Rue the day. Years ago I discovered Ina Garten’s roast chicken with croutons and have been a devoted fan ever since. The combination of dressing and cooked vegetables are such a yummy way to dress up this roasted chicken.
Sunday mornings are made for comfort food. And, honestly, nothing is as comforting as a chicken dinner. Enter Ina Garten’s roast chicken with croutons — it’s the perfect recipe for spring showers and for your Sunday night family dinner.
Lemon Chicken with Croutons
- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 1 hr 55 min
Ingredients
Deselect All
1 (4 to 5-pound) roasting chicken
1 large yellow onion, sliced
Good olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons, quartered
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
6 cups (3/4-inch) bread cubes (1 baguette or round boule)Add to Shopping List
Directions
- Take the giblets out of the chicken and wash it inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers. Toss the onion with a little olive oil in a small roasting pan. Place the chicken on top and sprinkle the inside of the cavity with salt and pepper. Place the lemons inside the chicken. Pat the outside of the chicken dry with paper towels, brush it with the melted butter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.
- Roast for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Cover with foil and allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. (The onions may burn, but the flavor is good.)
- Meanwhile, heat a large saute pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil until very hot. Lower the heat to medium-low and saute the bread cubes, tossing frequently, until nicely browned, 8 to
- 10 minutes. Add more olive oil, as needed, and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place the croutons on a serving platter. Slice the chicken and place it, plus all the pan juices, over the croutons. Sprinkle with salt and serve warm.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. .
Lemon Chicken with Croutons
- Level: Easy
- Total: 2 hr 5 min
- Prep: 20 min
- Inactive: 15 min
- Cook: 1 hr 30 min
- Yield: 3 to 4 servings
Ingredients
1 (4 to 5-pound) roasting chicken
1 large yellow onion, sliced
Good olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons, quartered
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
6 cups (3/4-inch) bread cubes (1 baguette or round boule)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Take the giblets out of the chicken and wash it inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers. Toss the onion with a little olive oil in a small roasting pan. Place the chicken on top and sprinkle the inside of the cavity with salt and pepper. Place the lemons inside the chicken. Pat the outside of the chicken dry with paper towels, brush it with the melted butter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.
- Roast for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Cover with foil and allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. (The onions may burn, but the flavor is good.)
- Meanwhile, heat a large saute pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil until very hot. Lower the heat to medium-low and saute the bread cubes, tossing frequently, until nicely browned, 8 to
- 10 minutes. Add more olive oil, as needed, and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place the croutons on a serving platter. Slice the chicken and place it, plus all the pan juices, over the croutons. Sprinkle with salt and serve warm.
Ina Garten’s Lemon Chicken with Croutons…This is Amazing!
***Every once in a while, a recipe comes along that you just can’t forget. I came across this dish in Ina Gartens’ Barefoot in Paris cookbook. I knew immediately that I wanted to give it a try. First of all, I LOVE the combination of chicken and lemons. There’s something so delicious and comforting about a gorgeously roasted chicken infused with whole lemons. Secondly, I love bread…in fact, carbs of any kind will do…lol. The homemade croutons in this recipe were simply divine. They had the best toasted flavor, and I found myself eating them right out of the saute pan…haha.
I never would have thought to put an entire roasted chicken on a bed of freshly toasted croutons, but it works so wonderfully! The croutons are made from a French baguette…They soak up the lemony goodness from the chicken, and it makes for an amazing culinary experience!
Also, this recipe looks absolutely scrumptious when it’s plated and presented on a platter. In fact, Brad said “Wow….It’s like Thanksgiving!!” when I put this on the table. I can definitely see myself making this dish for dinner guests. It is sure to impress!!! But don’t worry…it’s much, much easier and faster to prepare than a Thanksgiving turkey…hah. You and your family will really love this meal.
Ina, thank you for such an amazing recipe!!!***
Roast Chicken with Bread & Arugula Salad
SERVES 4|LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE
Photo: Quentin Bacon
- 1 (4- to 4½-pound) whole chicken, preferably Bell & Evans
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 large garlic cloves, smashed flat
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt, plus extra for serving
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 to 4 (¾-inch-thick) slices country bread
- Good olive oil
- Arugula Salad (see recipe)
Place the chicken in a baking dish. Using your fingers, gently loosen the skin from the breasts and thighs without breaking the skin. Carefully slide the sprigs of thyme and the garlic under the skin. Put the lemon in the cavity. Tie the legs together and tuck the wings under the body. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of sea salt and the pepper, cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. (Be sure your oven is very clean!) Place the bread in a medium (10-inch) cast-iron skillet in a single layer. Brush the chicken with olive oil and place it, breast side up, on top of the bread. Roast for 30 minutes, turn it over and roast for 15 minutes, until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Wrap the skillet tightly with aluminum foil and allow the chicken to rest at room temperature for a full 30 minutes. (Don’t worry; it will stay hot.) The bread will be almost burnt on the bottom and soft with the pan drippings on top.
Place the Arugula Salad in a very large, shallow serving platter. Put the chicken and the bread on a cutting board. Cut the bread into 1-inch squares and sprinkle them on the salad. Carve the chicken thickly and place it on top of the salad. Spoon the pan juices over the chicken, sprinkle it with sea salt, and serve warm.
Arugula Salad (Serves 4)
- 1/4 cup Champagne vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup good olive oil
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions, white and green parts (3 scallions)
- 2 tablespoons dried currants
- 6 cups baby arugula, lightly packed (6 to 8 ounces)
Whisk the vinegar, mustard, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper together in a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whisk in the olive oil, stir in the scallions and currants, and set aside.
Place the arugula in a large bowl, add the vinaigrette, and toss well.
Copyright 2014, Make It Ahead by Ina Garten, Clarkson Potter/Publishers, All Rights Reserved