I made Ina Garten's easy lemon chicken breasts for my family and friends. They were a huge hit.

Photo of Ina Garten next to photo of lemon chicken on a plate with Brussels sprouts and sweet potato
Ina Garten's lemon chicken recipe was easy, even for a beginner like myself.
  • I'm guilty of overcooking chicken breast, but Ina Garten's recipe helped me prepare a tender entrée.
  • I couldn't find boneless chicken with the skin on, so I substituted it for split halves.
  • The recipe provides plenty of downtime to prepare sides. I made sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts.

As a beginner cook, I'm always looking for easy meals that taste great.

Ina Garten's recipes have quickly risen to the top of my to-cook list. Her meals are simple with just a few ingredients and they're also flavorful.

This time, I prepared her lemon chicken breasts for my parents and a few friends, and we were all impressed.

The recipe requires just nine ingredients. All I had to buy was chicken.
Packages of chicken breast, thyme, two lemons, juicer, olive oil on counter
I already had most of the ingredients for the chicken.

Two of the main ingredients are right in the title: lemons and chicken breasts.

The other ingredients — olive oil, salt, pepper, minced garlic, oregano, and fresh thyme — were already in my kitchen.

The recipe also called for 1/3 cup of dry white wine. I used a chardonnay that my mother graciously spared for the occasion.

Pick, mince, and measure out your thyme beforehand.
Thyme in a plastic container
The recipe called for a teaspoon of minced thyme leaves.

Garten's recipe asked for a teaspoon of fresh, minced thyme.

To collect the leaves, I ran my fingers across a few branches, then chopped them a bit finer.

Tip: Read through the recipe and measure your ingredients before turning on the burner.

The bulk of the prep involved seasoning the oil.
Minced garlic in oil on a pan on a hot stovetop
Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit before you start.

Next, I turned on the oven and heated ¼ cup of olive oil in a small pan. Once the oil started to bubble, I added the minced garlic.

Careful, though: Garten recommends heating the garlic for just a minute. If it turns brown, you've cooked it too long.

The recipe made good use of the lemons.
Microplane zester filled with lemon zest above two shaved lemons
Two lemons provided just the right amount of zest.

The recipe called for two lemons that Garten cleverly uses in three ways: sliced, squeezed, and zested. I found the two lemons provided just enough zest for the recipe (one tablespoon).

With the garlic done, I turned off the heat, moved the pan to a cool part of the stove, and added the zest.

Then, I cut one of the lemons in two and gave each end a hearty squeeze into the pan. I also added the chardonnay (though any dry white works).

Between the garlic and fresh citrus, my kitchen smelled wonderful.

I finished the oil with thyme, oregano, and salt.
Oregano and Thyme on top of a pot of hot oil on stovetop
The thyme and oregano enriched the flavor profile.

All that remained was to season the oil. I added thyme, salt, and oregano, per Garten's instructions.

Where plenty of chicken recipes call for various seasons and blends, Garten opted to do more with less. I appreciated the simplicity.

Next, I spread my oil evenly across a baking sheet.
Pouring pan of hot, seasoned oil onto a metal baking sheet
I chose to add a little more thyme.

I transferred the oil to a large baking sheet, and then rotated the pan so it was spread out evenly.

I had a lot of thyme left so I threw some on the sheet, too.

Preparing the chicken was surprisingly simple.
Raw chicken on cooking sheet next to pastry brush in container and salt and pepper shakers
The recipe called for olive oil, salt, and pepper.

In a twist, Garten's recipe didn't say to baste the chicken with the pan oil. Instead, I placed each breast on the pan and brushed them with olive oil.

They were good to go with a few pinches of salt and pepper.

Notably, the recipe is intended for four pieces of boneless, skin-on chicken breast. Despite asking several butchers, I couldn't find boneless meat with skin, so I substituted it for split halves.

I also had room on the pan to add two more breasts, so I did.

I used lemon wedges as the final garnish.
Lemon slices on cutting board alongside knife and seeds
None of the lemons went to waste.

Remember the second lemon? It came back into play here.

I sliced it into wedges and then placed them between the chicken breasts.

Despite using just nine ingredients, I was impressed by the artistry of this recipe.

I had plenty of time to prepare side dishes while the chicken cooked.
Brussels sprouts in a large wok, cooked
I made sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts.

The recipe says to bake the chicken at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on your oven.

I set a timer for the full 40 and used the opportunity to prepare some easy side dishes.

With oil, salt, and pepper already in front of me, I diced up some sweet potatoes to bake alongside the chicken. I reheated the stove and worked on preparing Brussels sprouts while watching TV.

The chicken came out delightful.
Cooking sheet of cooked pieces of chicken with juices and lemon wedges
The skin was perfectly crisp.

Forty minutes ended up being just the right amount of time. When I pulled the chicken from the oven, the skin was golden brown.

I covered the pan with tin foil and let it rest for 10 minutes as I set the table.

My family and friends loved this dish.
Lemno chicken on a plate with Brussels sprouts and sweet potato cubes and a lemon wedge
Ina Garten's lemon chicken was tender and flavorful.

Despite how good the chicken looked, I was skeptical as I cut into the first piece. I hadn't basted the chicken, so how would I taste the flavors?

The first bite silenced any doubts. The citrus was rich, and the meat was tender. My family and friends agreed — this dish was a winner.

Read the original article on Business Insider


Contributer : Business Insider https://ift.tt/xiCI6VB
I made Ina Garten's easy lemon chicken breasts for my family and friends. They were a huge hit. I made Ina Garten's easy lemon chicken breasts for my family and friends. They were a huge hit. Reviewed by mimisabreena on Saturday, January 06, 2024 Rating: 5

No comments:

Sponsor

Powered by Blogger.