Ina Garten’s Magical Jeffrey’s Roast Chicken Recipe

Roast chicken gets elevated with garden herbs and oven-roasted vegetables.

The skin crisps beautifully while the meat stays juicy and tender.

Roasting everything in one pan builds flavor and saves time.

Each bite brings a balance of texture and savory richness.

Classic in technique, the result always impresses.

Home kitchens feel like fine restaurants with this recipe.

Why Jeffrey’s Roast Chicken Is a Beloved Classic

• Elevate Your Weeknight Dinner: This roast chicken transforms an ordinary meal into a gourmet experience with minimal effort and maximum flavor.
• Bursting with Citrusy Brightness: Lemon quarters infuse the chicken with tangy, aromatic notes while creating a deliciously moist and tender meat that sings with freshness.
• Foolproof Cooking Technique: The step-by-step method ensures perfect results every time, making it ideal for both novice and experienced home cooks who want a reliable, impressive dish.
• One-Pan Wonder: Streamline your cooking and cleanup with a simple roasting pan that creates a complete meal with caramelized onions, flavorful sauce, and succulent chicken in a single vessel.

Ingredients That Make Jeffrey’s Roast Chicken Special

• Whole Chicken: Fresh bird with good quality skin, preferably organic or free-range for better flavor and texture.

• Kosher Salt, Black Pepper: Essential for enhancing the chicken's natural taste and creating a flavorful crust.
• Garlic: Adds deep, aromatic flavor throughout the chicken's interior.
• Lemon: Provides bright, citrusy notes and helps tenderize the meat.
• Onion: Contributes sweet, caramelized flavor when roasted.

• Olive Oil: Helps create crispy skin and promotes even browning of the chicken.
• White Wine: Adds complexity to the pan sauce and helps deglaze the roasting pan.
• Chicken Stock: Provides rich, savory base for the sauce.
• All-Purpose Flour: Helps thicken the sauce and create a smooth consistency.

How to Roast Chicken the Jeffrey Garten Way

Step 1: Warm Up The Oven

Crank the oven to a toasty 425°F, getting it ready for our delicious chicken adventure.

Step 2: Prep The Bird

• Remove giblets from the chicken
• Gently pat the chicken dry with paper towels
• Season the inside cavity generously with salt and pepper
• Stuff the cavity with
• Lemon quarters
• Garlic halves

Step 3: Create A Flavor Explosion

• Coat the entire chicken with olive oil
• Sprinkle salt and pepper all over
• Tie chicken legs together with kitchen string
• Tuck wing tips under the body

Step 4: Set The Roasting Stage

• Place chicken in a roasting pan
• In a bowl, toss together
• Remaining lemon quarters
• Onion slices
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Spread the lemon and onion mixture around the chicken

Step 5: Roast To Perfection

Cook the chicken for 1 hour and 15 minutes until juices run clear when cut near the leg and thigh.

Step 6: Let The Chicken Rest

• Transfer chicken to a serving platter
• Keep lemons and onions in the pan
• Cover chicken with foil
• Allow to rest for 10 minutes

Step 7: Create A Mouthwatering Sauce

• Place roasting pan on stovetop
• Add wine
• Scrape up browned bits
• Stir in chicken stock
• Sprinkle flour
• Stir constantly until sauce thickens
• Add chicken resting juices
• Taste and adjust seasoning

Step 8: Serve With Flair

• Carve the chicken
• Arrange on platter
• Spoon roasted onions, sauce, and lemons over chicken
• Serve tender lemons on the side
• Sprinkle with a final touch of salt
• Enjoy your culinary masterpiece!

Tips for Making Jeffrey’s Roast Chicken Just Right

• Choose the Right Pan Size: Prevent onion burning by using an 11 × 14-inch roasting pan, creating the perfect cooking environment for your chicken.
• Master the Drying Technique: Thoroughly pat the chicken dry before seasoning to achieve that irresistibly crispy, golden-brown skin that everyone loves.
• Secure the Legs for Perfect Cooking: Tie the chicken legs together to guarantee even heat distribution and lock in those delicious, succulent juices.
• Nail the Doneness Test: Confidently check chicken's readiness by piercing the leg-thigh junction—crystal-clear juices signal a perfectly cooked bird.
• Unlock Flavor with Pan Deglazing: Scrape every caramelized bit from the roasting pan to transform simple drippings into a rich, deeply flavored sauce that'll make your meal unforgettable.

How to Store Leftover Jeffrey’s Roast Chicken

• Freezing Strategy: Preserve peak flavor by carefully packaging roasted chicken in freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. Remove excess air to prevent freezer burn, which can degrade meat quality. Label containers with date and contents for easy tracking. Chicken maintains optimal taste and texture when frozen within 24 hours of cooking, lasting up to 3 months without significant flavor loss.
• Refrigeration Technique: Store roasted chicken in sealed, shallow containers to maximize cooling and prevent bacterial growth. Position chicken pieces in a single layer, allowing cool air to circulate. Consume refrigerated chicken within 3-4 days for best taste and food safety. Always keep refrigerator temperature below 40°F to slow bacterial development.
• Reheating Method: Restore moisture and prevent dryness by warming chicken at controlled temperatures.

