Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Baked Lemon Garlic Chicken

Lemon Garlic Chicken - Recipe for Baked Lemon Garlic Chicken


Like many people, I have too many duties for the hours at my disposal. Because of this I've a several favored food staples that I keep in my refrigerator and pantry. Chicken, ground beef, pasta, potatoes and marina head up the lists of methods to build great dinners easily. I’ve learned that regardless how smashed for time I am, I can create quick, simple, inexpensive chicken recipes for dinner at least twice weekly, and this one is among the best.
Lemon and garlic are constants in my kitchen. Each offer wonderful flavor to a number of recipes, including this one. Baked Lemon Garlic Chicken leads my list for fast, simple and scrumptious. It combines vibrant, beautifully distinct flavors in a savory delight that appeals to everybody. Create this with either chicken breasts or chicken thighs, anything you have on hand or find on sale.
This recipe involves leaving the skin on. Because the chicken is cooked with the sauce, often it can lack color once the baking is finished. Consequently it works very well to run your almost-cooked chicken under the broiler just for a little bit, until it is golden and beautiful. This recipe works beautifully along with herbed rice, or rice pilaf, and don’t forget to serve the sauce.
One additional note - if you wish, you can double the recipe, then let the extra chicken freeze with the sauce as a marinade. Simply wrap it well, and defrost in the refrigerator before cooking. Or create the recipe as written, separate it into individual portions, freeze all of them separately, and you have a fantastic meal for just one or two. Perfect Baked Lemon Garlic Chicken in no time!

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 min
Will serve: 4 servings

Ingredients
• 1/4 cup olive oil -- I prefer full flavored or extra virgin, but what you may like
• 3 tbsp minced garlic
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 2 lemons, one zested and squeezed and 1 sliced into wedges
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tsp . dried rosemary
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp . chopped fresh thyme leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on
• Fresh parsley, finely chopped, to complete
• Optional - 4 ounces. quartered cherry tomatoes
• Optional -- 1 tbsp capers

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
With a small saucepan over medium low heat, heat the olive oil until very warm. Add garlic and cook for just about a minute. Do not allow it to burn - you actually just want to permit the flavors start to bloom.
Remove the oil from the heat, then include the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, herbs and ½ tsp of kosher salt and ½ tsp of fresh black pepper to the oil. Mix to mix, and place in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
Dry chicken well and put all of them in the dish, turning to coat with the sauce. Place them skin side up. Dust lightly with salt and pepper (yes, that’s again). Put lemon wedges around your chicken, and add the cherry tomatoes and capers if perhaps you are making use of them.
Bake chicken for 30-35 minutes, depending on size of the chicken pieces. You'd like an internal temp of 165F. In the event the skin is under done or too light, let them broil for just a little bit or until golden. Cover your casserole with foil, and permit chicken to rest for ten minutes prior to serving. Taste, and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve with its own pan juices, and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley.

*Note -- you may use boneless, skinless chicken and there are generally advantages and disadvantages to either kinds. Skin free cooks a tad bit more speedily, but could dry out and does not truly appear golden. Skin on pieces can be golden and toasty, yet really are a bit more fatty, and may seem a lttle bit ‘flabby’ without caution. Honestly - both of them taste terrific.