Grilled Buttermilk Chicken

Have you ever tried making a meat marinade with buttermilk? This is one of my go-to recipes that I’ve been using for years, whenever I have leftover buttermilk in the fridge that needs to be finished up. I use this marinade in the winter and roast the chicken in the oven, and in the summer it goes on the grill. The natural acidity of the buttermilk tenderizes the meat, and also adds a tangy flavor to the chicken.

While just a drizzle of buttermilk alone is a great marinade for chicken, I like to jazz it up with a little more flavor, depending on what sort of ingredients I have around. Since I always have mustard powder, garlic, sriracha (or some sort of hot sauce) and paprika on hand, I choose those things quite a bit.

A quick warning that the buttermilk marinade might mean that the chicken is more likely to flare up on the grill. No need to panic, and it’s still totally worth it, I promise. Just keep an eye on the grill, and don’t get distracted by a competitive game of badminton or something. If you get any flareups, simply move the chicken to a cooler (indirect heat) portion of the grill and continue cooking until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F. Eat your delicious buttermilk chicken, THEN go play some badminton!

The buttermilk used in this recipe was produced by members of the United Dairy Industry of Michigan. For more information on UDIM and to find out why Milk Means More, please visit their website and connect with them on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.

Grilled Buttermilk Chicken

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 16 minutes

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon mustard powder
• 1 tablespoon sriracha
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 4 chicken drumsticks, bone-in/skin-on
• 4 chicken thighs, bone-in/skin-on
• Vegetable oil, for grill
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges (optional)

Directions:

1. In medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, mustard powder, sriracha, garlic and paprika. Place chicken in large zip-top bag; pour buttermilk mixture over chicken. Seal bag and refrigerate 2 hours or up to overnight.
2. Preheat outdoor grill for direct grilling over medium heat. Remove chicken from marinade, shaking off excess marinade; discard marinade. Lightly oil grill grates. Transfer chicken to grill and cook 16 to 18 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, turning occasionally.
3. Transfer chicken to serving platter. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Disclosure: As a Milk Means More Ambassador, this post was sponsored by The United Dairy Industry of Michigan. Posts like this help me pay for the costs associated with this blog (groceries…lots of groceries), and help support me as I pursue a career in recipe development and food photography. All opinions are 100% my own.