Lemon Chicken

One of my favorite dishes at a Chinese restaurant is lemon chicken. The problem is the dish is likely made with lots of sugar and MSG. Here is a baked version of lemon chicken which is savory rather than sweet, and is great any time of year. During the summer I change it up a bit, add cilantro to the marinade, and grill the chicken rather than bake. At the end I take the leftover marinade, heat and reduce a bit, and add some cornstarch to thicken if necessary. It makes a great sauce, especially if you serve the chicken with rice or couscous. Try it either way. I think you'll enjoy it.

Lemon Chicken, baked or barbequed

2 tbsp. lemon zest

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp. fresh rosemary leaves, minced

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

2-4 lbs. of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or drumsticks(I prefer breasts, so I halve the breasts

Thinly sliced lemons, for garnished

Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper in a large zipper-lock plastic bag. Seal the bag and shake well to blend. Place the chicken pieces in the bag with the marinade, pressing out excess air and sealing once more. Refrigerate and let marinate for 2 hours or more.

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and transfer to a baking dish, skin-side up, reserving the leftover marinade.

Bake for 50-55 minutes, until the skins are crispy and well-browned. Halfway through baking, pour the remaining marinade over the chicken pieces in the baking dish. When finished, cover loosely with foil and let it rest 10 minutes before serving. Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with lemon slices and serve.

Another option is to barbeque the chicken. After marinating the chicken, grill until cooked, basting with the marinade occasionally. Thicken the remainder of the sauce and serve with the chicken. Enjoy.