lemon-thyme chicken | pamela salzman

Once upon a time, I used to enjoy spending lots of time experimenting in the kitchen.  I had fabulous cookbooks in which I found interesting and challenging recipes to make for dinner.  On a weekday.  And then it was over.  My kids started playing team sports.  Do you know this new life?  Are you driving to some field at exactly the same time you should be soaking and sauteeing or poaching and shredding?  And then back an hour later to pick-up, unless of course there’s a GAME.  Then you’re sitting on bleachers for two hours trying to figure out how dinner will be ready the second you walk in the door with starving children.

how to slice into cutlets

“Baked Lemon Chicken” from The Union Square Cafe Cookbook was one of my favorite chicken entrees before sports.  Bone-in chicken pieces baked with lots of sauteed onions, lemon and thyme.  It was even good enough to serve to company.  But there would be no more basting every 15 minutes for me on a Tuesday at 5:00.  So what’s a girl to do?  Adjust the recipe to cutlets, of course!

sliced onions and garlic, fresh thyme

Even though I generally prefer bone-in chicken to boneless, this dish is not lacking for flavor or moistness.  The onions get soft and saucy with lemon and infused with fresh thyme and the chicken takes it all in.  The best part about this is that it’s super easy and can be done in stages, if necessary.  You can flour and saute the chicken and then take the kids to practice.  Come back and saute the onions, add the thyme, lemon and stock.  Pick up the kids from practice and when you get home add the chicken to the onions and let everything cook together while you saute some spinach with garlic.  Hopefully you made a vinaigrette and washed some lettuce a few days ago, so assembling a salad will take you no time at all.  Can you say, “Home run!”

lemon- thyme chicken | pamela salzman

 

lemon-thyme chicken | pamela salzman

 

Lemon-Thyme Chicken

By Pamela
The perfect recipe for those busy weeknights - this recipe is quick and easy, and you can even prep ahead!
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 2 pounds chicken cutlets, I show a photo of how I cut a boneless, skinless breast half into cutlets, but you can ask your butcher to do this
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Flour for dredging, whole wheat pastry flour or brown rice flour (gluten-free are the two I use)
  • Unrefined cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion, halved and sliced thinly (I use a candle when I am cutting onions to prevent crying -- it works!)
  • 4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
  • ยฝ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • a few sprigs of fresh thyme

Instructions 

  • Season the chicken cutlets on both sides with sea salt and black pepper. Dredge them with flour and shake off the excess.
  • Warm about ยผ cup olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the chicken cutlets and sautรฉ on both sides until golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
  • Add the onions and garlic to the skillet and season with sea salt and pepper. Sautรฉ until tender, about 8 minutes. Pour the lemon juice into the pan and scrape any brown bits on the bottom. Add the chicken stock and thyme sprigs and bring to a simmer. Transfer the chicken back to the pan with any accumulated juices. Simmer until cooked through, about 5 minutes.
  • Remove thyme sprigs and serve immediately.
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41 Comments

  1. Jennifer says:

    Making this recipe tonight for sure! Question: I’ll have 6 pieces of chicken (same as you have pictured), which obviously cannot all fit in the same skillet at the same time. Do you cook it in batches (with 1/2 the onions & garlic each time), or do you use 2 skillets? Also, would you recommend non-stick or stainless steel skillets? Thank you!

    1. Pamela Salzman says:

      I would recommend browning the chicken in batches in one skillet (less clean up) and if there is room to start the onions with the last batch of chicken, do so. Just push all the chicken to one side and start the onions on the other side. I prefer stainless steel. Enjoy!

  2. Monica Lovell says:

    I love this chicken. I love the lemon. My husband is not a fan of the lemon but he humored me and ate it. It was delicious. In fact, I made the potato wedges and the roasted carrots. I roast all my vegetables now because of you. They taste so much better. I am going to make this for my sisters in March when I go stay with them for a couple of days. They will love it. Thank you as always! ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. Pamela says:

      Thanks for the feedback, Monica! You know I always appreciate it. I could see how someone who doesn’t like lemon wouldn’t love this recipe. But he’s a good guy for indulging you.