OMG. My mouth is watering just thinking about this dinner. As you know, I usually make fish dishes. The feel of raw chicken on my hands genuinely freaks me out. The juice is sticky and leaves a gross residue immediately after handling. Anyways, every once in a while I put my personal feelings about raw chicken aside and make it for dinner. Because chicken is delicious when cooked right and it’s a great source of lean protein.

I picked up chicken tenderloins instead of chicken breasts because large hunks of chicken also kinda freak me out. I know, it’s weird. I think the smaller the chicken pieces the better the flavor because it absorbs what you’re cooking it in much better. But this recipe would be great with chicken breasts, drumsticks, etc.

The mixture of garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, white wine and fresh thyme makes the perfect sauce for the chicken to roast in. It roasts for about 40 minutes so the chicken gets really tender and packed with all the flavor of the sauce.

I paired this oh-so-delicious chicken with an equally appetizing side of carmelized Brussels Sprouts that had been sautéed in olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest and white wine (yes, basically the same sauce that the chicken cooked in) and topped with freshly shaved Parmesan. Don’t be scared of Brussels Sprouts. They are ugly little things but they are actually so delicious when cooked this way. Not only are they super tasty, they have high amounts of vitamins A and C, folic acid and fiber.

Enjoy!

Lemon Roasted Chicken (Serves 4)

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic (9 cloves)
• 1/3 cup dry white wine ( I used Chardonnay)
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lb of chicken tenderloins or 4 boneless chicken breasts
• 1 lemon

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don’t allow the garlic to turn brown.
• Off the heat, add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and pour into a 9 by 12-inch baking dish.
• Pat the chicken dry and place them over the sauce.
• Brush the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper.
• Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck it among the pieces of chicken.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces, until the chicken is done.
• If the chicken isn’t browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2 minutes.
• Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the pan juices.

Lemon Garlic Parmesan Brussels Sprouts (Serves 4)

Adapted from What’s Gaby Cooking

Ingredients:

• 2 lb Brussels Sprouts ( I got the pre-trimmed and halved packaged ones from Trader Joe’s)
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lemon, juiced and zested
• 3 tbsp parmesan, grated
• sea salt
• pepper

Directions:

• If you didn’t get pre-trimmed sprouts, clean them by trimming off the ends and peeling the outer layer of the sprout off. Cut each one in half. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
• Once heated, add the halved Brussels sprouts to the pan and saute for about 7-8 minutes on each side until the outer part is a caramelized brown and the inside is soft and fully cooked.
• Add the garlic half way through the cooking.
• Reduce the heat to low and add the lemon zest, juice, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and taste. Adjust seasoning if needed.
• Add the cheese on top and serve.