Lemon Chicken Breasts and Gifts from the Garden

Our first salad greens were taken from our garden this week. The greens required nothing more than a toss in a simple vinaigrette. I had forgotten how amazing fresh greens from your garden directly to your table can taste. 

We needed only a simple entree that would compliment our salad greens and decided baked lemon chicken breasts would be perfect.

Chicken breasts, baked in lemon, wine, oregano and garlic give chicken a great flavor.  We served it along side with cous-cous with pine nuts to help soak up the flavorful lemon juices.

Lemon Chicken Breasts

Serves 4

Recipe from Ina Garten

Ingredients:

1/4 cup good olive oil

3 tablespoons minced garlic (9 cloves)

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest ( 2 lemons)

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on (6-8 ounces each)

1 lemon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don't allow the garlic to turn brown.  Off the heat, add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt pour into a 9x12-inch baking dish.

Pat the chicken breasts dry and place skin side up over the sauce.  Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper.  Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck it among the pieces of chicken.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done and the skin is lightly browned.  If the chicken is not browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2 minutes.  Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes.  Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the pan juices.

Enjoy!