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I thought I was a solid—if a bit inexperienced—cook when I put on my apron for the first time in Ina Garten's barn. We were making banana-chocolate coffee cake, and one of my jobs was to mash the banana. I put the banana into a bowl and proceeded to chase it around with the back of a spoon, the banana sliding all over the place. Ina came over and showed me that if you put the banana on a cutting board and mash it with a fork instead, that banana will be history in no time. Sounds simple, and it was—a simple change that made a huge difference.
In the two years since, I've learned much more in Ina's kitchen—she's imparted wisdom in everything, be it arranging flowers or carving a chicken. I've grabbed some great tips and tricks that make entertaining simple, stress free, and most importantly, fun! I can't wait to share here.
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There are times I would love nothing more than a warm home-cooked dinner after a long day—but those tend to be the same days when the last thing I feel like doing is cooking. Go figure. I'm messy in the kitchen and not an enthusiastic dish-doer (that might sound like an obvious thing to say, but I do have one friend who loves doing dishes) so sometimes all that time spent cooking and then cleaning up seems like too much work for something I'm going to devour in fifteen minutes anyway.
That is why exactly why I think it's important to have some super easy dinner recipes I know I can put together quickly and without hassle. This recipe for Thyme Roasted Chicken Breasts with Autumn Vegetables is one of my go-to quick dinners. It takes just 15 minutes from the time you plop the groceries onto the counter to the minute you put the pan in the oven. And the best part is there's hardly anything to clean up because the whole meal cooks on one sheet pan.
Before I began working for Ina, I was a boneless skinless chicken breast devotee. They're easy to grill or roast, they're healthy, they're inexpensive, and they're always available, but at the end of the day, they can also tend to be really boring. Ina introduced me to boneless chicken breasts with the skin-on, and the difference in flavor is so significant that I will never go back to the boneless-skinless breasts. The skin gets nice and crispy while preventing the meat underneath from drying out, and the chicken comes out perfectly cooked and unbelievably moist each and every time. The skin also creates a little pocket in which you can stuff herbs, cheese or spices. I use thyme sprigs and smashed garlic cloves in this recipe and am always amazed at how much flavor they add to the meat.
What makes this recipe work on one pan is that the chicken cooks in the same amount of time as the vegetables. Almost any vegetable you can roast would probably work, but I love the combination of Brussels sprouts, baby carrots (the ones with sold in bunches with greens still attached, not the ones in the bag) and fingerling potatoes. I've found that cut in half lengthwise, they are just the right size to roast in 35 minutes along with the chicken.
This recipe comes in handy on rushed weeknights, but it also makes for a special dinner-for-two when you want to cook for someone without driving yourself crazy. I made it for my friend Paul, who manages a restaurant in East Hampton, and he showed me a little restaurant hack that makes for an especially beautiful presentation. Instead of arranging the chicken and vegetables side-by-side on each plate, as I did, he showed me how to elevate the dish – no pun intended – by propping the chicken breast up on a pile of roasted vegetables instead. It's such a simple change, but it instantly makes the meal feel more elegant… and no one has to know you threw the whole dinner together in an hour!
Get my recipe here.
Lidey Heuck works as Ina Garten's assistant, social media manager, and occasional recipe tester. She lives in East Hampton, NY.
