If you love the flavor of lemon and pepper on chicken, then you’ll enjoy this quick and easy recipe from recipesfromthehomestead by Heather Harris. Rather than roasting the chicken whole, Heather flattens it so more flavor is absorbed on every surface of the chicken. I’m a fanatic of lemon zest, it packs such a flavor punch to your food. With only one teaspoon of salt, it’s great for those watching their salt intake. Such an easy dish to whip up, with just a handful of ingredients, it’s definitely a winner.
Interested in more quick and easy recipes and meal planning resources? Click here to learn more about the Healthy Meal Planning Bundle. This sample recipe is part of the Healthy Meal Planning Bundle which has 1000+ recipes, printables, and menu ideas.
I’m done with the commercial. Here’s Heather’s recipe:
TO MAKE THIS LEMON PEPPER CHICKEN, YOU WILL NEED TO CUT IT FOR SPATCHCOOKING.
What is spatchcooking? It’s the process of flattening the chicken so it cooks faster. A whole chicken can be roasted in 30-45 minutes, saving 15 or more minutes. More skin is exposed, so you will get more crispy skin. This makes the Frenchman very happy.
TO FLATTEN YOUR CHICKEN:
- Lay your bird breast side down on a steady surface.
- Using a sharp pair of kitchen scissors, cut alongside the backbone, starting at the bottom of the thigh and working your way up.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Remove the backbone and use for homemade broth.
- Turn the chicken breast side up and gently press down to flatten.
- Repeat with recipe.
INGREDIENTS FOR LEMON PEPPER CHICKEN:
- Whole chicken, cut as directed above.
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
zest of 2 lemons
juice of 2 lemons (or 4 Tablespoons bottled lemon juice)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a medium sized bowl, mix seasonings together.
- Rub the chicken on both sides with olive oil and seasonings.
- In a large skillet or pot, lay the flattened chicken inside.
- Roast for 30-40, or until juices run clear.
- Serve alongside crusty bread, with roasted potatoes and carrots for a complete meal!
Hope you enjoy. Let me know if you decide to try it.
There are a thousand plus recipes and hundreds of planning tools available to help you cook up healthy meals for you and your family available in the Healthy Meals Planning Bundle. Learn more about it here.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I receive a small commission for sharing which does not affect the cost of products offered to you.
If you want to see what’s in the bundle; check out my post which gives you a complete list of everything in the Healthy Meals Bundle here. If you buy it and decide you don’t like it, there’s a 30 day money back guarantee. Win-win.