Roasted Chicken Breasts w/ Lemon, Garlic & Rosemary

I made a special dinner over the weekend for one of my dearest friends. We celebrated a landmark birthday - she turned sweet 16! She’s amazingly wise and mature for her tender age, even sprouting a few gray hairs.............. well, actually... quite a few!..........

............. you see, she’s a leap year baby! So, every four years we get to "put on the dog" and REALLY celebrate - on her REAL birthday! Because I had to work, I wanted a delicious, but fairly simple dinner, so I decided on a bistro-style menu starring this delicious Roasted Chicken Breasts w/ Lemon, Garlic & Rosemary.

A couple times a month one of my local grocers has bone-in chicken breasts on sale for 99¢ a pound. I always stock up and throw a bunch in the freezer for all kinds of yummy chicken dishes, this being one of our favorites. Although I love the lean boneless chicken breasts, these bone-in/skin-on breasts are much better for roasting; they result in moist succulent white meat every time, as long as you don’t overcook them*.

This week I’ll also be sharing the wonderful Two Potato Swirls w/ Goat Cheese and Sweet Garlic that I paired with the chicken along with a dessert that you definitely won’t want to miss - Peanut Butter Tart w/ Shortbread Crust & Chocolate Ganache Glaze.

 Two Potato Swirls w/ Goat Cheese and Sweet Garlic

Peanut Butter Tart w/ Shortbread Crust & Chocolate Ganache Glaze 

So saddle up and get prepared for a fun, delicious ride this week; a dinner that's simple enough for every day, yet delightful for entertaining, since much of it can be prepped in advance with just a little last minute roasting. Added bonus? - The roasting fills your home with irresistible aromas. Don't be surprised if the neighbors "just happen" to knock at your door right around dinner time!!

Roasted Chicken Breasts w/ Lemon, Garlic & Rosemary

Ingredients:

4 bone-in chicken breast halves (2 whole breasts)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:
1. Early in the day (at least 4 hours in advance) mix the rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice and olive oil together in a small bowl. Rinse the chicken breasts and pat them  dry. Press the rosemary mixture into the flesh of the chicken on all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4-8 hours

2. 45 minutes before dinner preheat the oven to 450˚F and put a rack in the middle position. I like to line my sheet pan with foil to make clean-up easy.

3. Place the chicken breasts on a shallow roasting pan skin side down. Roast for 15 minutes, then turn the breasts skin side up. Continue roasting until the breasts reach 160˚F* in the thickest part, another 15-30 minutes. If breasts vary greatly in size you may need to remove the smaller ones 5 minutes before the larger ones. Cover chicken with foil and allow to rest, loosely covered with foil, for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes:

*I highly recommend using an instant read thermometer - they are very reasonable and will make a big difference in the quality of all your cooked meat. Overcooked meat, poultry, even seafood, is dry and tough and the difference can be just a few degrees. Meat, when cooked to the proper temperature, will be moist and tender. Meat, poultry and seafood is very expensive and it is well worth the small cost to ensure the perfect temperature! 

~ I love to throw some extra lemons, quartered, onto the pan along with the chicken during the last 15 minutes of roasting. Slightly caramelized, they make for a lovely presentation on a platter with the chicken and a few sprigs of fresh rosemary.

Adapted from Cook Think

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