the Organized Life, Buttermilk Chicken

Posted by the Painted Apron on August 10, 2012 · 1 Comment

Marinate your chicken in buttermilk. This is such a time saver, and its so easy. About every 2-3 weeks I buy some boneless chicken breasts and a quart of non fat buttermilk. I put the chicken in a large ziplock bag and pour in enough buttermilk to cover it. Put the baggie in the fridge, in a dish just in case it leaks…I speak from experience here :).
Let the chicken hang out in the buttermilk for 24 hours or so, then divide it up into individual portions for freezing. I divide mine into portions of 2-3 servings, so one portion is perfect for Hungry Husband and I, and its easy to increase servings if I want to make more. For casseroles I prefer to use chicken tenders because they saute so quickly.

The buttermilk marinade makes the chicken soooo tender, and will work for bone in chicken pieces also. Marinating before freezing makes its nice to know you can grab this deliciousness from your freezer, ready for a quick meal-just rinse and dry and season for grilling, or to make a casserole. Plus you’ll always have a little buttermilk leftover in the carton to add to salad dressings or to make biscuits.

Here’s the chicken divided into individual portions for freezing. Use a sharpie or a label to describe [marinated boneless chicken tenders, or whatever it is] and date the package. No, I didn’t date mine, but I should have, whoops. I try to use things within three months even though many things can be frozen safely for much longer. Hey, when you live in the South, there are LOTS of thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, ice storms and we loose power for days. So, I keep my freezer stocked, but don’t go overboard.

When I am making a casserole I usually just throw some chicken tenders in a skillet [after I have sauteed the veggies or bacon, or whatever else needs a saute] with a little butter and Olive Oil. Always use equal parts butter and Olive Oil, combined they have a much higher temperature tolerance [another words, it won’t burn as quickly] and the butter imparts great flavor. Don’t go all Paula Deen here, just a little will do. Plus using Olive Oil with the butter helps to make it a little healthier. Of course use bacon fat if you have some of that. Again, don’t freak about the fat, just use a little for flavor, it makes a huge difference.

When sauteing chicken for a casserole you don’t have to cook it all the way through, it will finish cooking when you bake your dish. Some of this chicken is still a little pink in places but it is cooked enough to shred easily because the marinade has done its job and made it very tender. I have these handy dishwasher safe plastic cutting mats [Bed Bath & Beyond] that I use to protect my counter or cutting board from the dreaded chicken bacteria potential.MARINATE YOUR CHICKEN! You will thank me, I promise!