Lemon is one of the most versatile fruits in existence. It may not be the best fruit to eat alone, but lemon in a drink or as an accompaniment and meal seasoning is a true star. With just a few drops, this fruit can exalt the flavors of almost anything, which is why it is a main ingredient in various cuisines worldwide and cannot be missing in any kitchen.
One of the faithful companions of lemon in the kitchen is chicken, and there are thousands of recipes, especially among Mediterranean and Asian cuisines, that use both ingredients. Choosing which is the best of them is almost impossible. However, lemon-baked chicken is one of the simplest and tastiest preparations. Almost every home has its version of this recipe.
Although you will have to invest some time in preparing the recipe, its flavor makes it worth it, and besides that, it can be a great dish to share with family and friends. In fact, why not invite them over for an afternoon of group cooking?
You can use the whole chicken or parts of it for the preparation without any problem, as the recipe adapts to your tastes. So with some fruit, a few pieces of chicken, and spices, you can make a recipe worthy of the most refined palates from the comfort of your home. How about this?
How to prepare lemon chicken?
As mentioned before, few ingredients are needed to prepare this dish; this is precisely why you need the best quality elements to enjoy a great taste. Therefore, choose the juiciest lemons you can find so the chicken can absorb as much juice as possible.
Ingredients: (For approximately 4 persons)
- 2 large lemons
- Half a chicken (or a group of thighs or breasts)
- 200 ml of white wine
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 6 peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon rosemary
- 50 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves of garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
Preparation:
- As a first step, start the recipe by peeling the 3 cloves of garlic and cutting them into small pieces.
- Take the garlic to a mortar and pestle and crush it well, along with the salt, peppercorns, and teaspoon of rosemary.
- Remove the crushed garlic and place it in a small bowl. Cut a lemon in two and squeeze one of the halves into the bowl. Mix the lemon juice well with the garlic and reserve the other half.
- Pour the 200 ml of white wine into the mixture and stir well until everything complements each other. Finally, add the extra virgin olive oil and reserve the mixture.
- Cut the half lemon and the other lemon into slices. Take a baking dish and prepare a base of lemon slices.
- Place the chicken on top of the fruit, and if you have slices left over after covering the base of the tray, reserve them for later, as they can be used as decoration on the dish.
- Pour the garlic, rosemary, lemon, wine, and oil marinade over the chicken. Make sure it covers every space so that the meat can marinate adequately. Let the chicken rest with the marinade for about 2 to 3 hours, giving it much more flavor.
- After preheating the oven to 180°C for a few minutes, raise the temperature to 200°C and bake for about half an hour.
- After this, lower the temperature to 180°C again. Take out the chicken to baste it with the juices.
- Bake for another hour with the chicken covered in aluminum foil, pouring the juice every 15 to 20 minutes. This way, it will not dry out, and you can enjoy juicy and tender meat.
- In the last 5 minutes, add the remaining lemon slices over the chicken, being very careful not to burn yourself. After the time has elapsed, you can remove the tray.
- Serve the chicken without waiting too long to prevent it from getting cold. You can serve it with potatoes and other vegetables or white rice for a complete and nutritious lunch. This recipe goes with almost anything you like.
Tip:
The seeds of the lemon can be annoying and give a bitter touch to the recipe, so you can use a filter when squeezing the juice from the fruit. In addition, when it's time to serve, you can squeeze a little more fresh juice into the food.
With this recipe, you can prepare to surprise everyone, so you only need to prepare it to taste a real delicacy.
