A sheet pan dinner recipe with slow-roasted chicken and red potatoes basted with buttermilk ranch dressing (much like Million Dollar Chicken).
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I kept seeing Chef Dan Silverman’s recipe for Million Dollar Chicken (as featured by Ina Garten on Food Network) popping up on recipe sites and Pinterest.
It’s a whole roasted chicken glazed with crème fraiche and lemon juice. It looked DIVINE and I wanted to make it but I knew I wanted to share it here and I get the feeling most of us don’t keep crème fraiche in our Frigidaires.
Am I right or amiright??
Then I got to thinking about white barbeque sauce and how beautifully it glazes chicken.
And then I got to thinking about buttermilk ranch dressing.
Because it’s kinda like a combo of the two. The crème fraiche glaze is cream based and the white barbeque sauce is mayo based and buttermilk ranch dressing is both (buttermilk and mayo).
So that's what I decided to use!
Million Dollar Chicken roasts on slices of day-old crusty bread which soak up all of the pan drippings and makes for probably the best croutons in the history of the world.
I decided to employ the same idea of using the pan drippings but instead of bread, added potatoes to the pan. The potatoes soaked up all that chicken goodness and when everything was done I had an amazing one-dish wonder.
Winner, winner chicken dinner, y'all! If you like this one-pot wonder, you might also enjoy this recipe for One-Pot Chicken & Potato Dinner!
4 TIPS FOR MAKING BUTTERMILK RANCH ROASTED CHICKEN
- IMPORTANT - Make sure you use actual buttermilk ranch dressing. Check the ingredients list to be sure buttermilk is one of the top three ingredients. Newman's Own is great for this and most refrigerated ranch dressings have real buttermilk too.
- Do not use light or fat free dressing.
- The instructions look a little daunting but that's just because of the steps to add the potatoes and baste. Refer to the quick-glance cooking chart below and in the notes to simplify things.
- Chicken breasts and boneless, skinless chicken pieces will not work for this recipe. This cooks low and slow so you will need to use cuts that will handle cooking this long.
QUICK-GLANCE COOKING CHART
You may look at the recipe and think it's a bit complicated but it's really not. In summary, here are the cooking temps/times:
- 325 degrees – Chicken only – bake 45 minutes
- 325 degrees – Add potatoes – bake 30 minutes
- 325 degrees – Baste everything – bake 30 minutes
- 375 degrees – Baste everything again – bake 20-30 minutes
Recipe for Buttermilk Ranch Roasted Chicken with Potatoes
Buttermilk Ranch Roasted Chicken with Potatoes
Ingredients
- 10 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and/or legs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 pounds small red potatoes
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk ranch dressing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. See cooking chart in notes below for a quick-glance guide to cooking times.
- Add chicken, olive oil, salt, garlic, onion powder and peppers to a large bowl and toss to coat. Really get in there with your hands and massage those spices into the chicken.
- Spray one large baking pan (18x13) or two smaller pans with cooking spray or rub with a little olive oil. Arrange chicken pieces evenly in pan then bake at 325 degrees 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, clean potatoes. Leave the smaller potatoes whole and cut the larger ones in half. You don’t want anything bigger than 2” in diameter.
- Remove pan from oven. Arrange potatoes evenly around chicken pieces then season with salt and pepper. Return pan to oven then continue cooking 30 minutes.
- Remove pan from oven. Baste chicken and potatoes with buttermilk ranch dressing. Return pan to oven then continue cooking 30 more minutes.
- Remove pan from oven. Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees. Baste chicken and potatoes with buttermilk ranch dressing again. Return pan to oven and continue cooking 20-30 minutes or until chicken is golden brown.
- Arrange chicken and potatoes on a serving platter to serve. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
Make sure you buy an actual buttermilk ranch dressing (such as Newman's Own). Check the ingredients list to be sure buttermilk is one of the top three ingredients. Do not buy light or fat free dressing.
In summary, here are the cooking temps/times. It's not as complicated as the instructions may seem.
- 325 degrees – Chicken only – bake 45 minutes
- 325 degrees – Add potatoes – bake 30 minutes
- 325 degrees – Baste everything – bake 30 minutes
- 375 degrees – Baste everything again – bake 20-30 minutes
This looks so insanely good. Again, if I didn't live 5 states away, I'd be knocking on your door for this! Love your twist since livin' where I do, Creme fraiche is not available without driving 50 miles, so many others are probably thanking you for that reason too :)
ReplyDeleteThis looks amazing! I just wanna reach through the screen and grab it!
