Last Updated on November 12, 2018
Lemon Chicken – Trying to eat healthy food:
This recipe for healthy lemon chicken is very quick and simple. I made mine using the wings and legs from the Organic Chicken in my Abel and Cole box this week. If you don’t plan on feeding a whole family, it’s quite a good idea to take the legs and wings off a roasting bird and cook them separately. They cook at a different speed to the breast meat – so by making your own ‘crown roast’ you can help to keep the breast meat tender and still have joints for a great casserole. But it works just as well with chicken breasts (preferably bone on), or with a pack of chicken thighs. I’ve already had my crown roast and, given I am trying to be healthy this week (I have a gym assessment on Monday), I wanted to cook something with no cream or excess fat!
So, here’s my healthy lemon chicken.
- 4 chicken pieces 2 wings, 2 legs
- 2 lemons juiced
- 4 cloves garlic crushed or finely chopped
- 125 ml white wine
- 125 ml water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 sprigs Rosemary
- Flat leaf parsley to garnish
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Put the chicken pieces in a plastic storage pot with the lemon juice, garlic, rosemary and most of the olive oil.
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Mix well.
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Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
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Every so often, ‘baste’ the mixture again or just shake the pot!
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When you are ready to cook, heat the remainder of the oil in a skillet until it is just smoking.
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Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry with kitchen roll.
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Put the pieces skin side down in the pan for about 4 minutes until they are nicely browned.
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Now turn them, and pour in the marinade, the wine and the water.
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Cover with a lid and cook on the stove top for about 25 minutes until the chicken is tender and the liquid has reduced by about 50%
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Serve garnished with parsley.
I had this with some pink fir apple potatoes from the Abel and Cole box to go with the chicken and a little green salad. If you want to make life really easy for yourself, you could add new potatoes in at the start of the cooking so they braise in the lemony chicken liquid. You might need to add a little more wine and water if you do that. And if you are using chicken breasts, cut the cooking time down a bit to make sure you don’t dry out the delicate meat.
If you’d like to try this recipe at home, why not pin this post for later
For an alternative, healthy chicken recipe why not try my poached chicken with pesto
This looks really nice, will have to give this a try.
Thank you for this recipe.
One of my favourite. In particular with green olives.
That sounds delicious and I reckon my kids would eat it. I’m on a mission to eat more as a family this year, so I’ll give this a go 🙂
thanks;) It’s one of those ‘when you need something simple but wonderful’ recipes imo;)
I’m vegetarian, as you know, but I have tried chicken and this looks just divine. Thanks for linking up and happy new year!
Lemon chicken, one of my favourite dishes that needs to be added back on the menu. Thanks for the nudge 🙂
oooh it looks lovely Fi… I think the lemon/chicken combo is a match made in heaven… have you tried it in a soup… divine!
I haven’t…not even in a restaurant…though lemon chicken risotto is rather good…I’ll try a soup next time on your recommendation;)
I’m sure it was lovely. I love lemon and garlic chicken cooked like this. It goes very well with roast potatoes – unfortunately they are not quite so healthy!
Like everybody else that has posted a comment this sounds great. I love the clean taste that lemons give to a dish, lovely.
Love lemon chicken. Great recipe. Thank you!
Thank you rachel – one of my favourites
I love a good marinade. It’s heading towards marinading season, can I let go of the comfort food and move towards the healthier, lighter dishes? Maybe not quite yet but a few more sunny days and I will be ready!
This looks and sounds delicious Fiona! I must go buy more lemons this week 🙂
thanks, it’s one of the easiest things I know to make!