Lemon-Herb Chicken Packets

Thank you, Estela, for having me as a guest on The Weekly Bite!  It's such an honor. 

For those of you reading this on The Weekly Bite, please feel free to stop by and visit me over at Cooking With Chopin, Living With Elmo.

Enjoy!

********************

I love lemons.

LOVE THEM. 

And as much as I adore the intricacies of cooking, I really appreciate an easy, no-mess recipe every now and then.

Behold the perfect marriage of lemony simplicity!

(This recipe results in very lemony chicken. So, if you prefer a more mild lemon flavor, reduce the number of lemon slices you place on each chicken breast and skip the zesting step.)

What you'll need:

1-2 pounds chicken breasts*, fresh herbs,

garlic, butter, and lemon(s).

These are the herbs I used.

But you can use your faves. 

Mint, dill, and parsley also make for a very refreshing combination.

Chop the herbs.

 Here's a lil' trick to easily remove that

pesky papery garlic skin:

Place the broad side of your knife on top of the clove,

and firmly press down.

The skin will peel right off in one or two motions.

Easy-peasy.

Finely mince it.

 In a small bowl, mix the garlic and the chopped herbs.

Lay the chicken breast(s) on a square of foil

(or parchment paper**),

and season with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle with the garlic/herb mixture, and about a 1/4 teaspoon of lemon zest.

Slice the lemon(s).

And lay a slice or two on each piece of chicken.

Top with a pat of love butter.

(Substitute olive or grapeseed oil for a healthier alternative.)

Seal packets (by folding) and place on a baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Voila.

Lemon Happiness.

*My family is recovering from illness and no one has much of an appetite.  That's why I used breast tenderloins instead of larger cuts of chicken in these photos.  But I really recommend using a whole boneless, skinless breast per serving.  The flavors will balance better.

**You can prepare this up to a day in advance and then just pop it in the oven when you're ready to bake it.  If you do that, please use parchment paper instead of foil to minimize any reactions between the lemon juice and the foil. 

Lemon-Herb Chicken Packets

Serves 6

1 cup chopped fresh herbs (basil, chives, sage, and parsley worked well), in about equal proportions, or to taste

1 large clove garlic, minced

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1-2 lemons

6 tablespoons butter (or substitute oil or grapeseed oil)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Mix herbs and garlic together in small bowl.  Flatten chicken breasts by pressing them gently against the work surface with the palm of your hand.  Arrange breast pieces on foil or parchment paper and season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle herb and garlic mixture over chicken breasts and top with about 1/4 teaspoon of lemon zest. 

3.  Slice lemon(s) and arrange 1-2 slices over each breast.  Dot with butter and seal the packets.  Set on a baking sheet.

4.  Set packets in the middle of the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes.  Transfer to serving plates and allow guests to open packets at table.

Adapted from:  The Silver Palate Cookbook