Food Ingredients Meat + Poultry Chicken Ranch Roast Chicken 5.0 (1) 1 Review One of our favorite dressings doubles as a marinade in this easy dinner. By Chandra Ram Chandra Ram Chandra Ram leads the digital food strategy for Food & Wine. She has 15 years experience writing and editing food content and developing recipes. A former restaurant cook and server, she also writes cookbooks. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on February 12, 2024 Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Recipes published by Food & Wine are rigorously tested by the culinary professionals at the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in order to empower home cooks to enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing meals they will love. Our expert culinary team tests and retests each recipe using equipment and ingredients found in home kitchens to ensure that every recipe is delicious and works for cooks at home every single time. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Shell Royster Active Time: 15 mins Marinate Time: 8 hrs Total Time: 9 hrs Yield: 2 servings Jump to recipe We love tangy, herby ranch dressing as a dip or on salads, but it is also works as a flavorful marinade for chicken. Frequently asked questions Can you use ranch dressing as a marinade? Yes! The acid in buttermilk tenderizes chicken as it marinates, which is why so many cooks rely on it as a marinade for roast chicken or fried chicken. What Is Buttermilk — and How to Use It What is buttermilk? Traditional buttermilk is the fermented, low-fat liquid byproduct of making butter; it’s the liquid leftover after the butter is made. The buttermilk you buy at the store is cultured buttermilk, made from cow’s milk that’s been processed similar to how yogurt is made, with live cultures added to milk to ferment it. Cultured buttermilk is thicker than heavy cream with some small tender lumps, a rich, pale, golden color, and a pleasingly tangy flavor and aroma. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen We much prefer the flavor and consistency of homemade ranch dressing, but you can use a high quality store-bought ranch dressing to make this chicken in just minutes. Chop up some herbs to stir into the dressing to add a special touch. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients Ranch Dressing 1/3 cup mayonnaise 1/3 cup sour cream 1/4 cup whole buttermilk 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon) 1/4 teaspoon celery salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt Chicken 1 (4- to 5-pound) whole chicken, quartered 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 tablespoons olive oil Directions Make the ranch dressing Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, chives, parsley, dill, lemon juice, celery salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of the kosher salt in a small bowl until combined. Cover and chill until ready to use. Make the chicken Place chicken quarters in a bowl and cover with 3/4 cup of the ranch dressing. Turn the chicken pieces to coat evenly, then cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, foil, or a silicone baking liner. Remove chicken from marinade and place on a lined baking sheet. Pat chicken dry with paper towels, season with salt and drizzle with oil. Roast chicken until browned and a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 160°F, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving it with reserved ranch dressing. Rate It Print