How should I alter a roasted buttermilk chicken recipe for a 5.5-6lb chicken, when it calls for 3-4lb?
Hi there! I'm making a buttermilk chicken—planning to brine it overnight. The recipe calls for a 3.5-4lb chicken, roasted at 425 for 20 min, then at 400 for 40 more min. The smallest chicken I could find in the market was 5.5-6lb, unfortunately. Are there any alterations in brine time, cook time or temp that I might need to make?
4 Comments
Erin A.November 21, 2018
Hi! I'm not exactly sure how much buttermilk the recipe calls for, but as long as there is enough brine to cover and coat the chicken you should be just fine; you could always add a bit of extra buttermilk. You shouldn't need to adjust the brine time—overnight will definitely work. (Also, make sure to pat the chicken dry with a paper towel before roasting to get that crispy skin.) As for the cook time, a slightly bigger bird will need a little bit longer in the oven. It looks like the recipe your working with calls to roast the chicken for about 10 minutes per pound at 400°F (still roasting for 20 minutes at 425°F), so you could probably tack on an extra 20 minutes or (give or take) to roasting at 400°F. The safe internal temperature for a whole roast chicken is 165°F, so I'd definitely check the temperature about 40 or 50 minutes into cooking (and before carving!) using a thermometer to make sure you don't over or undercook it; the juices should also run clear. I hope that helps and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Janet M.December 23, 2024
Thanks so much, Erin A. Big help. And well succinctly said.
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