Lemon Chicken

When hunger strikes, this easy Greek-style chicken is my go-to, family-pleasing healthy meal. 

By: Jodie Shield, RDN

Every cook should have a few family-pleasing recipes that they can rely on in a pinch.  Since my family loves chicken, I have two  quick and easy delicious recipes: Grilled Pineapple Chicken and Lemon Chicken.  The secret ingredient in Lemon Chicken besides fresh garlic: boneless, skinless chicken thighs.  Never heard of them? Let me help you bone-up on the facts. Both chicken breasts and thighs come in boneless, skinless options and both are healthy. If you dare to compare: a 3-ounce roasted chicken breast (without skin or bone) has about 140 calories and 3 grams of fat; a 3- ounce roasted chicken thigh (without skin or bone) has about 152 calories and 7 grams of fat.  You may be wondering – why no skin or bone? The skin is pure fat and if you eat it, it doubles the fat and calories in your meal. And no bone means less time in the kitchen. Boneless chicken cooks faster than its bone-in counterpart.

 I prefer to use chicken thighs in this recipe because the little bit of extra fat helps keep the chicken moist and juicy – even if you over cook it.  Plus, pound for pound, chicken thighs cost about half as much as breasts. So don’t be chicken, give this recipe a try and let me know what you think! I added the recipe to my FREE app Eat Healthy Homemade Meals which you can download at iTunes or Goggle Play.

 Lemon Chicken

Makes 6 Servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6 thighs)

1/4 cup olive oil

3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons)

2 tablespoons dried oregano

4 garlic cloves, crushed

Steps:

1. Preheat over to 350°F.
2. Place chicken thighs, single layer, in 8-½ x 12-inch baking dish.  This will help them cook evenly.
3. Combine oil, lemon juice, oregano and garlic and pour over thighs.
4. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until lightly browned (internal temperature of 165°F).

Nutrition Information per serving (1 thigh):

277 calories, 25 grams protein, 3.5 grams carbohydrate, 18 grams fat, 3.5 grams saturated fat, 141 milligrams cholesterol,  0.5 grams dietary fiber, 92 milligrams sodium

Note: My family loves Lemon Chicken so much, I featured it in my book Healthy Eating, Healthy Weight for Kids and Teens.  Check it out for more tasty recipes.

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