Recipes Meat and Poultry Chicken Whole Chicken Recipes Buttermilk Barbecue Chicken 4.8 (4) 4 Reviews 2 Photos Buttermilk is a very popular marinade for fried chicken, but for whatever reason, it isn't often used with other chicken cooking methods. Which is kind of surprising, especially when you taste just how effective it is for something like this beautiful barbecued chicken. Yogurt, a very similar product, is quite popular in grilled chicken marinades. So, why not use buttermilk? This goes great with coleslaw, potato salad, and a squeeze of lemon. By John Mitzewich John Mitzewich John Mitzewich — aka Chef John — has produced more than 1,500 cooking videos for Allrecipes. He's the actor, director, and screenwriter whose hands and voice confidently walk you through techniques. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Updated on August 7, 2024 Save Rate Print Share Add Photo 2 2 Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 45 mins Additional Time: 6 hrs Total Time: 7 hrs 5 mins Servings: 6 Yield: 1 whole chicken Jump to Nutrition Facts Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1x 2x 4x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. Original recipe (1X) yields 6 servings For the Marinade: 2 cups buttermilk ¼ cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 tablespoon ground black pepper 1 tablespoon smoked paprika 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons kosher salt 1 (3 pound) whole chicken Directions Whisk buttermilk, brown sugar, cider vinegar, garlic, thyme, pepper, paprika, cumin, cayenne, and salt together in a bowl. Trim wing flats from the chicken. Cut along both sides of the backbone from the tail to the neck; remove backbone. Make a 1/4-inch-deep cut through the piece of cartilage in the center. Open up both sides to reveal breastbone; lift out. Cut chicken in half through the center line. Place both halves in a resealable zip-top bag and pour in the buttermilk marinade. Place the bag in a bowl to catch any leaks. Press air out and seal. Marinate in the fridge for 6 to 18 hours. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate. Remove chicken from marinade and transfer onto a paper towel-lined plate. Blot off excess marinade. Place chicken on the grill cut-side down, skin-side up; cover and cook for 20 minutes. Flip chicken over and continue grilling for 7 to 10 minutes. Flip once more and grill until no longer pink in the center, about 15 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Chef John Chef's Note If you can't find buttermilk, just used some thinned-out yogurt. Editor's Note: Nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of marinade ingredients. The actual amount of marinade consumed will vary. I Made It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 323 Calories 11g Fat 15g Carbs 40g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 6 Calories 323 % Daily Value * Total Fat 11g 13% Saturated Fat 3g 16% Cholesterol 117mg 39% Sodium 2120mg 92% Total Carbohydrate 15g 6% Dietary Fiber 1g 4% Total Sugars 13g Protein 40g 80% Vitamin C 3mg 3% Calcium 140mg 11% Iron 3mg 16% Potassium 510mg 11% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.