Recipe

Buttermilk Brined Chicken Quarters with Spicy, Creamy
Mushroom Sauce

Servings: 2
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus 12-24 hours for brining
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Buttermilk Chicken Quarters:
● 4 cups buttermilk
● 1 tbsp fine sea salt
● 1⁄2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
● 2 bone-in, skin on chicken quarters
● 2 tablespoons neutral oil

For the Mushroom Sauce:
● 8oz mushrooms, quartered
● 1 small shallot, finely chopped
● 1 clove garlic, minced
● 1⁄4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
● 2 tablespoon butter
● 2 tablespoons mirin
● 2 tablespoons Sake
● 1 teaspoon beef bouillon
● 2 tsp Dijon mustard
● 1⁄3 cup heavy cream
● 2 teaspoons soy sauce

● 1⁄4 cup chopped parsley
● 2 teaspoons of your favorite chili crisp
For Serving:
● Cooked Jasmine rice
● Furikake
● Sliced green onion
● Lemon Wedges

Instructions:

1. Brine the Chicken:
Combine the buttermilk, salt, and pepper in a ziplock bag or shallow dish. Add
the chicken quarters to submerge in the buttermilk mixture. Seal or cover and
move to the refrigerator to chill for 12-24 hours. Buttermilk brining seasons and
tenderizes the chicken, we suggest you don’t skip this step.

2. Sear the Chicken:
Preheat the oven to 325oF. Remove the chicken from the brine and pat it dry
with a paper towel. Season it again with salt and pepper. Heat an oven-safe
skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add the oil to the pan and dab the
chicken dry once more before placing it skin side down in the pan. Cook for 10
minutes until the skin is brown and crispy, then flip the chicken and move the
pan to the oven for 10-15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.**

3. Prep the Sauce:
While the chicken is in the oven, prepare your ingredients for the mushroom
sauce. Mince the shallot and garlic, quarter the mushrooms, and chop the
parsley.

4. Cook the Aromatics and Mushrooms:
Remove the chicken from the oven, and transfer the quarters to a plate to rest.
If there are any burnt bits in the pan, wipe them out with a paper towel. Return
the pan to the stove and warm to medium-high heat. Add the butter to the
pan and melt until bubbling. Add the shallot and cook for 3-4 minutes until
translucent. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for another 30
seconds. Throw the mushrooms in the pan and saute until brown, 5-8 minutes.

5. Finish the Sauce:
Add the Sake and mirin to the pan and simmer until reduced by half. Add the
beef bouillon, Dijon, heavy cream, and soy sauce. Stir to combine. Bring the
mixture to a boil, and lower the heat to keep it simmering. When the sauce has
thickened, stir in the parsley and chili crisp. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

6. Plate:
Add a mound of cooked rice to each plate, and nestle the chicken next to it.
Spoon the mushroom sauce over the chicken, dividing it between the two.
Serve with a lemon slice and chopped scallions, and furikake for the rice
(optional).

**The USDA recommends a minimum internal temperature of 165oF for
chicken.