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Lemon Rosemary Chicken

Lemon Rosemary Chicken
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5 from 1 review

Lemon Rosemary Chicken is a classic dish that everyone should know how to make!

Ingredients

Scale

3-4 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken breast (our breast halves were over a pound each so we cooked only three to serve 4-6 people. You may have smaller pieces and need more to reach the 3-4 pound mark)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

6 tablespoons butter, divided

2 large garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half

2 large rosemary sprigs

6 thyme sprigs (single stems)

2 large sage leaves

Zest of one lemon, about 4 teaspoons

1/4 cup white wine

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, about three large lemons

1 fresh lemon cut into 8 wedges.

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Pat chicken dry and sprinkle with the salt and pepper on the skin side only.
  3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Once shimmering, add chicken skin down and sear in two batches. Sear for 3-5 minutes or until the skin is golden. Only sear the skin side. Remove each batch to a 13X9 inch casserole dish.
  4. In the pan used to cook the chicken, lower heat to medium and add 2 tablespoons of butter, the halved garlic cloves, the whole rosemary sprigs, whole thyme sprigs and the two sage leaves. Cook for three minutes then add the zest and white wine. Cook to evaporate the wine, about 2-3 minutes.
  5. Flatten the garlic with a fork then add the lemon juice and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 2 more tablespoons of butter.
  6. Pour this mixture in and around the chicken pieces. Keep the skillet on the stove for a later step.
  7. Scatter the 8 lemon wedges around the chicken.
  8. Depending on the size of the breast halves, cooking time will vary. Our breast halves were about a pound and a quarter each and took 45 minutes. Smaller breast pieces will take less time.
  9. Place the casserole in the oven uncovered and keep checking with a probe thermometer inserted into the thickest part from about the 30 minutes mark and remove from the oven at 160 degrees F. If the breast halves are not all the same size, some may be done sooner than others. Remove as they each reach 160. They will continue to cook outside the oven.
  10. Remove the chicken and the lemon wedges to a platter and loosely cover with foil.
  11. Strain the sauce and pour into the skillet you used earlier. Discard solids.
  12. Heat until it starts to bubble, remove from heat and whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. The sauce will thicken slightly. Serve alongside the chicken.

Notes

Feel free to change up the herbs in this recipe and substitute fresh oregano in place of the thyme or sage. But always use fresh rosemary!

Find it online: https://www.afamilyfeast.com/lemon-rosemary-chicken/