Lemon Chicken

I've "done" my hair, put on a flattering shirt and my favorite necklace, given myself a pedicure, and last but not least... put on my girly apron. Nope, not going on a date, no special occasion... I just felt like being all "50's housewife" today! Wish I had some pearls... I love pearls. I can't work in pumps, hair won't hold a curl, and have no dresses, so this is the best I can do. I even tidied! *Gasp!* This recipe is part of the inspiration. I love making it, the ingredients and the way they go together just feels timeless, comforting, and homey to me. Like mixing up a batch of cookies in a big heavy bowl, instead of a stand-mixer. Just because. 

We took the boys to an amazing place yesterday, full of fun activities, and while waiting for it to open, we wandered through Williams-Sonoma. I love that store. Even more than pearls! My mind was full of misty dreams of a kitchen decked out in hand-blown glass, glazed pottery baking dishes, tart pans and cake pans and bundt pans and madeline pans, matching aprons and potholders and dishcloths... If I was a millionaire, I think I could outfit my whole kitchen  from that store! Oh! And a new Dutch Oven. Mine is so chipped, it's a mess. Maybe for Christmas. :) The boys were so funny, they were great at not touching things, and they ran around the store shouting "Mommy! You HAVE to come SEE this!!" I think they showed me every single item in the store that was red. Red is my favorite color. I have the best boys ever!

Marie's Lemon Chicken (adapted from the English Kitchen)
Printable Recipe

4 small chicken breasts (I divided 2 huge ones in half)
3 Tb fresh lemon juice
a bit less than 1/3 cup of flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika (I used smoked paprika. Try it!!)
1/4 tsp pepper
1 Tb butter
2 Tb extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, cut into thin slices
2 Tb brown sugar
3 Tb liquid honey
1/2 cup chicken stock

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter a square glass baking dish. Set aside.

Place the chicken breasts in a bowl. Drizzle the lemon juice over them. Turn the chicken over a few times, making sure the lemon juice covers them. Let them sit about 15 minutes.

Mix the flour, paprika, salt, and pepper in a large plastic bag. Shake them together.

Take the chicken out of the lemon juice and put them in the bag with the flour mixture. Save the lemon juice. Shake the chicken until it is fully coated.

Heat the butter and the olive oil together in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Cook the chicken for a few minutes each side, until they are golden brown and starting to get little brown crusty spots. 

Transfer the browned chicken breasts, right side up, to the baking dish. Top with the slices lemons, and sprinkle the brown sugar over the top. 

Add the chicken stock and leftover lemon juice to the pan drippings. Cook and stir, scraping the bottom to get up all the tasty brown bits. Add 2 Tb of the honey and bring to the boil. (Save 1 Tb for later) Simmer until slightly thickened. Pour the sauce into a corner of the baking dish and then give it a jiggle to distribute the sauce over the bottom and around the breasts, without disturbing the lemon slices. 

Cover tightly with foil. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Baste with the pan juices, recover and return to the oven for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Baste again. Drizzle the remaining TBS of honey over the lemon slices and return the dish to the oven (uncovered) and bake for 10 minutes. Turn on the broiler for 5 more minutes, then remove from the oven. Enjoy!

This is one of my new favorite chicken dishes. I was worried it would be too sweet, but it really isn't! I may have messed with it a bit, but to me the genius of this dish, the combination of ingredients and that basting, will always make it Marie's Lemon Chicken to me. :)

There's plenty of lemon to balance anyway. And all that basting takes the flavors right through the middle of this moist, juicy, sweet-tart, scrumptious chicken!

I have a confession. These pictures literally made me squeal with delight. I'm not bragging, I promise, but look how much better I am getting at this food photography thing!!!

 Try drizzling some of that wonderful sauce/glaze/juice over some rice on the side. SO good!

I admit my family doesn't love this quite enough as I do. Who cares. They're just wrong. More for me. 

(I love you anyway, Husband... See, look! I got all pretty!)