Garlic and lemon with chicken is an iconic pairing that satisfies almost any appetite. In this recipe, poultry pieces are marinated in lemon and garlic, then topped with a sauce made with more of the same, producing extremely flavorful and juicy chicken.
One of the toppings is pimento which adds not only a bright pop of color, but more depth of flavor. If you’ve ever tried southern pimento cheese, or enjoyed pimento stuffed green olives, you have already tried the pimento pepper in pickled form. The word “pimiento” translates to “pepper” from Spanish. Pimento peppers are not spicy, but rather mild, sweet and succulent.
While the recipe indicates to start with a whole chicken and cut it down into pieces (our preference), you could just as easily buy bone-in, skin-on pieces to begin with, especially if the eaters go for all white meat or all dark meat.
Please keep in mind that the chicken needs to marinate at least an hour up to overnight. Doing so in the morning, allows for about 8-10 hours.
There is a good amount of sauce left in the skillet so dredge your side veg into it. Our broccolini sopped up many of the juices creating a more cohesive dinner.
Lemon and Garlic Baked Chicken
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 2 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- One 3 1/2- to 4-lb. chicken, cut into pieces
Sauce:
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 tsp. honey, plus more if needed
- 1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh oregano
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- Juice of 2 lemons (about 1/4 cup) plus 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
- One 4-oz. jar diced pimientos, drained
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- Lemon wedges, for garnish
Directions
- Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Add the chicken pieces to a large resealable plastic bag and pour the marinade over the top. Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible, and massage the marinade around the chicken to coat evenly.
- Refrigerate for at least an hour and up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and transfer, skin-side up, to a large cast-iron skillet. Pour half the marinade all over the chicken in the skillet.
- Sprinkle the chicken with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Roast until the chicken is deeply browned, the meat is cooked through and the juices run clear, about 30-40 minutes. (An instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh, avoiding bone, should read 165 degrees F.)
- Remove the chicken to a platter and let rest while you make the sauce.
- For the sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the honey, oregano, garlic, lemon juice and zest and 1/4 cup skimmed drippings from the skillet and bring to simmer.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper, and if too tangy, add a bit more honey. Pour the sauce over the chicken, then garnish with the pimientos, chopped parsley and lemon wedges and serve.
Recipe from Food Network
Accounting for Taste 