Buttermilk-Brined Chicken Thighs with Blood Orange Pan Gravy, Braised Cabbage & Crispy Cornbread Croutons
January always pulls me back to my grandmother’s kitchen in Atlanta—windows fogged up, a pot on the stove, cabbage cooked low and slow until it turned silky and sweet. She didn’t call it “braised,” but that’s what it was: comfort you could spoon.
When I trained in Charleston, I learned to treat the skillet like a sauce pot—brown the chicken hard, then build a pan gravy that tastes like you meant it. That’s where the blood orange comes in. It’s winter sunshine: bright, a little floral, and perfect against the richness of chicken thighs that have taken a long soak in buttermilk.
What makes this recipe special to me is the way it holds both worlds—my grandmother’s tenderness and my restaurant instincts—without turning either into a costume. And those crispy cornbread croutons? That’s me giving the plate some crunch and a little mischief.
Make it yours: swap blood orange for regular orange plus a splash of vinegar, add a pinch of chile flake to the cabbage, or whisk a teaspoon of fish sauce into the gravy for depth. Just don’t skip the brine—overnight if you can. Your thighs will thank you.
Featured Recipe
Buttermilk-Brined Chicken Thighs with Blood Orange Pan Gravy, Braised Cabbage & Crispy Cornbread Croutons
In my grandmother’s Atlanta kitchen, cabbage meant comfort—soft, sweet, and cooked down until it practically melted into the pot. This is my January love letter to that memory, dressed up with a Charleston pan-sauce mindset: buttermilk-brined chicken for tenderness, blood orange for winter brightness, and cornbread croutons for that crunchy, can’t-stop-snacking finish.
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Ingredients
- 6 Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs(about 2 1/2–3 lb total)
- 2 cups Buttermilk(for brine)
- 2 1/2 tsp Kosher salt(divided, plus more to taste)
- 1 1/2 tsp Black pepper(divided)
- 3 cloves Garlic(2 smashed for brine, 1 minced for gravy)
- 1 tbsp Hot sauce(optional but very Marcus)
- 1 tbsp Neutral oil (grapeseed/canola)
- 3 tbsp Unsalted butter(divided)
- 1 medium head Green cabbage(cored and sliced into 1/2-inch ribbons)
- 1 medium Yellow onion(thinly sliced)
- 1/2 tsp Fennel seed(optional, adds a gentle sausage-like warmth)
- 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar(to wake up the cabbage)
- 1 cup Chicken stock(low-sodium preferred)
- 2 Blood oranges(zested and juiced (about 1/2 cup juice))
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard(for the pan gravy)
- 1 tsp Fish sauce(optional, my quiet little secret weapon)
- 1 1/2 tbsp All-purpose flour(for thickening gravy)
- 2 cups Cooked cornbread(torn into bite-size pieces; day-old is best)
- 2 tbsp Fresh parsley(chopped, for finishing)
- 2 Scallions(thinly sliced, for finishing (optional))
- as needed water(may be needed for braising or thinning gravy if required)
Instructions
- 1
Buttermilk brine the chicken: In a bowl or zip-top bag, combine 2 cups Buttermilk, 1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt, 1 tsp Black pepper, 3 cloves Garlic, smashed, and 1 tbsp Hot sauce (if using). Add 6 Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, coat well, and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
240 min
Tip: If you only have 1 hour, still do it—some brine is better than none. Just keep it cold.
- 2
Prep your January sides: Slice 1 medium head Green cabbage and 1 medium Yellow onion. Zest and juice 2 Blood oranges. Tear 2 cups Cooked cornbread into craggy pieces (crags = crunch).
15 min
Tip: Craggy cornbread pieces catch butter like they’ve got good sense.
- 3
Crisp the chicken: Heat oven to 425°F. Remove chicken from brine, let excess drip off, and pat the skin side dry. Heat a large oven-safe skillet (cast iron is perfect) over medium-high with 1 tbsp Neutral oil (grapeseed/canola). Place thighs skin-side down and sear until deeply golden and the fat renders, 8–10 minutes. Flip and cook 2 minutes more.
12 min
Tip: Don’t rush the sear—January light needs January browning.
- 4
Roast to finish: Transfer skillet to the oven and roast until chicken reaches 175–185°F in the thickest part (thighs like it a little higher), about 15–18 minutes. Move chicken to a plate to rest.
18 min
Tip: Resting keeps the meat juicy and gives you time to build a real-deal pan gravy.
- 5
Braised cabbage in the same skillet: Pour off all but about 2 tbsp fat from the skillet (leave the brown bits). Set skillet over medium heat. Add 3 tbsp Unsalted butter, 1 medium Yellow onion, and 1/2 tsp Fennel seed (if using). Cook 3 minutes, then add 1 medium head Green cabbage and 1 tsp Kosher salt. Toss and cook until it starts to wilt, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup Chicken stock and 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar, cover, and braise until silky-tender, 10–12 minutes. Scrape cabbage onto a serving platter and keep warm.
20 min
Tip: Cabbage should be tender but not exhausted—think ‘soft sweater,’ not ‘dish rag.’
- 6
Make the blood orange pan gravy: Return skillet to medium heat. Add remaining 2 tbsp Unsalted butter. Stir in 1 1/2 tbsp All-purpose flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly whisk in remaining 1/2 cup Chicken stock plus 2 Blood oranges, juiced. Add zest, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 3 cloves Garlic, minced, and 1 tsp Fish sauce (if using). Simmer until glossy and lightly thickened, 3–5 minutes. Season with 1/2 tsp Kosher salt and 1/2 tsp Black pepper to taste.
7 min
Tip: Blood orange is sweet-tart—taste before salting heavily. The fish sauce shouldn’t taste like fish; it should taste like ‘more chicken.’
- 7
Cornbread croutons: In a separate skillet (or quickly in the now-empty cabbage pot), toast 2 cups Cooked cornbread pieces in a little 1 tbsp Unsalted butter or rendered chicken fat until crisp on the edges, 5–7 minutes. Season with a pinch of 1/4 tsp Kosher salt and 1/4 tsp Black pepper.
7 min
Tip: If your cornbread is very moist, give it 2 minutes in the oven first to dry out a touch.
- 8
Assemble and serve: Spoon braised cabbage onto plates, nestle chicken on top, and drizzle generously with blood orange gravy. Shower with cornbread croutons, 2 tbsp Fresh parsley, and 2 Scallions if you like.
5 min
Tip: Serve with a simple winter salad or roasted sweet potatoes if you want to make it a full Sunday spread.
Chef's Notes
This dish is how I bridge two kitchens: my grandmother’s patient pot of cabbage and my Charleston training that taught me to respect a pan sauce like it’s a birthright. If you can’t find blood oranges, use Cara Cara or navel orange and add a squeeze of lemon to bring the zip. And if you’re nervous about fish sauce, start with 1/2 teaspoon—once you taste what it does to gravy, you’ll understand why I keep it close.
Marcus Stone
Heritage recipes with a chef's touch
My grandmother's kitchen in Atlanta is where I learned that food carries history. Every pot of collards, every batch of biscuits, every Sunday roast told stories of resilience, family, and love. I went on to train at the finest restaurants in Charleston and worked my way up through white-tablecloth kitchens. But I always came back to those family recipes—now I cook them with a chef's technique but a grandmother's heart. Because the best food honors where it came from.