Ina Garten's Skillet-Roasted Chicken and Potatoes Is the Ultimate One-Pan Weeknight Meal
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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."
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!"
Related: 8 Essential Cooking Tips We Learned From Ina Garten's Instagram
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."
If you, like us, notice your mouth watering already, score the Skillet-Roasted Chicken and Potatoes recipe here. Then keep the good vibes going by discovering five simple pleasures that bring Ina Garten happiness every day.
