Marinate a Whole Chicken in Labne
There are many ways to bake chicken, and many are good. In fact, there are so many of them that I rarely bake chicken the same way twice, although I think that will soon change as I am now obsessed with greasing whole chicken with strained cream cheese-like yogurt known as labnech. … “
The Labne Chicken – Labchen if you like – which is completely and completely inspired by Samina Nosrat’s iconic buttermilk chicken, is the perfect roast bird with minimal effort and high reward. Labne – a cross between sour cream and cream cheese – makes the marinade great for many reasons. Similar to Samina’s buttermilk-marinated chicken, labne-coated chicken is exposed to acid, fat and protein, making the bird tender, juicy with gorgeous brown skin. Unlike chicken marinated in buttermilk, you don’t have to worry about spilling liquid while marinating, so you can be a lot lazier with a chicken sack.
It’s also very forgiving. Moments after I put my labne chicken in the oven, I found that the battery in my meat thermometer was completely discharged, causing a lot of curses to fly out of my mouth. Instead of going to buy another battery – it’s one of those flat-circle batteries, which means there aren’t any in my corner store – I decided to shift it over and cook the chicken for just under an hour (average time it usually takes) hoping for the best.
I’m happy to report that the “best” is exactly what I got. Even without matchcooking, the connective tissue and fat on the thighs had enough time to melt and fuse while the breast remained completely moist. It was one of the simplest, most beautiful, tastiest fried chicken I have ever made, if not the best (hard to say for sure; I have fried a lot of chicken). To make it yourself, you will need:
- 1 3-4 lbs chicken
- Salt
- 1-2 cups labne
Remove any giblets, plastic, or anything else that might be sticking out inside the chicken cavity. Season the chicken generously with salt, seasoning not only the outside but also the inside of the chamber. Let the chicken stand at room temperature for half an hour.
With freshly washed, completely clean hands, apply a thick layer of labne to every inch of the outside of the chicken, being careful not to get caught between joints and crevices. Place the chicken in a large freezer bag (you may need two) and refrigerate for 24 hours.
After a full day, preheat the oven to 450 ℉ and remove the chicken from the bag. Erase as much of the labyrinth as possible with a paper towel, re-season the bird with salt and place it breast-side up in a cast iron skillet or small brazier, tying its legs behind the bird and tucking the tips of the wings. under. Broil until the skins begin to brown (about 15-20 minutes, depending on your oven), then reduce the temperature to 400 ℉ and continue broiling for another 40 minutes or so, rotating the pan as needed to ensure even browning. (I ended up turning mine three times.)
If you have a meat thermometer (and you should have one), fry until the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 ℉. Remove from oven and let the chicken sit for 10 minutes (use this time to take a picture of your very beautiful chicken). Slice and serve, making sure all the delicious crisp is eaten before any leftovers are placed in the refrigerator. The skin is best removed from the oven right away and should not be wasted.