ReplyDeleteThis look SOOO good!!
ReplyDeleteWhen you say real buttermilk ranch dressing, do you mean the shelf stable kinds like the big K, or HVR, or do you mean the refrigerated kind? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteEither kind so long as the ingredients list includes buttermilk :)
DeleteHi there. What to do if you can't find a dressing including buttermilk? Could I use real buttermilk as a % of the dressing with a range dressing as balance? HELP!
DeleteYou could buy the powdered mix (that calls for buttermilk and mayo) and make it yourself I suppose.
DeleteThis looks so great! If I would cut the recipe in half should I change the cooking times?
ReplyDeleteNo, cook everything the same. Good luck!
DeleteCan you do this with chicken breasts also?
ReplyDeleteI think breasts wouldn't be as moist but you could try it. Just be sure they're not boneless or skinless.
DeleteI just made this with a mix of the quarters and breast and it was amazing. This recipe is a keeper for sure. So yummy!
DeleteThank you so much for posting several recipes that use whole chicken thighs. With the price of beef and pork lately, chicken thighs are the only meat I can really afford to buy, and my family is more than a little tired of chicken casseroles and other shredded chicken recipes. I can’t wait to try your recipes and bring more variety to my kitchen!
ReplyDeleteThis looks amazing!! Is there a crockpot version?
ReplyDeleteI don't think this could cook well in a crock pot. Sorry!
DeleteDo you get the butter milk dressing in the package and follow recipe on package or do you use the dry seasoning?
ReplyDeleteI used the already prepared kind in the bottle but you can certainly make it from a packet. Either way, we're using prepared dressing, not the dry mix.
DeleteI made this last night and it looked exactly like the picture! How often can you say that? It also tasted as good as it looked. My son said the only problem was having to wait so long to eat once the wonderful smell started filling the house. Love your site and so does my family!
ReplyDeleteThat might be one of the best compliments I've ever gotten :) Thank you for taking the time to let me know!
DeleteI made this the other night and it was amazing! My 7 year old said it was the best chicken I ever made and I need to make it more often! Thank you so much for the recipe!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! I'm so glad y'all enjoyed it!
DeleteI'm cooking this for my family on Friday since I have the day off and plenty of time to devote to this wonderful looking recipe! :) Thanks!
ReplyDeleteShould the chicken be covered with foil while baking?
ReplyDeleteNope, just follow the recipe :)
DeleteCan you do this with a whole chicken?
ReplyDeleteSure!
DeleteThe directions say to add the peppers in with the chicken....but the ingredients do list peppers, are their peppers in the dish? thanks!
ReplyDeleteI mean the spices :)
DeleteI'm thinking she is referring to the 1/2 tsp of white pepper & 1/2 tsp of black pepper
ReplyDelete;)
DeleteWould you add time and/or increase the temperature for chicken breasts?
ReplyDeleteI really think dark meat works best with this recipe but if you'd like to try breasts, use bone-in, skin-on pieces. They won't need to cook as long so maybe reduce the first cook time (45 mins) to 30 minutes. Good luck!
DeleteWell I guess I should have read all these comments before I started.I have the boneless skinless chicken breast in the oven right now one more basting left. Smells wonderful I will let you know how it turns out.
DeleteDid you cover your pan while in the oven.
ReplyDeleteNo, bake uncovered.
DeleteThe picture is what grabbed my attention. I printed this off and am going to try it this week. I like dishes that use legs and thighs of a chicken. Very economical... I noticed one of the cut side of a potato looked like it had a nice char on it. I assume that is from turning it upside down in the pan like you said? It almost looks like it has cheese on it.
ReplyDeleteYep, that's just what happens to the potatoes when they cook low and slow face-down on the pan without being disturbed. Isn't it beautiful?!
DeleteI'm a Southerner working and living in Saudi Arabia. Love your blog. Made this tonight. One word...Delish!!!! The best chicken and potatoes ever. I even used some boneless, skinless chicken breast (from France) and they turned out...Delish!! Will have to invite company over and make it again...and again...and again....
