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Lemon Chicken with Artichokes & Capers

April 3, 2016 By Robin King Leave a Comment

Jack holding a lemon in Italy, 2011.

Jack holding a lemon in Italy, 2011.

Lemons. This sunny yellow spherical fruit makes me happy. Cheerfully colored and perfectly flawed, the surface is firm yet supple with shallow dimples. When I scrape the rind, or protective skin, I immediately smell fresh, sharp citrus and feel wedges of flesh under my nails. I inhale the zest and feel a sense of calmness, simultaneously with happiness. I touch my tongue to my fingertips and the sour, sharp and tangy taste activates my salivary glands, literally mouthwatering. I close my eyes and warmly remember the freshly squeezed lemonade my mother made during the hot summers of my childhood. I smile when I think of the hundreds of bright yellow wedges of lemon we cut for a tailgate in college, later to be used to counteract the burning taste of cheap liquor.

Lemons of Monterosso al Mare, Cinque Terre, Italy

Lemons of Monterosso al Mare, Cinque Terre, Italy

My heart swells as I remember the lemons of Monterosso al Mare in the province of La Spezia, part of the region of Liguria, one of the five villages in Cinque Terre, Italy.

Today, this particular lemon is somewhat heavy in my hand, and I am now anxious to see, touch and taste inside. I firmly hold the lemon with my left hand as I slice through it with a knife in my right hand. The juice lightly burns a cut on my finger as the globe separates at the equator. The flesh shimmers as a few seeds fall onto the cutting board. The colorful outer layer lies in contrast now with the bitter white pith. There are nine segments of flesh, full of juicy pulp, dripping onto the cutting board, creating a pool around each seed. I touch my tongue to the small cut on my left index finger, licking the acidic juices away. Lemons. Bittersweet. Full of health benefits, seasonal, with diverse uses, deliciously tangy, beautiful to look at and touch, perfect when ripe, easily bruises, and capable of burning. Fruit mimicking life, again.

What shall I create today, utilizing these beautiful lemons? I also have chicken breasts, capers and frozen artichokes. And I am now thinking about are Italian vacation. How about a simple, lemony chicken dish with artichokes and capers? This recipe is adapted from a cooking class I took at Mon Ami Winery with Loretta Paganini many years ago.

What you will need for four servings:

Lemon Chicken with Artichokes & Capers

  • 2 whole lemons brushed with extra virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt
  • 2 whole skinless boneless chicken breasts, scaloppini-style
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 whole garlic cloves
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons capers, drained
  • 1/2 cup frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and rinsed
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • Salt & freshly ground black pepper
  • Fresh, flat-leaf Italian parsley: one teaspoon chopped plus several leaves for garnish

Roast two whole lemons brushed with olive oil and sprinkled lightly with sea salt for 25 minutes in 350 degree oven. Remove from the oven and set aside.

While lemons are roasting, rinse the chicken breasts, pat dry and pound between sheets of plastic wrap. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then dredge chicken through flour to coat both sides of each breast. Shake off excess flour.

Lemon Chicken with Artichokes & Capers

Lemon Chicken with Artichokes & Capers

Once lemons are roasted and chicken prepped, heat extra virgin olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Add chicken breasts, garlic, and cook until golden brown, about five minutes per side. Stir in artichokes and capers. Add wine, chicken broth (I use 1/2 cup of each so there’s plenty of yummy sauce on the side) and bay leaf, bringing to a boil while scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet. Reduce heat, gently boil until liquid is reduced and thickened, turning chicken over after five minutes. Add butter, the juice of one roasted lemon, careful to sift seeds from the juices, and one teaspoon of chopped parsley. Simmer until butter melts and chicken is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Slice second roasted lemon to use as garnish, along with fresh parsley leaves.

Serve with pasta, or delicious crusty bread to sop up the juices.

What are you creating in your kitchen today?

