Ina garten skillet roasted lemon chicken and potatoes

One fan says that this comforting dish is "one of the best things I've ever eaten."

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"Ina does it again!" We've uttered those words many times about these 24 Ina Garten recipes we can't stop making and more. We found the same sentiment hanging out in the nearly unanimous five-star reviews for a certain low-fuss, high-reward Ina masterpiece that was recently received another very worthy moment in the sun on the Food Network YouTube page.

Skillet-Roasted Chicken and Potatoes "is the perfect comforting weeknight dinner," Garten says as she kicks off the how-to demonstration which aptly airs as part of the "Weeknight Dinners" episode of Barefoot Contessa: Modern Comfort Food. (The series, BTW, is inspired by her latest cookbook with the same title. Buy it: $19, Target.) "This dish has chicken and potatoes together. I'm going to cook the chicken first, then put the potatoes in. So you have a whole dinner, and this is just one skillet! No side dishes."

Ina Garten on a designed background

Credit: Getty Images / Manny Carabel

To follow Garten's lead and make this in your own kitchen, start by marinating bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs in buttermilk for 4 to 12 hours "to tenderize it," she explains. When you're ready to proceed, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and coat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet (like this one from Williams Sonoma, $40) with a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Use tongs to add the marinated chicken thighs to the skillet in one layer, skin-side-up. Then, discard your marinade.

In a small bowl, mix Dijon mustard, a splash of dry white wine ("I'm using Chablis, but whatever you have in the fridge" will do, Garten says), fresh thyme leaves, sweet Hungarian paprika "for a little smoky flavor," salt and pepper.

Place the skillet in the oven so the chicken can roast for 30 minutes. Using a clean set of tongs, remove the chicken from the skillet and place on a plate.

"This is the key to one-pot cooking. It has several stages," Garten explains. To the skillet, add ¼-inch slices of unpeeled Yukon gold potatoes (a mandoline can do the job nicely, buy it: $43.95, Williams Sonoma, as can a super sharp knife), minced garlic, salt and pepper. Use a spoon to toss and evenly coat the potato slices in the pan juices, garlic and seasonings, then spread the spuds out evenly along the bottom of the pan.

Return the chicken to the skillet atop the potatoes. Roast for 30 minutes more, or until the chicken passes a temp check of 155 degrees (an instant-read thermometer comes in clutch here; buy it: $29.99, Bed, Bath, and Beyond).

Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover that loosely with foil to keep the poultry warm. Return the skillet to the oven for one final shift, crank up the heat to 425 degrees, and roast the potatoes for 15 minutes on their own. Talk about multitasking: As the chicken rests to juicy perfection, the potatoes crisp up to golden brown, restaurant-quality side dish territory.

"That's it! The chicken is moist and tender, and the potatoes have that garlic and all the chicken juices," she says. "It's fantastic!"

Remove the skillet from the oven, pop the chicken back on top, then garnish with fresh parsley, chives and a pinch more salt. Serve hot, straight from the skillet.

"This is just a great weeknight meal. It's so easy to do. You do the first stage, have yourself a glass of wine," Garten says. (Hey, you do have the rest of that bottle of white handy now!) Then, she adds, "do the second stage, and dinner's ready."

Fans agree wholeheartedly, remarking, "My whole family loved it! I've never made an Ina recipe that wasn't company-ready on the first try. This recipe [is] 100% included!" Another chimes in with her five-star rating: "This is one of the best things I've ever eaten. The potatoes: YUM. Chicken: YUM. Now on regular rotation."

Welcome to The Pioneer Woman Cookbook Club! This month, we're featuring the Barefoot Contessa herself, Ina Garten. The Food Network star is the author of a dozen cookbooks, the latest of which is Modern Comfort Food: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. Read on to find out what Ina's been cooking so far in 2021, what she misses most about entertaining, and how to make her recipe for delicious skillet-roasted chicken!

It's no surprise that people have turned to comfort food to lift their spirits this year. The power of a home-cooked meal can be limitless, especially when it's a breeze to make and hits the spot. At a time when we need it the most, Ina Garten's new cookbook, Modern Comfort Food, is thankfully here, featuring your favorite cozy meals with updated twists.

Including recipes like Chicken Pot Pie Soup, Baked Rigatoni with Lamb, and Waffle Iron Hash Browns, the Barefoot Contessa has whipped up everything you need to soothe the stressful times we’re living in, one plate at a time.

Ina's been grounding herself with plenty of her own comforting meals this year. "I love soups and stews, not only because they’re so satisfying, but also because I can make a large batch and freeze some for later," she says. "I’ve been making big pots of Creamy Tomato Bisque, Baked Fish Chowder, and Ultimate Beef Stew from Modern Comfort Food. But when I’m cranky, a good Cheddar & Chutney Grilled Cheese also really does the trick!"

So what exactly is comfort food, according to Ina? While it can change from person to person and culture to culture, ultimately, it’s food that’s both nourishing and emotionally satisfying, she writes in her book.

But as we all know, it’s not just the food that’s satisfying—it’s also the people you enjoy it with. While the queen of entertaining has made the most of outdoor dining, she admits there’s a lot about hosting that she can’t wait to get back to once the pandemic ends.

"The thing I miss most about entertaining is sitting around the kitchen table with a few friends and whiling away an evening of sharing stories and laughing," she says. "My favorite table is a 48-inch round that seats 4 to 6 people where everyone is part of one conversation. These nights are soul-satisfying and I can’t wait to do them again!"

Until we can safely have guests over for dinner parties again, there’s nothing stopping you from turning a delicious, home-cooked meal into a special occasion.

If you’re after a meal that’s hearty and easy to whip up, you’ll want to try Ina’s Skillet-Roasted Chicken and Potatoes recipe below. You can marinate the chicken in the morning, and then cook everything in a cast-iron skillet when it’s time to eat. It’ll quickly become a weeknight favorite!

As for making it a special occasion? Make it an Ina-approved date night with one of her favorite movies.

"I’m a big Nancy Meyers fan, so I can always feel good watching Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson in Something’s Gotta Give. But I can also lose myself with Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson in Remains of the Day any time!" she says. 

While you mull over your movie choice, start prepping this easy chicken dinner!

Quentin Bacon

Modern Comfort Food: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

amazon.com

Recipe courtesy of MODERN COMFORT FOOD: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. Copyright © 2020 by Ina Garten. Photography by Quentin Bacon. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

What does Ina Garten serve with her lemon chicken?