Recipe for Lemony Chicken Dinner, plus money and time saving tips

Lemony Chicken Dinner for 2

Ingredients:

·         1 pound chicken thighs, boneless and skinless

$Money saving tip: Chicken thighs are often cheaper than the bird’s leaner breasts. Look for sales on chicken and buy your favorite cuts ahead and freeze for future use. Whole chickens can be very economical purchases and with a quick work of the knife, can be just as easy.  

·         2 large lemons

·         1 cup plain Greek yogurt

·         1 small garlic bulb, cut in half through the middle

·         Salt and pepper

For the carrots:

·         ½ pound carrots   

  *Time saving tip: Baby carrots!

·         ¼ cup fresh oregano, thyme, and/or Parsley

   $Money saving tip: Use ¼ of the quantity of dried herbs if you don’t have fresh.

·         2 Tbsp Olive oil

For the Quinoa:

·         1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained until water runs clear

·         1/2 cup chicken or homemade vegetable broth

   $Money saving tip: Broth is used to add more flavor to Quinoa, but water will do, too, but you may want to add some herbs, lemon, and salt for seasoning after cooking.

Directions:

1.       Mix together yogurt and juice of 1 lemon in a large bowl. Unwrap chicken and dry each thigh with a paper towel, then coat well in the yogurt mixture. Let this sit for at least 30 minutes while you are preparing the rest of dinner.

2.       Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and get out your favorite rice cooker or rice-cooking pan.

3.       Wash, peel, and quarter the carrots. Rub with oil and herbs and place on a baking sheet prepared with parchment paper. Bake, covered with foil for the first 20 minutes or so until softened and finish uncovered to brown.

4.       Rinse quinoa and add both to rice cooker or pot. 

Quinoa cooks much like rice—let boil then cover, reduce heat to med-low, and simmer 20-30 minutes. Fluff with a fork when done.

5.       For the chicken: Heat 2 Tbsp. Olive oil in a large crock or deep pan with lid.  When pan is hot enough for a drop of water to sizzle, add chicken thighs one at a time, gently shaking off extra yogurt mixture. Add 1 lemon, halved side down to pan, along with the garlic halves. Season with dash salt and pepper, and zest 1-2 tsp of the other lemon peel straight over the chicken.

6.       When chicken is completely cooked on one side, it should easily release from the pan to be flipped.  Cook one med-high until nicely browned on both sides, reduce heat to low. Squeeze the lemon halves to release more of their juices into the pan, cover, and let chicken simmer until it gets so tender it falls apart (10-15 more minutes).

7.       Serve chicken over quinoa with roasted carrots on the side. If your plate needs it, go back to the chicken pan and take a spoonful of juices over the Quinoa.

8.       Enjoy!