It’s no secret to those that know me that I’ve been really getting into cooking lately. And, no surprise to anyone that knows me, I get obsessed with things really easily. I’ve been sharing photos of what I cook on Instagram, but I thought I would start sharing the recipes of what I make, especially given I’ve been making up some of them. Others, like this one, are mostly inspired by things I’ve seen online. I’ll do my best to share those sources as to not take credit.

And, different than is my personality, I’m not going to be very precise in these recipes. No exact measurements! I’ve not got into baking, so I’m mostly doing things freestyle when it comes to amounts.

I’m going to start with one of my favorite recipes, Lemon Herb Chicken breasts.

The Inspiration

I probably have seen various versions of this online, but the one that most directly inspired this is No Recipe Required’s Rosemary Lemon Chicken, which I first saw in this video:

Below is my version of what I’ve done many times based on Dave’s recipe.

The ingredients

The Marinade:

• olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• dried rosemary
• dried thyme
• zest of 1 or 2 lemons
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

The dish itself:

• olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• 3 to 4 chicken breasts or tenders
• juice of 2 or 3 lemons
• butter
• dried rosemary
• dried thyme

Instructions

Preparation:

I’ve been buying what I think are labeled “chicken tenders” from the store, which are thin cuts of boneless and skinless chicken breast which cook up easily. If you don’t have those, or want larger portions, I suggest butterflying your breasts and then putting them between plastic wrap and using either a meat mallet or rolling pin to make the breasts an even thickness and thinner so they are easy to cook. Cut away any fatty parts before marinating as well.

Always remember to wash your hands after working with raw chicken!

Marinating:

The easiest way to marinate is to take a large zip top plastic bag and put the raw chicken in it. Combine the ingredients in a bowl, with enough olive oil to cover the chicken. Pour the mixture over the chicken into the bag. Get the air out of the bag, close up tight, and then make sure the chicken is thoroughly coated. Let sit in the refrigerator at least an hour, but even better 4-6 hours.

Cooking:

I cook these in a stainless steel frying pan, but I imagine a no-stick pan would also work well. Put the stove on medium to medium-high, and after the pan is warmed, put a couple tablespoons of olive oil in the pan and make sure the pan is coated. Use kitchen tongs to get each piece of chicken out of the plastic bag and lay it in the pan, laying it away from you to avoid splatter. If you are cooking more than a few pieces, you may have to do the chicken in batches, just note that you might have to put a bit more olive oil in your pan for each batch.

With the thin chicken tenders I use, it really only takes about 3 to 4 minutes per side to cook the chicken through. I usually only flip the chicken once. No sense in messing with it!

After I put the chicken in, and after I flip it, I season it with a bit of salt and pepper. Other than that, I leave it alone. After it has cooked on both sides, I take the chicken out and put it on a plate.

The sauce:

Drain most of the excess oil from the pan. I then add a little bit more of the dried herbs into the pan and give them about 30 seconds to toast. Then, carefully pour the lemon juice into the pan – careful, it might steam up right away and be hot! You may want to add a tablespoon or two of water to dilute it slightly. Use a spoon to deglaze the bottom of the pan. Add a little more salt and pepper to the mixture. After it has reduced a bit, I add the chicken back to the pan to really let it soak up the flavors from the sauce. I usually put a lid on the pan and let it reduce until it’s about half of what it was before. I finish it off by putting a little bit of butter in the pan. After the butter is melted, check the seasoning, it may need a bit more salt to cut the acidity of the lemon.

Serving:

Place the chicken on your plates. Pour a bit of the pan sauce over top of the chicken. If you want to be fancy, put a slice of lemon on top for a garnish.

Enjoy! This has grown to be one of my favorite quick and easy recipes!