Ina Garten Just Shared the Secret to Her Stunningly Easy Baked Chicken & We're Nervous, But Intrigued
Ina Garten’s a world-famous chef with tons of celebrity fans, including Jennifer Garner and Blake Lively. So, when she reveals one of her secrets to a fabulous meal, we lean in and listen — even if it is a little eyebrow raising.
The Barefoot Contessa shared a new video on Instagram for her “Ask Ina” series, this time spilling the secret behind her fabulous baked chicken recipe.
Chicken with Goat Cheese & Basil
“Everyone needs a few dishes you can assemble in 10 minutes, then throw in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes while you drink a glass of wine,” she wrote in the caption. Amen, girl! “This is one of my favorite recipes for when I’m too tired to cook but really want a hot meal!” she added.
In the video, Garten reveals this is “the easiest dinner I know how to make.” You start with chicken breast, which Garten requested is boneless with the skin still on. She slides an herb goat cheese underneath the skin, adds a few seasonings, then puts it in the oven to bake.
The Big Secret
But here’s the kicker: she actually underbakes the chicken! *Cue record scratch here.* Why would you underbake chicken, a vessel for salmonella and food poisoning?
Garten explains more in her caption. “Take the chicken out when its internal temperature reaches 155 to 160 degrees, and let it rest under a sheet of aluminum foil for 10 minutes,” she said. “It will keep cooking to 165 degrees, at which point it will still be hot and fully cooked.”
If you’ve ever had gooey cookies that turned hard while sitting on a baking sheet outside of the oven, then you get it. Still, undercooking chicken is a little nerve-wracking. In Ina we trust, though!
Controversy in the Comments
Fans praised this recipe. “Ina—this looks YUM. You just solved what’s for dinner tonight ????♥️” Jennifer Garner commented. Someone else said, “Will definitely be trying this!”
“This one is on heavy rotation in our house thanks to you. We love it!!” another person praised.
Others were a little more hesitant. “It’s easy dinner but I just see salmonella everywhere,” one person wrote. “It looks good. I’m sure it taste amazing. Sorry I just touching all that chicken and then all the stuff.”
“Who gonna tell her that chicken ain’t done,” someone else said.
Get Garten’s full Chicken with Goat Cheese & Basil recipe on page 114 of her cookbook At Home or online HERE.
Before you go, check out Garten’s best dinner recipes below: