Southwest Buttermilk Baked Chicken
The most flavorful chicken you will ever make, baked to absolute crisp-tender, juicy perfection! 207 calories each.
So with all these Thanksgiving recipes I’ve been posting lately, I figured a little break might be a nice refresher. After all, weeknight meals are still needed in the midst of this holiday mayhem, right?
That’s where this chicken comes in. Crisp-tender chicken thighs, baked to absolute perfection.
And with just a few spices, these chicken thighs are packed with tons of flavor, baked in its own juices with that creamy buttermilk.
You’d be amazed as to how such simple ingredients can transform a chicken dish like this.
I honestly didn’t expect much out of it but boy was I wrong. Jason had to beg me for days to make it again the very next week!
Southwest Buttermilk Baked Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, combine cumin, paprika, chili powder, oregano, garlic powder and onion powder; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Season chicken thighs with spice mixture, rubbing in thoroughly on all sides.
- Melt butter in a large oven-proof skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken, skin-side down, and sear both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from heat and stir in buttermilk.
- Place into oven and roast until completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 175 degrees F, about 25-30 minutes.
- Serve chicken immediately, garnished with cilantro, if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
This looks and sounds divine! The sweetness from the buttermilk must be a great addition 😀 Yum! x
LOVE that you threw smoked paprika into the mix!
Hi,
I absolutely love your site & your recipes!! When roasting in the oven, do I cover the dish?
Nope, no lid needed!
I’m always at kind of a loss when it comes to using up the buttermilk left over from baking, but now it’s buttermilk baked chicken to the rescue!! Looks delicious 🙂
I never miss any of your recipes….I love them all. Is there anything I could use instead of buttermilk in the recipe????
Thanks x
Pauline, you can easily create a buttermilk substitute with plain milk and lemon juice.
Hi! When you’re making the spice mixture in the beginning, how much salt and pepper do you usually put in to taste? I’ve never made a recipe where you put salt and pepper into a spice mixture to taste. Thanks:)
It really depends on personal preference as you should be adding it to taste. You can always start with 1/4 tsp salt and adding more as needed.
This looks so flavorful, such a great way to enjoy chicken thighs.
-Jamie
What role does the buttermilk have?
It makes a thin sauce combined with the amazing flavors of the spice rub and the natural juices of the chicken.
Chung ah I must tell you I have pinned more of your recipes than any other. I might as well just suck your recipe box into my head.
Good wishes!
Amen!
Do you just pour the buttermilk over the chicken???
Yes, that’s exactly right.
Good Morning! Could you tell me, what is the purpose of pouring in the buttermilk just before putting the pan in oven? Does it make a sauce of some sort? Really enjoying your site. You one pan Mexican Quinoa has been a staple at our home! ~thanks!
Yes, it makes a thin sauce combined with the amazing flavors of the spice rub and the natural juices of the chicken.
I love your recipes, especially the Asian ones.
PS Did you know the “degree” sign can be inserted by going to “Insert”, “Symbol”, and then go to “Latin-1 Supplement” and find the symbol. Once you’ve found it and used it, it should show up right away to use again. Or, if you’re lazy like me, here’s a simple one: just hit “Alt + 0176” and there it is!
Looks really good. Thank you for the nice recipe.
ummm..yeah. This looks pretty amazing. and the fact that its 207 calories each? sold!!! your photos are perfect as always 🙂
YUM! Now I want chicken for breakfast!
Love the combo of cumin and buttermilk – I have some thighs in the fridge and cannot wait to try this!
Wow. Love chicken thighs and southwest flavors. Have all the spices on hand – even the cumin. Next trip to the store will bring back the buttermilk and chicken. I know we will love this. Yum-o
I love buttermilk for chicken but have never baked with it. What a great idea. Thanks for sharing!
Hi can this recipe be used with skinless chicken breasted instead of skin on thighs? I never cook chicken with the skin on.
Betty in CA
I actually haven’t tried it with chicken breasts myself but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work!
You can always substitute one chicken part for another, Betty. Just cook breasts less time than dark meat: if thighs take 1/2 hour, cook breasts for 20 minutes. Bone in parts take longer.
Love the recipe and love the little fact about cumin at the end – very informative!
This sounds so good! Easy, using stuff already on hand most of the time. Definitely a keeper! : )