Anniversary Dinner: Savory Lemon Butter Chicken

Well, yesterday marked our three year wedding anniversary. I truly married the man of my dreams and I couldn’t be happier. We had an amazing wedding and I absolutely love looking back at the pictures. Our photographer, Jordan Brannock did an outstanding job capturing all the details. We are so lucky to be surrounded by so much love from our family and friends, especially on that day.

I wanted to cook something special and new to us, so I pulled together this Savory Lemon Butter Chicken. This dinner really takes minimal effort but the finished product is quite impressive. The keys are to make sure your meat is at room temperature and to resist the temptation to fiddle with the chicken while it’s browning, which is the hardest part.

Ingredients:
3 bone-in, skin on chicken thighs
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
Several sprigs of chopped fresh Savory (leaves removed – stems discarded)
1 lemon (juice of half the lemon and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest)
Salt and Pepper
Several handfuls of green beans

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Let chicken come to room temperature. Trim off any excess skin or fat. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken. Heat olive oil in a heavy oven proof pan over medium heat. Sear chicken in oil, skin side down for approximately 5 minutes. Do not fiddle with the chicken while it’s searing. You really want to develop a nice crispy crust, no one likes flabby skin. After five minutes flip the chicken and let is sear on the other side for approximately 5 minutes. Carefully pop the uncovered skillet into the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes. When your chicken is almost finished cooking steam your green beans in the microwave (simply place in a bowl, cover with saran wrap and microwave for 3 minutes, easy peasy) and start your sauce. Melt 1-2 tablespoons of butter in a small sauce pan and incorporate the lemon juice and zest. Place the green beans on a large platter and once the chicken is done cooking arrange on top of the green beans and drizzle that delicious lemon butter sauce on top. Sprinkle the entire dish with chopped savory.

This.Was.Delicious. The crispy skin is the best part and the lemon butter adds so much flavor. The green beans are a simple but tasty addition. A small side of roasted potatoes would have been nice too but certainly not necessary. The portion size for this dinner was perfect for two people. Jason devoured two chicken thighs, I had one, and we gobbled up all the green beans. There was nothing leftover! I love when that happens. This chicken is so easy but it tastes like you spent hours on it. This is perfect for a dinner party or a weeknight dinner for two.