There are times when I bite into a new recipe and I just exclaim, “Wow.”
Rarely do I hear “ooh and ahhs” from our children on something that is 100% healthy and delicious. Well, with this Citrus Herb Chicken, it was a bit more than that. Out of my full mouth came something like, “Oh yum, that is so moist. Oh my. I love the blend of those flavors. I can’t believe how good it is and how easy it was to prepare, and it’s perfect for my 17 Day Diet
Yes, in my big push to lose some of those pounds that I have put on over the last three years, I am looking for healthy, low carb, whole food, recipe options, and this is perfect. The best part though is that our kids gobbled it up right along with me.
The variety of flavors bursts in your mouth and leaves you wondering. Who would expect lemon to pair so well with chili powder?
While I made this with skinless, boneless chicken breast, it’s a perfect recipe for which to take advantage of some of the varying chicken sales, since this works just as well with pieces.
As I shared in my “What Would you Do with 30 pounds of Chicken?” post, often I come home and separate my bulk chicken packages into individual freezer bags with some kind of marinade or seasoning rub before putting them into the freezer. For this, I did use the package of chicken that had been tossed with a bit of Worcestershire Sauce. Yes, that’s it. That’s my lazy marinade, but it works.
I will begin adding this to my repertoire of “Power cooking” recipes, since it’s perfect for the freezer. When I get home from the store, I will mix together the seasonings, add in the chicken and lemon juice and put it all in a freezer friendly bag until I am ready to bake. Then it’s as simple as thawing, dumping in a pan, and baking (or grilling).
Make extra chicken breasts, since this is a great C.O.S.T cooking recipe (Cook Once, Serve Twice). It’s so delicious topped on salads or wrapped in a pita for a quick lunch on the go.
Enjoy. It’s a fresh tangy spot in the midst of this dreary winter weather.
Recipe: Citrus Herb Chicken
Summary: This fresh, tangy Citrus Herb Chicken is packed with unexpected flavors. Make extras for another day, as it’s perfect with salads.
Ingredients
- 6 chicken pieces
- 3 Tablespoons lemon, lime or orange juice
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano, crushed
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- salt
- McCormick’s Lemon Herb* (optional – I have used this when I was out of oregano and it’s a great all purpose blend)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- If using pieces, remove the skin from chicken, if desired.
- Rinse chicken and pat dry.
- Lay the chicken in even layer in pan.
- Lightly salt and pepper the top.
- Drizzle with juice. (I used fresh lemon and just squeezed it liberally over all the chicken and retrieved the seeds.
![;)]()
) - Combine oregano, chili powder, garlic salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle and rub seasoning mixture over chicken, turning the pieces to coat evenly. (Lightly sprinkle a bit of Lemon Herb seasoning over everything. *optional)
- Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and juices run clear.
- If you have difficulty telling if chicken is done, meat thermometer should read 170 for breast and 180 for leg or thigh.
- Spoon the extra pan juices over the chicken before serving.
)Preparation time: 10 minute(s)
Cooking time: 35 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 4