Ina Garten Crispy Chicken with Lemon Orzo

Ina Garten crispy chicken with lemon orzo takes 40 minutes and a stick of butter to make a golden, skin-on chicken breast dinner over feta orzo. Save this easy weeknight chicken dinner for family night, Sunday supper or a small dinner party, because it's a simple one-skillet recipe from her Modern Comfort Food cookbook.

Leave the chicken skin side down for the full 12 minutes, without moving it, before the skillet goes in the oven. Poke at it early and the skin tears and sticks instead of turning crackly and deep golden.

Ina Garten took the Italian way of cooking chicken "al burro," in butter, and gave it a Greek twist with orzo, feta and dill. Her high-heat cooking seals in the juices, which is why the skin crisps up so well in the Modern Comfort Food (2020) version.

Source: Modern Comfort Food (2020)

Ina Garten Crispy Chicken with Lemon Orzo

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DinnerCuisine: American, ItalianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

650

kcal

Skin-on chicken breasts sear in butter and oil, then finish in a hot oven until the skin shatters. A last splash of nutty brown butter over the slices ties it all together.

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
  

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

• 4 boneless chicken breasts, skin-on (about 8 ounces each)
  

• 1/4 cup canola oil
  

• 9 tablespoons good European-style unsalted butter, such as Plugrá, divided
  

• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
  

• Lemon Orzo with Feta (recipe follows)
  

• 1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
  

Directions

• Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. That way it's fully hot by the time the chicken finishes searing.
• Prep the chicken: Combine 2/3 cup flour, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a shallow bowl. Remove the tenders from the underside of the 4 chicken breasts and save them for another use, so the breasts are an even thickness and cook evenly.
• Heat the skillet: Heat 1/4 cup canola oil and 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Wait until the butter has melted and begins to sizzle.
• Sear the chicken: Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and shake off any excess. Place it skin side down in the skillet and cook over medium heat without moving it for 12 minutes.
• Roast in the oven: With the chicken still skin side down, place the skillet in the oven and roast for 10 minutes. The high heat seals in the juices while the skin keeps crisping.
• Brown the butter: Return the skillet to the stovetop over medium heat, being careful because the handle will be hot. Turn the chicken skin side up and add the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the butter turns nutty brown and a thermometer reads 130 to 140 degrees.
• Finish with parsley: Take the skillet off the heat and sprinkle on 2 tablespoons minced parsley. Then you're ready to plate.
• Slice and serve: Divide the Lemon Orzo with Feta among four dinner plates, then slice each breast crosswise in thick slices on a cutting board. Arrange one breast on each plate and spoon a few tablespoons of brown butter over the top. Squeeze on some lemon, sprinkle with salt and serve hot with a lemon wedge.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 10.25-inch cast iron skillet, ThermoPro instant-read thermometer, John Boos maple cutting board, 18 x 12, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3 lb. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Why use European-style butter for this chicken?

European butters have less water than domestic ones, so the chicken sears better and the skin browns more evenly. If you only have regular butter, it still works, but expect a little less crispness.

How do I know the chicken is done without cutting it open?

Use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the breast. It should read 130 to 140 degrees right as you pull the skillet off the heat, and the chicken keeps cooking a little as it rests.

Can I make this with boneless, skinless chicken breasts?

You can, but you lose the crispy skin that makes this dish special, and the cooking times will be shorter. I'd stick with skin-on breasts, and check the temperature early so the meat stays juicy.

Do I have to use a cast-iron skillet?

Any heavy, oven-safe 12-inch skillet will work, since the pan has to go from stovetop to a 450 degree oven. Cast iron holds heat best, which gives you the deepest golden skin.

What's the most common mistake with this recipe?

Moving the chicken during the first 12 minutes is the big one. Letting it sit undisturbed is what builds the crust, and flipping early tears the skin and leaves it pale.