Ina Garten Skillet-Roasted Lemon Chicken

Ina Garten skillet-roasted lemon chicken is a crispy-skinned roast chicken with caramelized lemon slices, sweet onion and ground thyme and fennel that comes together in 1 hour 20 minutes. Save this make-ahead weeknight dinner for family dinner, Sunday supper or date night, because it roasts in one cast-iron skillet.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels before you brush on the herb oil, because that is what gives you crackling skin. Skip it and the skin steams in the hot pan, so it turns pale and rubbery instead of golden.

Ina Garten has made this chicken more times than she can count, and her butcher butterflies the bird so the prep is just brushing on herb oil. Freshly ground thyme and fennel give it more flavor than poultry seasoning, and the lemon slices roast underneath until soft and caramelized enough to eat.

Source: Cooking for Jeffrey (2016)

Ina Garten Skillet-Roasted Lemon Chicken

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

3

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Calories

640

kcal

A butterflied chicken roasts flat on a bed of lemon, onion and garlic, so the skin crisps while the bottom cooks in the pan juices. A splash of white wine and a final squeeze of lemon turn those juices into a quick sauce for spooning over the carved pieces.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
  

• 1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
  

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

• 1/3 cup good olive oil
  

• 1 lemon, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick (see note)
  

• 1 yellow onion, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick
  

• 2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  

• 1 (4-pound) chicken, backbone removed and butterflied
  

• 1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
  

• Juice of 1 lemon
  

Directions

• Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 450°F so it is fully hot before the chicken goes in. That way the skin starts crisping right away.
• Make the herb oil: Grind 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, 1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds, 1 tablespoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper in a mini food processor. Pour 1/3 cup olive oil into a small glass measuring cup, then stir in the herb mixture and set it aside.
• Layer the skillet: Spread 1 sliced lemon over the bottom of a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, then scatter 1 sliced yellow onion and 2 sliced garlic cloves on top. These roast under the chicken, so they soften and caramelize in the juices.
• Season the chicken: Set the 4-pound butterflied chicken skin side down on the onion and brush it with half the herb oil. Then flip it skin side up, pat it very dry with paper towels and brush on the rest of the oil.
• Roast and add wine: Roast the chicken for 30 minutes, then pour 1/2 cup white wine into the pan, not over the chicken. Roast for another 10 to 15 minutes, until a thermometer in the thickest part of the breast reads 155 to 160°F.
• Rest the chicken: Take the skillet out of the oven and sprinkle the chicken with the juice of 1 lemon. Cover it tightly with aluminum foil and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes while the juices settle back into the meat.
• Carve and serve: Cut the chicken into quarters or eighths and sprinkle the pieces with a little more salt. Serve hot with the pan juices, the cooked lemon and the soft onion spooned over the top.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 10.25-inch cast iron skillet, ThermoPro instant-read thermometer, Cuisinart 14-cup food processor, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3 lb. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I prepare this chicken ahead of time?

Yes, Ina Garten suggests assembling the chicken in the skillet and refrigerating it for a few hours before roasting. Just pat the skin dry again right before it goes into the oven, because the fridge can leave it damp.

How do I butterfly the chicken?

The easiest way is to ask your butcher to remove the backbone and flatten the bird, which is what Ina Garten does. At home, use sturdy kitchen shears to cut along both sides of the backbone, then press the chicken flat with your hand.

Can I add other herbs?

Ina Garten sometimes sprinkles minced fresh rosemary over the chicken just before it rests. The piney flavor goes well with the lemon and thyme, though a little goes a long way.

How should I slice the lemon?

Cut off the ends, halve the lemon through the stem ends, then slice it thinly crosswise. Thin slices caramelize in the pan and turn soft enough to eat with the chicken.

What is the most common mistake with skillet-roasted chicken?

Leaving the skin damp is the big one, since moisture on the surface makes it steam instead of crisp. Pat it dry well and pour the wine into the pan, not over the bird, so the skin stays dry too.