ReplyDelete;)
DeleteHi the chicken looks great. Should the chicken be marinated? If yes how long should we marinate? Kindly let me know
ReplyDeleteThere's no marinade or marinating in this recipe ;)
Deletehey Mandy, I just put the chicken in the oven. My question is, do I use different ranch dressing or the same ranch mixture I coated the chicken with when I coat the chicken and potatoes?
ReplyDeleteYou can use the same. If it's the contact with the chicken you're worried about, it will have plenty time to cook through.
DeleteThanks for getting back to me so quick. Thinking about doing a Julia Child with all your recipes. lol I love your site and you. I'm so impressed. Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteWanda! BEST! COMMENT! EVER!!!
DeleteHi Mandy, when you say baking pan, do you mean cookie sheet? also do you arrange the chicken skin side up or down...thank you :)
ReplyDeleteUse any pan(s) you have with sides to keep the pan juices in that will hold everything in a single layer. Skin-side up!
DeleteTHANK YOU MANDY :)
ReplyDeleteWhat brand did you use as Hidden Valley's Buttermilk is not in the top three ingredients.
ReplyDeleteI used a store brand but I've been paying attention since I created this recipe and Newman's Own has real buttermilk too. Isn't it something that Kraft and Hidden Valley don't use the better ingredients and that the store brand did? Ya just never know!
Deletehttp://www.newmansown.com/products/newmans-own-ranch-dressing/
DeleteThank you for the speedy reply as this is what we are having for dinner!
DeleteHI Mandy - I recently discovered your blog and have enjoyed several of your recipes thus far! I tried this recipe today and we LOVED the chicken! Unfortunately the cut side (down on the pan, of course) did not brown at all. I'm guessing this was due to the amount of fat that rendered from the chicken pieces? When I put the potatoes in after the first 45 mins I did not notice any "juice" in the pan. But when I pulled the pan out for the first basting there was alot of "juice" in the pan. Should I have tried to get this out of the pan? You didn't mention anything like this in your recipe and your other commenters didn't mention this issue either. I was careful to follow your directions...any thoughs? Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteWhat size pan did you use? If everything was crowded the liquid wouldn't have had enough space to evaporate. Sometimes meat packers pump a ton of water or other liquid into the meat (so it weighs more).Maybe that was the case with yours? Either way, the best thing is to just drain it off. If it were rendered fat in the pan (vs. broth, liquid, etc.) it would have definitely browned. I hope you guys were still able to eat it :)
DeleteHello I was just wondering if you are suppose to put the ranch dressing on when you coat the chicken with the spices or after it has been for the 45 minutes?
ReplyDeleteNo, chicken only for the first 45 minutes.
DeleteI am making this TODAY and Yes I did see that squirrel so thank you for that!! and the good laugh
ReplyDeleteI made ur recipe exactly and it was delicious! Only I did remove the skin from the chicken because one, we don't eat the skin and also I rather the dressing be on the thigh itself. Also, for diet reasons I did not use potatoes instead I used brussel sprouts and carrots. After the first baking was a lot of chicken juice which I drained and this came out very good. Will make with potatoes when I have the whole family over. Very nice website, thank you.
ReplyDeleteThis looks so delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
ReplyDeleteTonight's going to be the second time I've made this recipe. The first time I made it, it was GONE in no time fast! I'm going to try doing bread instead of potatoes...wish me luck!
ReplyDeleteLove, love, LOVE your recipes! Since finding you a couple of months ago, I've made many of your recipes and all have gotten rave reviews from my family and friends. In fact, my macaroni and cheese is now being replaced by your crockpot version...they keep begging for it! You are now my go-to lady when I'm looking for a recipe! Thank you for all your hard work keeping this site going...I know many folks like me are really benefitting from it.
This looks absolutely delicious, and everyone that has made it has loved it, so I know you must be onto something! But, I am just having the hardest time imagining chicken in the oven for over TWO HOURS!? Even at 325 (most of the time), and even with thighs, it is hard to believe it wouldn't get dried out. You've really never had it seem overcooked?
ReplyDeleteI almost always cook dark meat low and slow just like this and have never thought it was overcooked. It has to be bone-in, skin-on pieces, though.
