Lemon Chicken Breasts

What a delightfully yummy meal! It was very light, but full of flavor. The sauce that the chicken cooked in was terrific and the chicken really soaked up that juice and the wine, garlic and lemon flavors all really came through well. I got boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of skin on chicken breasts, and they took right at 30 minutes to bake.

Enjoy!

Lemon Chicken Breasts

Total time: 1 hour  Yield: 4 servings

1/4 cup good olive oil
3 tbsp minced garlic (9 cloves)
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on (6 to 8 ounces each)
1 lemon

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. 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.
3. Pat the chicken breasts dry and place them skin side up over the sauce. Brush the chicken breasts 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.
4. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done and the skin is lightly browned. If the chicken isn't browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2 minutes. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the pan juices.