Chicken Casserole with Lemon, Garlic, and White Wine

So, hi, I'm exhausted. The last few days have been craziness!! In one day I: took Stephen to school, then drove down to Colorado Springs to check out some apartment options for my sister, who is also moving here this summer, looked at five complexes in two hours, drove back (oh, that's an hour and a half each way, for those not familiar with the area), got a call from the missionaries asking what time they should be over for dinner (which of course I had forgotten about), picked Stephen up for school, went grocery shopping, cleaned up the remaining post-carpet-installation debris, cooked dinner, sat still for a few minutes while the missionaries ate and just breathed, tied my poor flattened peonies up in hopes they will revive, made four pans of cheesecake rolls for the Geologist's office, and collapsed in bed somewhere before midnight. Add to the mix that Colorado is trying to turn me into a sloth with the worst allergies I've ever had, and I pretty much just want to sleep all day. And night. When I do get a chance to take a nap, I wake up an hour or two later completely befuddled, thinking I slept the whole day away. But hey, at least...

I HAVE CARPET!!!

I love love love LOVE it! It's so soft, and pretty, and perfect! Bracken might be the only one who loves it more than me. It just ties everything together perfectly, I love how the rooms feel now. More comfy, more homey; it was the missing link.

Oh, and these lilacs were the missing link on my table :). They're from the bush across the fence in the back, the neighbors don't mind if I adopt it. 

Anyone else being slowly sloth-ified (Yes, that's a word. Because I said so.) by seasonal allergies? Or had a long, packed, overwhelming week? Or just want a dinner that takes hardly any prep at all? This recipe is for you. Honestly, it should just be for everybody.

Chicken Casserole with Lemon, Garlic, and White Wine (adapted slightly from Inside a British Mum's Kitchen)
Printable Recipe

1 large or 2 small chickens, cut up into 8 pieces (or an assortment of your favorite pieces. We used thighs and breasts)
olive oil
2-3 lemons, quartered
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cayenne pepper
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 medium (or one large) onions, peeled and chopped into quarters
2 cups white wine (if you don't want to use wine, you can substitute chicken broth)
fresh parsley, chopped coarse (I think I used about 1/8 of a cup)
salt and pepper (I like kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper)
1 Tb unsalted butter
1 Tb all purpose flour

Sprinkle your chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Stir the cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl, and rub over the chicken. (Refrigerate for a couple of hours if you can. Overnight would be good too!)

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Place the chicken in a baking dish (or roasting pan, or Dutch oven), add chopped up onions, garlic cloves and lemon quarters, and generously drizzle olive oil over the whole thing. Sprinkle with some more salt and pepper, the fresh parsley, and pour wine over everything.

Place into the oven (uncovered) and roast for about 50-60 minutes or until the chicken is nicely browned.

Remove from oven and take chicken pieces out of the sauce. Place them on a large platter (you want some room, or an edge, you'll be pouring sauce over the whole thing) and cover with foil to keep warm. (If you want to turn the juices into gravy, continue with the next step. If not, just pour the juices over, they're still delicious!)

Stir butter and flour together in a small bowl. Add 1-2 Tb of chicken juices to this mixture and stir well. Add this mixture back to the chicken juices, bring to a simmer and stir until the sauce thickens. (If you can do this in the original baking dish/pan, that's best. If not, scrape all juices and chunks into a pot to thicken) Pour it all over the chicken. Sprinkle with fresh parsley if desired, and serve!

You cannot imagine how amazing this smelled while cooking. Mouthwatering!!  Those spices, the lemon, wine, and savories... a meal fit for a king!

This is still one of our favorite chicken meals. (I posted it last year, with horrible pictures, so it needed a re-post!) Joe remembers it now as "the chicken that he cuts the skin off of". Who needs restaurants when you can cook like this at home?? And so easy!!

The chicken is moist, tender, and flavorful, the sauce is heaven itself! The spices are an unusual mix, trust me, a completely delicious combination.