Flavorful Variations on Jeffrey’s Favorite Chicken

• Mediterranean Magic: Add rosemary, thyme, and oregano to the cavity. Replace lemon with fresh Mediterranean herbs, creating a fragrant and earthy flavor profile that transports you to sunny Greek islands.
• Spicy Southwestern Style: Incorporate chipotle powder, smoked paprika, and cumin into the seasoning. Stuff the cavity with jalapeños and cilantro for a bold, zesty kick that brings southwestern flair to the classic roast chicken.
• Herb Garden Elegance: Use a blend of fresh herbs like tarragon, parsley, and chives inside the cavity. Substitute white wine with vermouth and add fresh herb sprigs around the chicken for an aromatic and refined version of the original recipe.
• Asian-Inspired Fusion: Swap olive oil with sesame oil, add ginger and garlic to the cavity. Season with five-spice powder and garnish with green onions, transforming the roast chicken into a vibrant Asian-inspired dish.

One Last Bite of Jeffrey’s Roast Chicken Joy

Ina Garten’s Roasted Chicken Masterpiece beckons home chefs with its irresistible simplicity and classic elegance.

Culinary enthusiasts can recreate this iconic dish with minimal ingredients and maximum flavor.

Mediterranean-inspired ingredients like fresh lemons and roasted onions elevate this chicken from ordinary to extraordinary.

Classic techniques transform basic poultry into a restaurant-quality meal that celebrates home cooking.

Personal touches make this recipe shine, creating a memorable dining experience for family and friends.

Passionate cooks can connect with Ina’s philosophy of delicious, approachable cuisine that feels both sophisticated and comforting.

Meal lovers: dive into this recipe, share your culinary adventure, and let the deliciousness inspire your next kitchen dish!

Ina Garten Jeffreys Roast Chicken Recipe

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4.5 from 32 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

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Description

Ina Garten’s Jeffreys Roast Chicken embodies comfort and elegance from her Hamptons kitchen. Crispy golden skin and tender meat promise a memorable meal that welcomes friends and family around a delicious centerpiece.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Protein:

• 1 (4- to 5-pounds/1.8- to 2.3-kilograms) roasting chicken

Vegetables and Aromatics:

• 2 Spanish onions, peeled and thickly sliced
• 1 whole head of garlic, cut in half crosswise
• 2 lemons

Liquids and Seasoning:

• 0.5 cups/120 milliliters dry white wine
• 0.5 cups/120 milliliters chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Good olive oil

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Instructions

1. Prepare the oven by heating it to 425°F (220°C), ensuring the rack is positioned in the center for even cooking.
2. Clean the whole chicken thoroughly, removing internal organs and patting the exterior completely dry with paper towels.
3. Season the chicken cavity generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, then stuff with two lemon quarters and garlic halves to infuse aromatic flavors.
4. Coat the entire chicken surface with olive oil, creating a glistening layer that will help achieve a crispy, golden-brown skin.
5. Sprinkle additional salt and pepper over the exterior, ensuring even distribution for balanced seasoning.
6. Truss the chicken by tying legs together with kitchen twine and tucking wing tips underneath to promote uniform cooking.
7. Arrange lemon quarters and onion slices around the chicken in a roasting pan, tossing them with olive oil, salt, and pepper to create complementary roasted accompaniments.
8. Roast the chicken for approximately 75 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and juices run clear when pierced between leg and thigh.
9. Transfer chicken to a serving platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 minutes to redistribute internal juices.
10. Create a pan sauce by placing the roasting pan on stovetop over medium-high heat, deglazing with white wine and scraping browned bits from the bottom.
11. Incorporate chicken stock and a tablespoon of flour, stirring constantly to develop a rich, thickened sauce.
12. Add any accumulated chicken resting juices to the sauce, adjusting seasoning to taste.
13. Carve the chicken and plate, garnishing with roasted onions, pan sauce, and tender lemon quarters for a complete, flavorful presentation.

Notes

• Capture maximum flavor by ensuring chicken skin is bone-dry before seasoning for extra crispiness.
• Protect even cooking by carefully binding chicken legs together using kitchen twine.
• Guarantee perfectly roasted meat by selecting a compact 11 × 14-inch roasting pan that prevents burning.
• Validate complete cooking by checking leg joint area for clear, transparent meat juices.
• Extract rich sauce depth by meticulously scraping every caramelized brown bit from roasting pan’s surface.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Roasting
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 500 kcal
• Sugar: 3 g
• Sodium: 600 mg
• Fat: 30 g
• Saturated Fat: 8 g
• Carbohydrates: 10 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 40 g
• Cholesterol: 120 mg