This Is Ina Garten’s Ultimate Go-To Weeknight Dinner (Besides Roast Chicken)

Ina Garten might be the most consistent food personality on God’s green earth. In this uncertain world, her steadfastness is something I and so many others seem to just crave. Despite the fact that deep down we always know what she’s going to say, we clamor to her every word, recipe, cookbook, TV episode, and, of course, Instagram post. Because of this, we were not surprised in the slightest when our Queen took to Instagram to declare her favorite weeknight dinner: Parmesan Chicken.

We knew it! We knew it! Not only is chicken her go-to protein source, but Parmesan is her favorite cheese. So it’s only natural that her favorite weeknight dinner is the marriage of these two ingredients, under a drizzle of her expertly crafted lemon vinaigrette. From this day forward, let chicken + Parmesan + lemon be known as the Ina Garten Trifecta!

The recipe was originally featured in Ina’s 2002 cookbook Barefoot Contessa Family Style which boasts that it’s filled with “easy ideas and recipes that make everyone feel like family.” And what better dish to bring people together than breaded chicken cutlets, atop a mound of salad with lemon vinaigrette and extra grated Parmesan?? As Ina likes to say, “When you’re here, you’re family.” JK, that’s Olive Garden.

What Ina actually says about this recipe is: “If I had to choose my all-time go-to dinner (besides roast chicken!!) it would definitely be my Parmesan Chicken. It’s a whole dinner on one plate — juicy herb-breaded chicken with a cold lemony salad and shaved Parmesan on top. And the whole thing takes 30 minutes to prepare. How great is that?!”

Ina, I couldn’t have said it better myself! Check out this chicken recipe and many more on Kitchn’s Top 10 Favorite Chicken Recipes from Ina Garten.