Lemon Chicken

Trying to get my groove back like Stella (feels like its been ages since I posted a homecooked meal), here is a simple chicken recipe consisting of lemons and herbs taken from my go-to food blog Simply Recipes.

Lemon Chicken
taken from Lemon Chicken, Simply Recipes

Ingredients
- 1-2 pounds of chicken thighs, legs, and/or breasts, skin on
- 1 Tbsp of lemon zest
- 1/6 (just take a 1/3 cup and only fill half of it) cup of lemon juice
- 1 garlic glove, crushed
- 1 Tbsp of fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 Tbsp of fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1/2 tsp dried)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp butter, melted

Tools
- freezer bag or plastic container with lid
- baking dish
- pastry brush

Steps
1. Place lemon juice, lemon peel, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, whisk to combine. With the tip of a sharp knife, cut into each chicken piece one or two times by about 1/2 an inch. (This will help the marinade penetrate.) Place the chicken pieces and the marinade in a freezer bag or plastic container with a lid. Rotate the bag/container so that all chicken pieces are coated with the marinade. Seal the bag/container and place in the refrigerator (if using a plastic bag, place bag in a bowl in case of leakage). Let marinate for at least 2 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 425°F. Remove chicken from marinade and place in a single layer in a baking dish, skin side up. Use a pastry brush to brush a little melted butter on to each piece of chicken.

3. Bake for a total of 30 minutes, until the skins are crispy brown, and the chicken is cooked through, juices running clear (breasts have an internal temperature of 165°F and thighs 175°F).

Depending on the size of the breasts, they may be ready before the thighs, so if you are cooking a mix of chicken parts, keep that in mind, you may have to take them out of the oven before the thighs.

Let rest, covered in foil, for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 2, alone or with white or brown rice.

A few tips...
...I didn't have any fresh herbs or those specific dried herbs available, so I used the next best thing I can find in my kitchen cabinet - Italian Seasoning (a mix of 7 different herbs, including thyme and rosemary!).  If you don't have those herbs, you can try to find something close.  It's OK if you don't have exactly thyme or rosemary, or only have one.
...when dealing with raw chicken, remember to wash your hands before you touch anything else.  Say no to E.Coli!
...make sure the chicken is cooked thoroughly.  When in doubt, take out the chicken and cut it through with a knife.