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There’s nothing quite as adorable as celebrities fangirling over their favorite celebs. While I’ll never pass over a video of an A-lister going slack-jawed on the red carpet when they see Meryl Streep, I particularly love watching stars meet their food idols—because nine times out of 10, it’s Ina Garten.
From Stanley Tucci and Emily Blunt to Julia Louis-Dreyfus and, of course, Jennifer Garner, so many big names love the Barefoot Contessa as much as we do.
Maybe the two most wholesome celebrities, Garner and Garten, have been friends for years. But long before they cooked together for the first time, Garner had been a fan.
On Garner’s “Pretend Cooking Show,” she’s shared multiple of her go-to Barefoot Contessa recipes, from scrambled eggs to soup. But one of her “all-time favorites” comes from an early Garten cookbook, “Barefoot Contessa Parties!”
Jennifer Garner's 'All-Time Favorite' Ina Garten Recipe
In 2019, Garner posted an episode of her “Pretend Cooking Show” in honor of Garten’s birthday, which is Feb. 2. Because Garten’s birthday falls in the middle of winter—and, typically, around Super Bowl Sunday, Garner used the tribute video to make a warm, comforting recipe big enough to feed a crowd: Chicken Chili.
“This is one of my all-time favorite recipes,” Garner says. “If you’re looking to feed a crowd, to make it hearty (and sneakily keep it healthy), may I humbly recommend Birthday Girl Ina Garten’s Chicken Chili.”
Garten’s chicken chili is loaded with fresh veggies, including onions and bell peppers, chicken breast, canned tomatoes, and spices. While she calls it a “chili,” it’s more akin to a tortilla soup in terms of texture and fresh flavors.
The original recipe calls for eight cups of chopped onions, but when Garner makes it, she only uses four cups. “This recipe calls for double this amount of onions, and I’m going to say that’s enough. That seems like an obscene amount of onions,” she says.
Other than that, she follows the recipe—including the eight diced bell peppers, eight chicken breasts, and four cans of tomatoes—to the letter. The thing Garner didn’t account for was the pot size.
“I hope this pot can hold all of this,” she says while sautéing the vegetables.
After adding the liquid, she realizes it cannot. So, before adding the chopped chicken breasts, she transfers the mixture to an even larger pot to let it simmer.
“Ina, it’s really good,” Garner says while taking a bite.
And, despite the pot mishap, it’s really easy to make, too. The most tedious part of the whole process is chopping all those veggies. However, simply tossing them all in the food processor will cut that time in half.
Plus, if you aren’t planning on feeding 12 people—like this recipe does—you can always cut it in half for an easy weeknight dinner or meal prep for a week’s worth of heat-and-eat lunches.
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