Every home cook needs a few good staples she knows she can depend on, whether she’s in a pinch for time, tired at the end of the day, or it’s just too hot out to be in the kitchen. As essential as the little black dress or a favorite pair of jeans, a dish that can be made quickly, needs only a few ingredients, is delicious every time, and pairs with just about anything is a treasure to hold dear.
This recipe is that dish. Easy, tasty, and looks great saddled up next to Summer Tomato Bread Salad and corn on the cob for an lazy late summer dinner. Take the leftovers, cut into cubes, and toss them into Not Your Everyday Pasta Salad for a quick and high-protein lunch. In wintertime, when the patio grill is hidden under two feet of snow, the inside grill works just as well. Or, place breasts on a baking sheet and roast in a 350° oven until they reach an internal temperature of 165°. What could be easier or classier than that? That this dish is low fat doesn’t hurt that little black dress any either.
Ingredients
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 3-4 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed into a paste
- 4 stalks of rosemary, remove the leaves from the stems, discard the stems, and finely chop the leaves*
- 3 stalks of fresh thyme, remove the leaves from the stems, discard the stems, and finely chop the leaves*
- ¾ cup of extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
*Can also use fresh oregano or marjoram, or both. In the winter, substitute dry herbs, about 1 TBS of each type.
Directions
- Remove and discard the tenderloin (or save for another purpose) from the underneath side of each chicken breast. Lay each breast on a cutting sheet and pound a few times with a mallet. The goal is to tenderize, not pulverize, so only pound a few times on each side. **
- Lightly sprinkle one side of each breast with salt and pepper.
- Whisk together lemon juice and olive oil. A
- dd the garlic and chopped herbs and whisk again.
- Pour over chicken breasts then massage into breasts until each one is evenly coated. Use additional olive oil if necessary.
- Let prepared breasts rest for 5-10 minutes, or while the grill heats up.
- Grill breasts until finished. Can also grill the outsides until crispy and then bake in a 350° oven until each breast reaches an internal temperature of 165°.
**Remember the proper and safe way to handle raw chicken. Do not use cutting boards or utensils that have been used to handle raw chicken for any other purpose until after they have been washed and sanitized. Wash your hands immediately after handling raw chicken and especially before handling any food that is to be eaten raw.
