Herbed Lemon Garlic Chicken
Who says fancy meals have to be time consuming or difficult?! This one-pan meal comes together easily and is absolutely melt in your mouth delicious! Keep that crusty bread on hand, you may be licking this plate clean!
The Oh So Talented Star! Given the ‘Goddess of Garlic’ title, it should come as no surprise that garlic is a pretty big staple in my kitchen. One of the reasons I love this so much is just how differently it can make food taste, solely based on how you prepare the cloves. Raw, sautéed, roasted, boiled….there are tons of ways to incorporate your garlic, and each with a very unique flavor. For this dish, turning the heat low and keeping a fair amount of oil/liquid in the pan, the garlic caramelizes as opposed to a sauté, giving almost a cross between pan fry and oven roasted. The result is a deep and almost sweet flavor that, when paired with the tang from the lemon, really brings out a perfect contrast!
To Eat or Not to Eat? That is the question. I posed this question on Facebook regarding the cooked lemons prior to posting this recipe and had varied responses. Overwhelmingly, most people chose to eat the pulp portion, but it was fairly split on the rind. My weigh in-the majority of the lemon flavor resides in the rind itself. For that reason, if you are looking for the zing of lemon, slicing a small piece of this in each bite adds a great flavor, and one that I welcomed whole heartedly. To enjoy the flavor of lemon without being overwhelming, simply eating the pulp as it incorporates into the oil still gives a great lemon flavor and you will not be disappointed. To fully utilize the great work you did to create this sauce, cook those beans directly in the same pot for easy clean up and added flavor! You will likely want to have a crusty baguette handy to clean off this plate….
Looking for other creative chicken recipes? Check out:
Roasted Chicken with Black Garlic Mushroom Sauce
Chicken Bacon Mushroom Alfredo over Asparagus Ribbons
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Herbed Lemon Garlic Chicken
Equipment
- Kitchen knife
- Large Skillet with Lid
Ingredients
- 2 large Chicken Breast
- 6 cloves Garlic
- 4 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/2 stick Butter
- 2 medium Lemons
- 1/4 cup Stock (if needed)
- 1 sprig Fresh Rosemary
- 1 sprig Fresh Thyme
- 1 bunch Green Beans (about 3-4 inches in diameter)
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat skillet and add a tbsp of olive oil. Put chicken breasts in and sear each side (not cooking through but just creating an edge).
- Turn heat to medium low and add a tbsp of butter to deglaze any chicken drippings. Add another tbsp of olive oil and scrape pan until all bits are picked up.
- Keeping the heat fairly low, squeeze the juice of one lemon and add a little more olive oil and butter. You want to create enough liquid to just cover the pan. Place the lid on and allow chicken to steam.
- Mince garlic and add to the skillet. Add more butter and olive oil, keeping a layer of liquid in the pan. Add a splash of stock if needed for more liquid.
- Sprinkle each chicken breast with most of the rosemary and thyme, reserving just enough for garnish.
- Slice the second lemon in horizontal slices and add to the skillet. Allow enough time for the rind to become tender and a slight browning around the edges.
- When chicken is cooked thoroughly, scoot all ingredients to one side of the skillet and add green beans to the other side, placing lid back on. Allow to steam enough for green beans to cook until done to your liking.
- Plate chicken with lemons on top and additional rosemary and thyme sprinkled over. Enjoy! Variation: if you are looking for even more flavors, try adding a few capers in towards the end for a salty addition!
