Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Lemon Chicken

This is one of the simplest ways I know to cook chicken. I learned to make it many years ago when some friends and I rented a house on Martha's Vineyard. We took turns cooking; on my night to cook, my cooking partner showed me how to make this very simple and very delicious recipe.

Earlier this week, we were having dinner with family (a mixed grill of steak and chicken, roasted peppers and onions, and corn on the cob).  I was asked for a suggestion for cooking boneless chicken breasts. Wanting something easy and quick, and not having an outdoor grill or my recipe collection at hand, I was stumped until this recipe popped into my head. I hadn't made it in years, and found that it still is extremely simple, quick, and melt-in-your mouth delicious.

Ingredients

  • One boneless chicken breast per person
  • Lemon, sliced thin
  • Mix of dried herbs (optional)
  • Butter (I generally start with a tablespoon and then add as needed so that pan stays moist)
  • Small amount of flour
  • Wax paper 
Directions
  • Place chicken breasts between two pieces of wax paper on cutting board or other solid surface. Using the flat edge of a butcher's knife, or a meat mallet, pound the chicken breasts to an even thinness.
  • Melt butter in cast iron or other heavy frying pan. While butter is melting, lightly coat chicken breasts with flour. Add chicken to frying pan, turn heat to medium, and place lemon slices on top of chicken.  Add dried herb mix if desired.
  • Let chicken cook for a minute or two before turning over. Keep lemon slices on top. Cook until chicken is cooked all the way through, adding butter as needed. The outside of the chicken should have a slight golden color.
  • While chicken is cooking, take out a plate and then put a smaller plate, upside down, on the larger plate. When chicken is done, place the chicken on the smaller plate and cover with foil. Let sit for approximately two minutes; this helps seal the juices inside of the cooked chicken.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Cooking the perfect steak

The Mouse House is on vacation. In the past three days we slept in Arlington, window shopped in Mississippi, biked in the Providence Bridge Pedal, and had the perfect steak in Portland. Where are we?

Click here to learn how to cook a perfect steak in a cast iron pan.