DeleteI made this recipe this weekend and it was awesome!! I did need to bake it a little longer, it could be I cut the potatoes a little bigger but it was so good, I couldn't believe I made it!!! I also had the issue of the drippings being a little too much like too much broth so I just drained most of it out, the second baking trip in the oven made more drippings so it worked out... I took it out of the oven and wasn't sure how to serve it -- I'm not a cook! -- I never got that far.. lol I was so proud!! Thank you Mandy!!
ReplyDeleteThe potatoes were SO good -- my favorite part, in fact. My chicken turned out a bit dry so I put a little gravy on the table, but maybe my pieces were smaller than average -- I may try covering them for that first chicken-only session next time. Everything did turn out looking as beautiful as the pictures. Thanks for the recipe. :)
ReplyDeleteI would skip the first 45 minutes of cooking.
ReplyDeletethanks was wondering this myself because boneless is what I have too. sounds delicious.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying this recipe out tomorrow for my holiday party in a couple of weeks. My oven has the heating element solely on the top, like for broiling. Sometimes food comes out too dry or burned, unless I place a slatted pizza dish on a top rack or move the baking dish to a low rack. My oven can either be used as a convection or conventional oven. Since I don't want to dry out the chicken, how would you suggest I place and cook the chicken? Convection vs Conventional? Mid-rack or Low-rack? TIA
ReplyDeleteI just really don't think this is a recipe you could make with just your top element :( I wish I could help you but it needs to slow roast. If you do try it, let me know how it turns out!
DeleteThe chicken turned out great, although it wasn't brown all over like your picture. My two test tasters told me not to change a thing! I'm still planning on making this for 25 people this Saturday. Wowza! Now, that I know what I'm doing more or less, I'll be able to tweak it for my cooking tools.
DeleteI bought bonleless, skinless chicken thighs. What alterations should I make? This looks so good, I want to try it, but just realized my chicken is boneless and skinless. :(
ReplyDeleteI would probably cook everything the same and hope the basting keeps everything moist :)
DeleteHave you tried roasting some carrots with this too? Just curious. Thanks
ReplyDeleteI made this for dinner last night and can't get over how amazing it was! My husband said it was the best chicken he ever had. Even my picky two-year-old loved it! I used drumsticks and bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts… Followed the recipe to a T other than that and it turned out perfect! Thank you so much sharing!
ReplyDeletejust wondered since its not specified, did you but the ranch dressing on the chicken with the spices or after the 45 minutes and if so how did u "baste" with a brush did u brush on the dressing onto the food? thanks! I am just confused with this recipe
DeleteI'm confused when you say baste... do you mean up until now the ranch has not been used and to put the ranch onto the food? how so with a brush?
ReplyDeleteThe ranch goes on after the first 45 and 30 minutes of baking time has passed (75 min total). I baste with a brush.
DeleteI bought a regular bottle of Hidden Valley Ranch. It does list buttermilk as an ingredient. Will that be fine to use, or do I need to buy bottle of Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch?
ReplyDeleteI made this about 2 weeks ago & it was fabulous!!! My husband asked me if we could make it again tonight... OMG, we most certainly will! Last time I used a bottle dressing, this time I'm making it from scratch. Thanks a bunch Mandy! Love your website! Tracey ;-)
ReplyDeleteI made this recipe exactly as printed. The potatoes were wonderful. The chicken pieces were so dry I could hardly eat them. Too much heat for too long.
ReplyDeleteDid you use bone-in, skin-on thighs and legs?
DeleteI am not sure what happened with Mollie's run at it, but I followed the directions and recipe as described on the site, bone in chicken 5 legs and 5 thighs, basted with a spatula (I couldn't find my brush), and used Kraft buttermilk ranch dressing (it was on sale), and my chicken was amazing. Super moist and not dry at all. Oh I also had to divide up the chicken and potatoes between two smaller pans as stated in the directions because I don't have a big baking pan. Just thought I would share. The Broke Dad
DeleteI've had it once, and I'm having it again. I love this dish. If you are reading these comments, wondering if you should try it- do it!
ReplyDeleteI've made this several times and it always comes out great! That's why I'm cooking my own Mother's Day dinner today cus I want this!! Thanks, Mandy, for the yummyness!!!
