I previously shared my ranking of every one of Ina’s roast chicken recipes, but now, having finished all of her chicken recipes, I’m sharing my overall top 10 in no particular order. Jeffrey’s gonna love this!
Chicken Thighs with Creamy Mustard Sauce
Cook Like A Pro, page 91 (Recipe)
MADE: 10.23.18
RATING: 5/5
FOOD NETWORK RATING: 4.7
With so many Ina recipes to make, there are few (and maybe only this one) that I can say I’ve made 10+ times. It’s simple, delicious, and an absolute crowd-pleaser. Tender chicken thighs with the crispiest skin slathered in a creme Fraiche/dijon/onion sauce. YES. PLEASE.
Chicken with Morels
Barefoot in Paris, page 116 (Recipe)
MADE: 12.10.18
RATING: 5/5
FOOD NETWORK RATING: 4.8
OK, so maybe I’m just a fan of chicken with a cream sauce! The morels can be quite pricy but are oh-so-worth-it for this divine dish. They lend an earthy meatiness that pairs perfectly with the chicken.
Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
Modern Comfort Food, page 114 (Recipe)
MADE: 4.7.21
RATING: 5/5
FOOD NETWORK RATING: NA
Ina packs these will all kinds of deliciousness: homemade enchilada sauce, onions, poblano peppers, shredded chicken, and the biggest surprise: goat cheese! Topped with cheddar, avocado, sour cream, and cilantro (Ina of course says you can use parsley) these are a warm, spicy, satisfying meal!
Fried Chicken Sandwiches
Cook Like A Pro, page 105 (Recipe)
MADE: 4.9.2019
RATING: 5/5
FOOD NETWORK RATING: 4.5
What more can I say that’s not covered in the caption below. This is sandwich perfection – and something I’d make all the time if Popeyes weren’t right around the corner.
Lemon Chicken with Croutons
Barefoot in Paris, page 110 (Recipe)
MADE: 10.15.2015
RATING: 5/5
FOOD NETWORK RATING: 4.8
This was the first of Ina’s roast chicken recipes I made and still one of my favorites! The simply prepared chicken (using only onion, lemon, salt, pepper, and butter) is delicious and the croutons tossed with the pan juices and topped with the sliced chicken are otherworldly. This introduced me to the world of heavenly roast chicken.
I also would like to mention Ina’s Roast Chicken With Bread and Arugula Salad which roasts the whole chicken on a slice of sourdough which is then cut up for croutons! The only reason the lemon chicken wins out is the control you have over bread – with the bread and arugula salad my bread was sometimes a little too burnt for my taste!
Ramen Chicken Noodle Soup
BarefootContessa.com (Recipe)
MADE: 5.20.2020
RATING: 5/5
FOOD NETWORK RATING: NA
Ina released this recipe during QuarantINA when she was giving people ideas to use items from the pantry if certain ingredients were missing at the grocery store. And I dare say that I love it more than her original chicken noodle soup! The addition of ginger, soy sauce, and bok choy was great … and who doesn’t love ramen noodles?! I will say, this is best day-of as the ramen continues to absorb liquid leading to mushy noodles – but still delicious.
Chicken Stew with Biscuits
Family Style, page 90 (Recipe)
MADE: 4.18.2016
RATING: 5/5
FOOD NETWORK RATING: 4.8
My first experience making biscuits and they were delicious on top of the luscious chicken stew. This is essentially chicken pot pie for a crowd and perfect for warming you up on a cold winter day!
Jeffrey’s Roast Chicken/Engagement Chicken
How Easy Is That?, page 122 (Recipe)
MADE: 3.21.2017
RATING: 5/5
FOOD NETWORK RATING: 4.5
How could I not include this classic recipe that’s so good it seems everyone gets engaged after eating it! (See Duke and Duchess of Sussex) It’s another roast chicken recipe, but this one you make a delicious gravy with the drippings.
Skillet Roasted Lemon Chicken
Cooking for Jeffrey, page 90 (Recipe)
MADE: 10.3.2016
RATING: 5/5
FOOD NETWORK RATING: 4.7
This was the first recipe I made from Cooking for Jeffrey – how appropriate! This is the lemoniest of her lemon roast chickens and that’s why I love it so much. In addition to the amazing flavor, I think this one is the prettiest presentation
Chicken Salad Veronique
Barefoot Contessa at Home, page 67 (Recipe)
MADE: 3.29.2017
RATING: 5/5
FOOD NETWORK RATING: 4.7
My favorite of her chicken salad recipes, probably because it was the one I was least expecting to like! The addition of grapes and tarragon take this to the next level!
HONORABLE MENTION
Homemade Chicken Stock
Various books (Recipe)
MADE: 9.21.2017
RATING: 5/5
FOOD NETWORK RATING: 4.8
Ina’s chicken stock, AKA liquid gold, is an iconic recipe that she shares in nearly every book! Nothing beats it (although I used Better Than Boullion a lot because 1. Store-bought is fine 2. I don’t have room in my freezer to store the homemade). I will admit that I always make a moderated version for several reasons:
- I don’t have a pot large enough to make the full recipe.
- I can’t bring myself to use three full chickens that just get dumped. I tried to make chicken salad with the leftover meat once and it, of course, had no flavor.
- I like to think of this recipe as a clean out the fridge/freezer recipe and only buy a few things to round it out.
So how do I make it?
- Keep a gallon-sized Ziploc bag in the freezer and every time you have leftover, uncook chicken parts (backbones, unused chicken thighs or legs, etc) toss them in. Once it’s full, you’re ready to make stock!
- Toss the frozen chicken parts in a stockpot (the largest you have) and add approximately another pound of whole legs and/or thighs.
- Then throw in any veggies from your fridge that sound good (many are on Ina’s ingredient list) – I typically always have leftover carrots, celery, onions and garlic so those always go in. Whole peppercorns and salt is a must. From there I view everything as optional. Throw in whatever herbs you have sitting around. Any uncooked veggies (fennel, mushroom, parsnips, leeks, etc.)
- Once everything has been added to the stockpot, you add enough water to cover all the ingredients and follow Ina’s instructions from there!
