Description
This Roasted Chicken recipe features bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces marinated in a tangy Dijon mustard and buttermilk mixture, then coated with a flavorful herb and garlic breadcrumb crust. Baked to golden perfection, this dish offers a crispy, aromatic exterior with juicy, tender meat inside—a perfect family-friendly meal that’s both simple and impressive.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on
- 2 whole leg/thighs, bone-in, skin-on
For the Marinade
- ½ cup Dijon mustard
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 4 peeled garlic cloves
- A small handful fresh thyme leaves
- Zest of one lemon
- 1½ teaspoons salt (or more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
For the Coating
- 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Marinate Chicken: Place chicken pieces in a zip-lock bag or container. Mix the buttermilk and Dijon mustard together, then pour the marinade over the chicken. Ensure all chicken surfaces are coated well. Seal and refrigerate for a couple of hours or preferably overnight to let the flavors penetrate and tenderize the meat.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for roasting the chicken evenly and achieving a crispy crust.
- Make Breadcrumb Mixture: In a food processor, mince the garlic cloves finely. Add breadcrumbs, fresh thyme leaves, lemon zest, salt, and freshly cracked black pepper into the processor. Drizzle in the olive oil and pulse just enough to combine the ingredients without turning it into a paste, creating a fragrant and moist breadcrumb mixture.
- Coat Chicken: Transfer the breadcrumb mixture to a pie plate or shallow bowl. Remove chicken from the marinade and press each piece, skin side down, into the breadcrumbs mixture. Use your hands to press and coat the chicken evenly and thoroughly with the crumbs. Place the coated chicken pieces on a foil or parchment-lined baking sheet with the crumb-coated side facing up.
- Bake Chicken: Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes. Check that the breadcrumb topping is nicely browned and that the chicken is cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). For extra color and crispiness on the crust, optionally run the chicken under the broiler for a minute or two, watching closely to prevent burning.
Notes
- Marinating overnight enhances flavor and tenderness significantly.
- Use fresh thyme for the best herbaceous aroma; dried thyme can be a substitute but reduce quantity to half.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to ½ cup milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
- Ensure the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F to guarantee food safety.
- For gluten-free option, substitute breadcrumbs with gluten-free breadcrumbs or crushed nuts.
