I like lemon pepper chicken but I don't like fried things or chicken skin. Chicken skin tastes like feathers. Don't ask how I know what feathers taste like, ok?
Elvo does not like lemon pepper chicken. However, I determined that if I made changes to the recipe it might be passable for him and satisfy my craving for lemon-y something. (Still in pursuit of the soup recipe, you see, and that means I think about lemon a lot.)
A meal of my own invention follows. You can invent things too. Just do something without following any particular instruction or direction and if you like the end result, bam! You are now an inventor.
Lemon Pepper Chicken:
Start off the night before you are going to cook. Take boneless skinless chicken breast out of the freezer, one for one person, two for two people, three for... I hope you're seeing a pattern here. Place x-number of chicken breasts in a zip-closure bag and put it in the fridge to thaw overnight.
Go to sleep. Wake up. Now it is morning.
Rub some black pepper on either side of the chicken. Be generous but don't go crazy. Put the chicken back in the zip-closure bag and add some lemon juice. How much lemon juice is up to you but I used like maybe half a soda-can amount. (Again, measuring just isn't my style.) Then add a little water as well, enough to make it so the bag is half full. Close and put in fridge to marinate alllllllll day.
Go to work. Come home. Now it is getting close to dinner time.
Get an oven-tolerant-thing. I use the cookie sheet a lot, but a casserole dish or even a muffin tray (hey, I've done it!) will work. Get some tin foil. Make sure you purchases tinfoil made from recycled tin and, if you didn't, feel appropriately guilty for squandering resources. Take the chicken out of the bag, throw bag and lemon stuff away. Place chicken in the center of the tin foil and sprinkle with some more black pepper. Wrap the toil foil up like a little packet and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-45 minutes. (Always bake for less time then cut one in half to see if it's done. Over-done chicken is chewy and ewwww.)
As soon as you've put the chicken in to bake, start water boiling for the pasta. Add salt! Remember, a pinch of salt can make all the difference! I promise! Make your pasta or rice pasta according to directions or whimsy or whatever, and strain it.
Take a little butter. Like a spoonful. Put it in a bowl that can go in the microwave. Or a cup. Something. Microwave it for ten seconds to meltify the butter. Then add LOTS of rosemary. Rosemary is really bright tasting. ("Bright" is the only word I can think of?) Then pour the pasta in the bowl or cup, and shake it around to get all the buttery rosemary stuck to it.
Serve together.
I really really enjoyed this and Elvo even *ate the left overs*! So much for not liking lemon pepper chicken!
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