 40 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Roasted Parsnips & Carrots

3 large parsnips, sliced into rounds

4 medium carrots, sliced into rounds

2 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves

1 tbsp. olive oil

coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a large baking dish (with an oven preheated to 425 degrees), combine all ingredients. Give them a quick toss or two to incorporate, and then roast in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the parsnips are golden brown and blackened in spots.

The roasted veggies were very flavorful - almost crispy on the outside in places, and tender on the inside.

Overall, a very satisfying meal. So satisfying, in fact, that Mike and I sat over our empty plates and chatted for over an hour before we were ready to tackle the dishes. Definitely a meal we'll make again!