Here's a post that my insta-fam requested after posting about it countless timeson my Stories. This has been my go-to meal lately when I want to be healthy but satisfied. If you're a lover of FLAVOR then you will fall in love with my flavorful lemon chicken recipe. I actually stole this recipe from my mom (shh!) and added a few things to make it my own. I rarely choose chicken on the menu because a lot of the times it's too rubbery or lacks flavor but this happens to be the complete opposite. So even if you're not a chicken person you will love it! I promise! Just ask the hubby. This is one of Stevie's favorite meals (esp on day 2 chilled over a salad.) Best of all, it will take you less than 30 minutes to prepare once you get the hang of it! I've even included the sides we eat with it that really make this dish so nice and all around a bomb dinner meal. Enjoy :)
LEMON CHICKEN (Servings 2-3)
Ingredients:
2 lbs chicken breasts or tenders (boneless & skinned)
2-4 tablespoons of Olive oil (may need more)
Salt and Pepper
Seasoning salt
2 Lemons (and a tablespoon of the leftover zest)
1 whole yellow onion (chopped)
3-4 garlic cloves (whole)
Large Frying pan (I have this one)
Steps:
1. Rinse off the chicken breasts and use a small knife to cut through the middle of each breast into smaller thinner pieces to cut the cooking time (if you'd like)
2. Once chicken is cut up, place in a large bowl and throw in the onions. garlic and olive oil. Next, prepare the marinate: Two freshly squeezed lemons (keep out the seeds), 1-2 table spoons of salt, pepper, seasoning salt, and garlic powder (don't be afraid to over season!) With a knife or lemon zester, zest off a few of the lemon peels and pour into the mix. Massage all over the chicken and let it sit in the bowl. Cover with aluminum foil and let it sit in the refrigerator anywhere from 10-15 minutes (longer you wait the more the meat will soak up those yummy flavors!).
3. Set your stove top to medium heat and drizzle the pan generously with olive oil. Pour in the entire marinate bowl we created. Spread the chicken and goodies across the pan until nice and even. I love using metal tongs to flip the chicken over every few seconds and minutes until it's nice and golden brown. Once the chicken begins to brown and the onions get nice and gooey, add in a 1/2 cup of water to skillet to help lift anything sticky goodness from the pan - let the chicken soak up and around the caramelized goodies. Bring heat down to low/simmer when you taste it and its juicy white on the inside and a little crisp on the outside.
4. When the water evaporates and the chicken is nice and juicy -turn the stove off and give the chicken a small taste with a fork and see if you need to add in any last minute seasonings like salt and/or pepper! Give it a stir, let it cool and you're ready to go!
SIDE OPTIONS
Sweet potato: I love to add a baked sweet potato to the side. All you have to do is cut a sweet potato in half (one for you and one for your man!) and drizzle olive oil on it face down on a baking pan and put it in the oven on 450 degrees for about 30-40 minutes. Poke a fork through it and it should run right through when it's ready! (don't panic if the skin gets a little burned. It's so delicious!) Instead of butter, I prefer coconut oil on top once it's ready.
Arugula or mixed green salad: Add a hand full of greens (your choice - I prefer arugula for this recipe) and some shaved parmesan with toasted pine nuts and this Paleochef Ginger Cilantro dressing that has completely changed my life and everyone I know who has tried it!!!
More Camelized onions: Stevie loves caramelized onions so I heat up some extra in a skillet on the stove. I roughly chop about a quarter or half an onion, add some salt/pepper and sometimes a little honey - let it cook until it's soft and gooey. I just pile it on top of the cooked chicken for that sweet and savory taste.
You’re all set. Consider this a well balanced meal that will make you feel satisfied and healthy! If you have leftovers keep them in the fridge and eat it again tomorrow. It's actually even more flavorful on day two (no need to warm up! We love eating it over a salad) Hope you love this just as much as we do! Since having the baby and trying to stay disciplined with my diet, I've been cooking more in the kitchen. I'm really enjoying it and love being in control of the ingredients I put in my body. Want to see more recipes on my blog? Comment below.
P.S. more delicious recipes: My famous Turkey Chili (paleo friendly!!), Cozy ranch chicken tacos, Chicken soup for the soul (the real stuff)..
