Barefoot Contessa Lemon Chicken Food

LEMON CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don't allow the garlic to turn brown. Off the heat, add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and pour into a 9 by 12-inch baking dish.
• Pat the chicken breasts dry and place them skin side up over the sauce. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck it among the pieces of chicken.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done and the skin is lightly browned. If the chicken isn't browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2 minutes. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the pan juices.

CRISPY CHICKEN WITH LEMON ORZO

Steps:

• Combine the flour, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a shallow bowl. Remove the tenders on the underside of the chicken breasts and save for another use. (This makes the chicken breasts an even thickness so they cook evenly.) Heat the canola oil and 4 tablespoons of the butter together in a large (12-inch) cast-iron skillet over medium heat until the butter has melted and begins to sizzle.
• Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and shake off any excess. Place the chicken, skin side down, in the skillet and cook over medium heat without moving for 12 minutes. With the chicken still skin side down, place the skillet in the oven and roast for 10 minutes.
• Return the skillet to the stovetop over medium heat (careful; the handle will be hot!). Turn the chicken skin side up, add the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter, and continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes, until the butter is a nutty brown color and the chicken breasts are just cooked through (an instant-read thermometer will register 130 to 140 degrees F). Off the heat, sprinkle on the parsley.
• Divide the Lemon Orzo with Feta among four dinner plates. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and slice each breast crosswise in thick slices. Arrange one breast on each plate with the orzo. Spoon a few tablespoons of the brown butter over each chicken breast, squeeze on some lemon, and sprinkle with salt. Serve hot with a fresh wedge of lemon on each plate.
• In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons salt and the orzo. Return the water to a boil and simmer uncovered for 9 to 11 minutes, until the orzo is al dente. Drain.
• Transfer the orzo to a bowl and stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, dill, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Fold in the feta and serve hot.

SKILLET-ROASTED LEMON CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Place the thyme, fennel seeds, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a mini food processor and process until ground. Pour the olive oil into a small glass measuring cup, stir in the herb mixture, and set aside.
• Distribute the lemon slices in a 12-inch cast iron skillet and distribute the onion and garlic on top. Place the chicken, skin side down, on top of the onion and brush with about half the oil and herb mixture. Turn the chicken skin side up, pat it dry with paper towels (very important!), and brush it all over with the rest of the oil and herb mixture.
• Roast the chicken for 30 minutes. Pour the wine into the pan (not on the chicken!) and roast for another 10 to15 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 155 to 160 degrees.
• Remove the chicken from the oven, sprinkle it with the lemon juice, cover the skillet tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Cut the chicken in quarters or eighths, sprinkle with salt, and serve hot with the pan juices, cooked lemon, and onion.

LEMON AND GARLIC ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the chicken in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the thyme, reserving enough thyme to garnish the chicken dish, 1 lemon, halved, and 2 halves of the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Cut 2 of the lemons in quarters and scatter the quarters and remaining garlic around the chicken. Lay the bacon slices over the chicken to cover.
• Roast the chicken for 1 hour. Remove the bacon slices from the top of the chicken and set aside. Continue roasting the chicken for an additional 1/2 hour, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove to a platter and cover with aluminum foil while you prepare the gravy.
• Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the bottom of the pan. Add the wine and chicken stock and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, or until reduced by half.
• Slice the chicken on a platter. Garnish the chicken platter with the bacon slices, roasted garlic, reserved thyme and 1 lemon, sliced. Serve with the gravy.

TUSCAN LEMON CHICKEN

Steps:

• Sprinkle the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt on each side. Combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and 2 teaspoons pepper in a small measuring cup. Place the chicken in a ceramic or glass dish just large enough to hold it flat. Pour the lemon marinade over the chicken, turning it in the dish. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Turn the chicken 2 or 3 times while marinating.
• When ready to grill, prepare a hot charcoal fire on 1 side of a grill (or turn a gas grill on low heat). Spread 1/4 of the coals across the other side of the grill. Place the chicken on the cooler side, skin side up, and weigh it down with the dish you used for marinating. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the underside is golden brown. Turn the chicken skin side down, weight again with the dish, and cook for another 12 to 15 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. Place the lemon halves on the cool side of the grill, cut side down for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove the chicken to a plate or cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Cut in quarters, sprinkle with salt, and serve with the grilled lemon halves.

THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S LEMON AND GARLIC ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Place the chicken in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the thyme, reserving enough thyme to garnish the chicken dish, 1 lemon, halved, and 2 halves of the garlic.
• Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Cut 2 of the lemons in quarters and scatter the quarters and remaining garlic around the chicken. Lay the bacon slices over the chicken to cover.
• Roast the chicken for 1 hour. Remove the bacon slices from the top of the chicken and set aside. Continue roasting the chicken for an additional 1/2 hour, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Be sure to cook thoroughly. Remove to a platter and cover with aluminum foil while you prepare the gravy.
• Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the bottom of the pan. Add the wine and chicken stock and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, or until reduced by half.
• Slice the chicken on a platter. Garnish the chicken platter with the bacon slices, roasted garlic, reserved thyme and 1 lemon, sliced. Serve with the gravy.

BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S CHICKEN PICCATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 and line sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper and pound to 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
• Mix the flour, 1 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoons pepper in shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the eggs with 1 Tbls. water. Place the breadcrumbs on a third plate.
• Dip each breast first in the flour, shake off the excess and then dip in egg and then bread crumb mixture.
• Heat 2 Tbls. olive oil in large saute pan over medium heat. Add 2 chicken breasts and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until browned. Place them on lined pan and place in oven while you cook the rest of the chicken. Heat more olive oil in saute pan and cook the second 2 chicken breasts. Place them on the same lined pan and place in oven for 5-10 minutes while you make the sauce.
• For the sauce, wipe out the saute pan with a dry paper towel. On medium heat, melt 1 Tbls. of the butter and then add the lemon juice, white wine, the reserved lemon halves, 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoons pepper.
• Boil sauce over high heat until reduced by half which will be about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add remaining 2 Tbls. butter and swirl to combine. Discard the lemon halves. Serve one chicken breast on each plate and spoon on the sauce with a sprinkling of fresh parsley.