Robin

Filed Under: My Kitchen Tagged With: #inmykitchen, #lemons #CinqueTerre #ItalianRecipes #recipes #outoftheweeds, #MonAmi, #SundaySupper

Roasted Beet, Walnut & Arugula Salad with Out of the Weeds Roasted Beet Vinaigrette

March 5, 2016 By Robin King Leave a Comment

Roasted Beet, Walnut & Arugula Salad with Out of the Weeds Roasted Beet Vinaigrette

Beets. You either love them, or you don’t. But if it has been awhile since you’ve tried them, I encourage you to give them another chance. This delicious and beautiful salad is great by itself as a meal, or a perfect first course for that special dinner coming up. What do you need? Grocery List […]

Filed Under: My Kitchen Tagged With: #beets, #Recipes, #roastedbeetvinaigrette, #salads, #winndixie, OutoftheWeeds

Red Beans & Rice, New Orleans Style

January 7, 2016 By Robin King 2 Comments

Red Beans & Rice, New Orleans Style

This traditional New Orleans “Monday lunch” varies a bit each time I make it, but here is one version of this simple and affordable classic. (and you don’t have to serve it on Monday, for lunch)

Filed Under: My Kitchen Tagged With: #Recipes, Andouille, New Orleans, New Orleans cuisine, Out of the Weeds, Red Beans, Tasso

Sweet Potatoes & Couscous by Heather Sell

November 6, 2015 By Robin King 2 Comments

Sweet Potatoes & Couscous by Heather Sell

“After attending the Food & Wine Conference this year in Orlando, where I had the opportunity to taste the mildly spicy creation, Out of the Weeds Carrot Ginger Dressing on a Chicken Pasta Salad, I knew I had to incorporate this golden orange blend into a recipe of my own. The result is this filling […]

Filed Under: My Kitchen Tagged With: CarrotGinger, Couscous, Food&WineConference, OutoftheWeeds, Recipe, Recipe Creation, SideDish, SweetPotatoes

Sweet Potatoes & Couscous with Carrot Ginger Dressing

November 6, 2015 By Robin King Leave a Comment

Sweet Potatoes & Couscous with Carrot Ginger Dressing

Filed Under: My Kitchen Tagged With: Carrot Ginger, Heather Sell, Out of the Weeds, Recipe, ShoutOutTampaBay, Sweet Potatoes

Thanksgiving is for Family & Friends

November 2, 2015 By Robin King 13 Comments

Thanksgiving is for Family & Friends

Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action. ~W.J. Cameron Thanksgiving is perhaps my favorite holiday for two reasons. First, it is a holiday that we focus on people, not gifts. No perfect birthday or Christmas gift to select. Second, we focus on food: meal planning, grocery shopping, cooking and sitting around a table with […]

Filed Under: My Kitchen Tagged With: #Recipes, Dressing Recipe, Entertaining, Friendsgiving, Holiday Cooking, Holiday Menus, Holidays, Thanksgiving, Turkey Recipe

Three Bread Citrus Dressing Recipe

November 1, 2015 By Robin King Leave a Comment

Three Bread Citrus Dressing Recipe

Filed Under: My Kitchen Tagged With: #Recipes, Dressing Recipe, Friendsgiving, Stuffing Recipe, Thanksgiving, Three Bread Citrus Dressing

Citrus Roasted Turkey Recipe

November 1, 2015 By Robin King Leave a Comment

Citrus Roasted Turkey Recipe

Filed Under: My Kitchen Tagged With: #Recipes, Citrus Roasted Turkey, Friendsgiving, Holiday meals, roast turkey, Thanksgiving, turkey

Rita Meade’s Colcannon Mash

July 24, 2015 By Robin King Leave a Comment

Rita Meade’s Colcannon Mash

Colcannon remains widely known throughout Ireland and is a big part of traditional Irish cooking. Serve it as a side dish, or atop your Guinness stew. Atop any stew, really.

Filed Under: My Kitchen

Rita Meade’s Beef & Guinness Casserole

July 24, 2015 By Robin King Leave a Comment

Rita Meade’s Beef & Guinness Casserole

I have made several versions of Beef & Guinness, and this Casserole dish by Rita Meade of Berry Lodge & Cookery School is among my favorites. Slainte

Filed Under: My Kitchen

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About Robin

I am a wife, mother, Bebe, yoga and meditation instructor, traveler, lover of food, wine and the magic that cooking and dining experiences can bring to your day. I am a recovering restaurant owner, and after a year of hibernating in the mountains after selling, I am out of the weeds sufficiently to share my favorite culinary experiences with you, both locally and while on the road, my current crushes on gadgets and self-care products, dog friendly places your fur kids will love and invite you into my kitchen. All love, all good vibes. I share with hopes that you find inspiration through my experiences to make your dreams a reality, or perhaps just to create a fabulous culinary experience for someone you love.

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