"Chicken in Milk" Is Probably the Best Chicken Recipe of All Time
Over 10 years ago, a somewhat strange chicken recipe went viral and became super popular. This unconventional recipe from Jamie Oliver took a whole chicken and braised it in milk with a handful of aromatics. The milk would split and separate during the cooking process into a super-flavorful sauce, and it seemed like everyone who made it raved. I finally got around to trying it myself and quickly agreed with the rave reviews. You’re rewarded with juicy chicken and lots of fragrant sauce all in one pot. After tinkering a bit with the method, here’s my take on whole braised chicken in milk.
Most of the work for this chicken is up-front: Season it, then sear on all sides before throwing it in the oven. I was advised to leave the lid on for at least half the cooking time, which I totally agree with. This lets all the aromatics really perfume the meat and keeps the breasts from drying out. My favorite easy side to serve with this chicken is some crusty bread to sop up some of the sauce, although mashed potatoes or creamy polenta work well, too. It’s the ultimate cozy main dish when it’s cold outside. (And if you don’t have an oven to use, don’t fret! You can make this slow cooker version of chicken in milk instead.)
Why You’ll Love It
You end up with chicken and sauce. There’ll be plenty of meat since this cooks a whole chicken, but you also get a bonus: lots of sauce to pour over it. The sauce requires no extra effort or dirtying another pot.
Cozy and comforting. The smell of roast chicken is super-comforting, and this dish is perfect for fall or winter when you want to warm up the kitchen and cook something really satisfying.
Key Ingredients in Whole Braised Chicken in Milk
Whole chicken. I usually use a chicken that’s 4 to 5 pounds, but whatever you get, just make sure it will fit in your Dutch oven with the lid on.
Butter and oil. Use a combination here, as the butter adds flavor and the oil keeps the butter from burning.
Lemon. You’ll need 2 lemons for their peels.
Whole milk. This is the foundation of the sauce, so stick with whole milk for its richness.
Sage. This fresh herb adds an herby depth of flavor and will make your whole kitchen smell nice and cozy. That being said, you can always swap in oregano or thyme sprigs instead.
How to Make Whole Braised Chicken in Milk
Sear the chicken. The key to getting a deeper layer of flavor in the sauce is by searing the chicken first. Get a dark sear all over the chicken, and use a combination of butter and oil. An easy way to turn the chicken is to stick a long pair of closed tongs into the cavity of the chicken to lift it up and rotate. Use a Dutch oven or pot big enough to hold the chicken with the lid closed.
Add the milk and aromatics. Move the chicken to a plate and pour out the grease. Pour in whole milk and add the zest of two lemons (peeled with a vegetable peeler), garlic cloves, and fresh sage sprigs.
Bake the chicken covered. Return the chicken to the pot. Cover and bake in a 375ºF oven for 45 minutes. This will infuse the chicken with flavor.
Bake the chicken uncovered. Uncover and bake until the chicken is cooked through. This will let the sauce reduce a little and the top of the chicken brown more.
Serve with sauce. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Serve the sauce as is (it will have rustic little curd-ly bits that are delicious), or transfer the sauce to a blender (without the cinnamon stick) and blend for a smoother sauce. I like blending just the sauce with the garlic cloves, but you can also keep the lemon peel and sage in there, too. Carve the chicken or just pull big hunks of the meat off.
What to Serve with Whole Braised Chicken in Milk
Whole Braised Chicken in Milk Recipe
It’s an unconventional recipe with delicious results.
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 1 hour 55 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
2 medium lemons
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (4 to 5-pound) whole chicken
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more as needed
2 1/4 cups whole milk
2 sprigs fresh sage
10 cloves garlic, peeled
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
Freshly ground black pepper
Crusty bread, mashed potatoes, or steamed rice, for serving (optional)
Instructions
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Heat the oven to 375ºF. Peel the zest from 2 medium lemons with a vegetable peeler into long strips; reserve the zested lemons for another use.
Heat 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed oven safe pot (make sure the chicken can fit inside with the lid on) over medium-high heat until the butter is melted. Meanwhile, pat 1 whole chicken dry with paper towels, and season all over with 2 teaspoons of the kosher salt, trying your best to get some of it under the skin.
Place the chicken in the pot breast-side down. Sear until all 4 sides are dark golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side (to help turn the chicken, close a set of long tongs, insert into the cavity, and lift and turn the chicken). If the fat starts to smoke, reduce the heat to medium.
Turn off the heat. Transfer the chicken breast-side up to a plate. Pour the grease in the pot into a heatproof bowl and discard when cooled.
Add the lemon zest, 2 1/4 cups whole milk, 2 fresh sage sprigs, 10 peeled garlic cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt to the pot and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom. Return the chicken to the pot breast-side up. Season the top of the chicken with a few grinds of black pepper.
Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh not touching bone registers at least 165ºF, 30 to 45 minutes more.
Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board or serving platter. The sauce can be served straight from the pot. It will have some curdled bits at the bottom. Alternatively, remove the cinnamon stick (and lemon peel and sage if you don’t want to blend that up), then pour the sauce into a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and season the sauce with more kosher salt and black pepper as needed. Pull the meat off of the chicken or carve into pieces, and serve with plenty of the sauce.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Refrigerate leftover chicken in the sauce in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Further Reading
Why People Are Ditching Their Seltzer After a Disturbing Study
The “Beautiful” $3 Flower Tumblers at Walmart People Are Buying 2 at a Time
Tuscan Chicken Is the "Most Delicious" Dinner of All Time, Says Everyone Who's Tried It
