Lemon Chicken:

Lemon chicken is a wonderful summer dish perfect for picnics or candlelight dinners.  It’s light, flavorful and refreshing. Serve it with fresh asparagus, warm barley salad and a glass of wine for a perfectly elegant company dinner. I often make extra to enjoy cold for lunch the next day or to cut up for chicken salad.  

I’ve found Meyer Lemons are becoming more available at the local market.  They’re sweeter than the regular lemon and great with this dish but use whatever is available to you.  My cousin JoAnn in California picks her lemons off the tree by her patio.

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts - boneless and skinless

1 large egg

1/2 cup flour

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary or a sprig of fresh rosemary

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 lemon cut in slices

Directions

1. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Place each breast between a sheet of wax paper and pound to flatten slightly. This also helps tenderize the chicken.

2. Zest lemon into small dish, then cut lemon into 4 slices and remove seeds.

3. Mix together salt, flour, thyme and rosemary on a flat plate. A pie tin is good for this.

4. Whisk egg in a bowl. Dip chicken breast into egg and then coat both sides with flour mixture.

5. Heat olive oil and butter in large skillet over medium flame until butter melts and just begins to bubble.

6. Place chicken breasts in skillet and add half of lemon zest sprinkled across all chicken. Cook for 5 minutes until edges of chicken begin to turn white. Flip and add remaining zest to breasts. Continue to cook approximately 4 minutes. Chicken will feel firm to touch. Add olive oil as needed.

7. Remove chicken to ovenproof platter and place a lemon slice on each piece. Place in oven at low heat - 200F - to keep warm.

Lemon Butter Sauce

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter

1 shallot - small

1 tablespoon fresh parsley

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Additional parsley for decoration

Directions

1. Mince shallot, fresh parsley and thyme.

2. Add butter to small saucepan and melt over low heat stirring constantly. Butter will turn golden brown quickly with a sweet, nutty aroma. Be careful not to overcook. Approximately 3 to 4 minutes.

3. Add minced shallot to butter and stir for seconds. Remove from heat and stir in parsley, rosemary and lemon juice. Add salt & pepper to taste.

4. Take chicken out of oven and add parsley pieces across the dish for flavor and decoration.

5. Serve butter sauce separately in small pitcher alongside the beautiful lemon chicken.

Servings:

4