Buttermilk Chicken

Raise your hand if you have ever marinated chicken in buttermilk! If your hand is not up, then you are truly missing out on easy goodness. Buttermilk is so fabulous. Endless number of uses. What is ranch dressing without buttermilk? Out of yogurt but want a smoothie? Use your buttermilk. Want to add the richness of cream without the fat? Open up some buttermilk. Soups, sauces, dressings, whatever. Try it out, I promise you won't be disappointed. So what makes it so great? First off, it's low in fat, but thick. It has a slight tang and works wonders for lean proteins like chicken and fish. It's made by adding a bacteria to low-fat milk and then heating it up so the bacteria turns the sugar in the milk into lactic acid. The lactic acid is what tenderizes your meat and gives it that characteristic tang. Chicken stays tender and juicy and oh so delicious. Pancakes made with buttermilk are lighter and fluffier because the acid reacts with the baking soda and acts like yeast. And who doesn't love light, fluffy pancakes?

Herb Buttermilk Chicken

1 whole chicken, cut up into 8 pieces (or you can use just drums, or thighs or breasts, whatever combo you want)
1 1/2 -2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup fresh rosemary or thyme or combo
4 cloves garlic, smashed* (if you love garlic, add some more):)
2 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper

Rinse and pat dry your chicken pieces. Place in a gallon sized ziploc bag. Add buttermilk, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper. Shake to combine. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Pull out 30 minutes prior to using.

For grilling: Heat one side of grill to medium (direct heat). Brush grates with oil. Remove Chicken from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Grill meat skin side down over direct heat for 10 minutes. Flip the chicken, move it to indirect heat (part of grill with no flame directly underneath) and grill, covered, until thickest part reaches 165*, about 10-15 minutes

* To smash garlic: Tear off cloves from head of garlic and place on cutting board. Hold your knife flat with the sharp edge facing away from you. Using the base of your knife blade, smash the cloves. The skin should peel right off.

And because I am on a buttermilk kick right now....

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 large egg white

Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine buttermilk, oil, egg, and egg white, stirring with a whisk; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

Heat a nonstick griddle or nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Spoon about 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto griddle. Turn pancakes over when tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Serve with syrup and butter.