ReplyDeleteI am making this for the first time today. I'd like to know what level do you have your rack in the oven at? Thx
ReplyDeleteThis is the best chicken and potatoes I've had in my entire life! My son, who hates any chicken that isn't breaded and fried, enjoys this recipe! Sooooo delicious!!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to try this recipe. My family and I have loved so many of them. I put your cookbooks on my Amazon wishlist, I hope to get them soon. How does this do in cast iron? Or should I use a different baking pan?
ReplyDeleteThere goes my oven boycott!!! This sounds too delish to not try. Have to cut the recipe in half though because it's only me....I don't have to share!!! LOL
ReplyDeleteI did it. I finally had time to try this recipe and OMG it was AMAZING. Best roasted potatoes I have ever had hands down. I failed to get the beautiful caramelized look like you have shown in your photos and had to put everything under the broiler for about a minute to get things to darken up but other then that the recipe turned out perfect. It has been placed into our monthly dinner rotation by order of my wife and kids, ha. I am glad you shared this and even more glad that I took the time to make it. Thank you so much. The Broke Dad
ReplyDeleteLOL yay!! I'm so glad you liked it! And thanks for commenting above as well ;)
DeleteWow Mandy, this was fantastic! Tried it last weekend and it was a total hit, even with my kids...when my 13-year old daughter reached for a THIRD drumstick, I knew I found a winner! Thanks for taking the time to experiment and come up with a knockout! Thanks also for the heads-up on buttermilk ranch salad dressings. For any of your readers that can find Ken's Steakhouse salad dressings in their local market, buttermilk is listed as the second ingredient. Mighty tasty salad dressing too! And, your new book? Beautiful! I've found so many recipes I can't wait to try. Keep 'em coming!
ReplyDeleteI know this is going to sound weird but does this taste 'ranch-y'? It looks so amazing. I love dishes that call for ranch because it adds so much flavor but my husband absolutely hates anything Ranch. grrr If he knows it's in there he won't go near it. I do sneak it (and sour cream...and cream of mushroom soup. Feel my pain.) in often if I know the ranch flavor will be absorbed. In reading all the comments it seems even picky eaters love this recipe so I'm hoping I'll be able to add it to my short list. Thank you!!
ReplyDeleteWow! Since I am too arrogant and hardheaded to follow a recipe exactly, I soaked my chicken in butter milk for 12 hours, in addition to bone-in legs with skin, I also used boneless skinless breasts, and I added carrots. This recipe was so perfect, that I couldn't even mess it up with my changes. This was over the top good. BTW: the carrots were also great. I added them with the potatoes and treated them the same way. Fabulous Recipe!
ReplyDeleteMade it again tonight with Cornish Game Hens, potatoes and carrots. Probably should have reduced the time a little, but it was still great. What a wonderful recipe. I'm becoming a Mandy Rivers fan.
Deletewere the boneless skinless breasts dry?
ReplyDeleteJust came upon this recipe as link from Southern Plate. I have used many of your recipes and have never been disappointed in any. This sounds so delicious and has so many good comments, and I can hardly wait to get to the store to buy chicken to make it. Thank you for giving us so many good things to eat.
ReplyDeleteHi Mandy, can I add thick sliced Vidalia onions?
ReplyDeleteSalima
Sure! That sounds delicious!
DeleteMaking this right now and it smells delicious!! We got the lighthouse ranch dressing from the refrigerated produce section. Works great!
ReplyDeleteI have actually made the Ina roast chicken on the bread. She serves it with arugula as a salad. The croutons are amazing. This looks amazing too.
ReplyDeleteMy goodness, with all these rave reviews, I'll feel like a doo-doo head if this isn't the next chicken dish we make! Can't wait to try, and thank you for the note about...wait...what's that over there? Oh yes, about seeing the squirrel and losing your place. :O
ReplyDeleteI think I did something wrong. The thigh meat was getting dried out before the skin was crisp. Dumped off major juice before adding potatoes so they could crisp up a bit, but then there wasn't a lot of drippings to pour over when done. Skin was very tasty, though! And who knows? Might have been too many squirrels that day. :O I'll try it again!
ReplyDeleteIt could be from the totally unpredictable, inconsistent (incredibly frustrating) amounts of liquid ("brine" they call it) meat packers are pumping into the meat we buy. They do it to add weight so we have to pay more but it can really wreck a recipe, especially in a dish like this.
DeleteTHE best chicken that I have ever cooked, and I cook a lot! Thank you!
ReplyDelete