Fast and Simple Lemon Hen

This recipe is tremendous simple to make and completely scrumptious. It’s a kind of fast and simple weeknight meals that you just’ll need to preserve perpetually as a result of miraculously, even choosy eaters have a tendency to love it! All it’s important to do is choose a few simple sides to go together with it, and you’ve got your self a full meal. Meals like this are what we grew up on, and we nonetheless find it irresistible simply as a lot as we did many years in the past. In case you are uninterested in combating along with your children to complete their dinner, that is the recipe for you. As a bonus, you’ll find it irresistible too!

Why Our Recipe

Fast marinade with recent lemon juice and herbs packs a punch in simply half-hour.
Made with easy elements you possible have already got readily available.
Goes with nearly the whole lot for meals which might be simple to place collectively.

Close up view of lemon chicken in a skillet.

Hen recipes don’t get a lot easier or tastier than this. With a marinade comprised of recent lemon juice, herbs, and pantry staples, this dish comes collectively shortly. Whether or not you’re in search of a weeknight dinner or a meal to impress, this recipe has you coated for each. It additionally goes with virtually any facet—assume roasted veggies, fluffy rice, or a recent inexperienced salad.

Ingredient Notes

Boneless Skinless Hen Breasts: Select evenly sized breasts for constant cooking. You may as well use boneless skinless hen thighs, they’ll simply take longer to cook dinner.
Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice goes to provide the greatest taste, however bottled lemon juice works too and it positive is handy.
Further Virgin Olive Oil: Common olive oil works in addition to different neutral-flavored oils.
Lemon Pepper: Lemon pepper is a mixture of black pepper, lemon zest, and a pinch of garlic powder.
Dried Basil and Oregano: We’re conserving it easy with dried herbs to make this dish as simple as potential.

Marinating Instances

For this recipe, half-hour is all you could pack in loads of recent, zesty taste. It’s good for these busy weeknights when time isn’t in your facet. You probably have extra time, although, you may let the hen absorb the marinade for as much as 8 hours.

Don’t go overboard. Marinating for too lengthy—particularly greater than 12 hours—can truly make the hen mushy due to the acid within the lemon juice.

A fast 15-minute marinade will nonetheless offer you slightly increase of taste. Simply toss the hen within the marinade whilst you prep your sides, and also you’re good to go!

Inform When Hen is Performed

No one likes dry hen, so let’s make sure that yours is completely juicy! One of the best ways to know when it’s executed is to examine the inner temperature—it ought to hit 165°F.

No thermometer? No drawback! You should utilize the contact take a look at and a fast peek inside. Press on the thickest a part of the hen breast—if it feels springy however not mushy, you’re in good condition. Nonetheless unsure? Slice into the thickest half. The juices ought to run clear, and the meat ought to be white with no pink in sight.

Make it a Meal

Serve with Grains: Pair lemon hen with a facet of fluffy rice, quinoa, or couscous.

Add Greens: Roasted or steamed greens complement the zesty hen effectively. Take into account choices like broccoli, asparagus, green beans, or gown up frozen vegetables for a fast and simple possibility.

Prime A Salad: A recent salad, whether or not it’s a easy green salad, a Caeser salad, or a extra elaborate Greek salad, provides a refreshing component to the meal.

Embrace a Starch: For a heartier meal, add a starch like roasted or mashed potatoes, or perhaps a slice of crusty bread to absorb the scrumptious juices from the hen.

Pair with Pasta: Lemon hen goes effectively with a simple pasta for a hearty and filling meal.

Freezer Choice

Right here’s slightly kitchen hack: freeze your hen proper within the marinade! It marinates whereas it thaws—how simple is that? Simply pop your hen and marinade right into a freezer-safe bag, press out as a lot air as you may, and freeze it.

Whenever you’re able to cook dinner, thaw it within the fridge. This retains issues secure and provides the marinade loads of time to work its magic. Relying on the scale of your hen items, thawing would possibly take just a few hours or in a single day.

Storage and Reheating Directions:

Refrigerate leftovers in an hermetic container for as much as 3 days.

Reheat in a skillet over medium-low warmth for greatest outcomes. Add slightly olive oil or water to maintain it moist, and warmth till warmed by way of.

Reheat it within the microwave in 30-second increments, flipping the hen midway to make sure even heating. Watch out to not overheat, as this may dry out the hen.