Description
Ina Garten’s crispy chicken with lemon orzo offers a delightful Mediterranean-inspired meal combining golden roasted chicken and zesty pasta. Herb-infused seasonings and tangy citrus notes create a memorable dinner experience for home cooks seeking restaurant-quality comfort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 boneless chicken breasts, skin-on (225g / 8 oz)
- 160g / ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 60ml / ¼ cup canola oil
- 125g / 9 tbsps unsalted butter, divided
- 2 tbsps minced fresh parsley
- 1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat the oven to 230°C / 450°F, establishing an optimal cooking environment for crispy chicken.
- Seasoning: Whisk flour, kosher salt, and black pepper in a shallow dish, creating a flavorful coating for the chicken breasts. Remove the tender strips from beneath the breasts to ensure uniform cooking.
- Searing: Melt canola oil and butter in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Thoroughly dredge chicken breasts in the seasoned flour, shaking off excess. Carefully place chicken skin-side down, allowing a golden crust to develop for 12 minutes without moving.
- Roasting: Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven, maintaining the skin-side down position, and roast for 10 minutes to guarantee even cooking. Return the skillet to the stovetop, flip the chicken skin-side up, and add remaining butter.
- Finishing: Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, watching the butter caramelize to a rich, nutty brown. Verify chicken’s doneness by checking the internal temperature reaches 54-60°C / 130-140°F.
- Serving: Remove from heat, sprinkle finely chopped parsley over the chicken. Slice breasts crosswise and plate with Lemon Orzo with Feta. Drizzle the aromatic brown butter and garnish with fresh lemon wedges for a vibrant, citrusy touch.
Notes
- Maximize Crispiness: Ensure chicken skin is completely dry before flouring to achieve an ultra-crisp golden exterior that’s restaurant-quality.
- Temperature Precision: Use an instant-read meat thermometer to guarantee perfectly cooked chicken without overcooking, maintaining juicy tenderness.
- Butter Brown Magic: Watch butter closely during final cooking stage; nutty brown color develops quickly and adds incredible depth of flavor to the dish.
- Skillet Selection: Cast-iron skillet is crucial for even heat distribution and creating that signature crispy chicken crust – no substitutions recommended.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 680
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 45g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 23g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 150mg