This Is Ina Garten’s Best Chicken Recipe Ever (It’s Not Roast Chicken)

It’s easy and oh-so-comforting.

When people find out I work in the food world, they often assume I always know what to cook and never fall into the ‘what’s for dinner’ rut. The reality could not be further from this. I rarely know what to make for dinner. Some weeks I have to cook all day for work, so I don’t feel like making much of anything when dinner time rolls around. 

That was until I got my copy of Go-To Dinners by the queen Ina Garten. The book lives up to its name. It's packed with easy, delicious, and reliable dinner ideas. My absolute favorite is her Chicken in a Pot, which is the best chicken stew you’ll ever taste.

How To Make Ina’s Chicken in a Pot

Ina credits another culinary legend, Nigella Lawson, as the inspiration for her take on this classic, laid-back chicken recipe. While there are dozens of recipes for Chicken in a Pot out there, what sets this one apart is browning the chicken before braising it.

When cooking almost anything, fond (the delicious brown bits that form on the bottom of the pot) is very much your friend. Browning the chicken first not only adds more flavor to the chicken, but it also infuses the vegetables and braising liquid with flavor.

Read More: How to Deglaze a Pan

Once the chicken is golden brown and delicious, a mix of vegetables like leeks, fennel, carrots, and celery head into the pot. Next, I like to add a splash of white wine to help deglaze the pan before adding the garlic, chicken stock, saffron, and a herb bundle. This all-in-one-pot masterpiece is then transferred to the oven to braise (hands-off) for about 75 minutes.

The chicken that emerges is the most tender and juicy bird you will ever eat and falls apart with little effort. Off the heat, you stir in orzo and let it sit in the delicious braising liquid where it plumps up full of flavor, no additional cooking (or dishes!) required.

My Tips for Making Ina’s Chicken In a Pot

While I generally have *no notes* for any of Ina’s recipes, when you make something almost weekly, you learn a few tips and tricks along the way:

• Skip the saffron: Don’t get me wrong, I love saffron, but if it wasn’t sitting in my pantry I definitely would not purchase it solely for this recipe. It can be incredibly pricey, and I don’t think you’ll miss the flavor much.

• Switch up the chicken: In a pinch, I’ve made this recipe with two large bone-in chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken. Whatever cut you use, make sure it’s bone-in and skin-on for maximum flavor.

• Have faith in Ina: When I first read this recipe, I was skeptical that the orzo would cook with just the residual heat of the braising liquid, but it does. I like to leave the chicken in the pot until the orzo is soft, then shred it so everything is nice and warm when served.

• Make-ahead dream: Once you taste how delicious this recipe is, you'll be pleased to learn that it's even better the next day. If you plan to serve it at a dinner party, make it in advance to make your life super easy.

• Riff on the flavors: This is my go-to meal to make when someone in my family is not feeling well. I even add a little fresh ginger and turmeric with the garlic to fend off sniffles.

Get Recipe with Title: Ina Garten’s Chicken In a Pot

Read the original article on Simply Recipes.