Description
I love this recipe because it's not only easy to make, but the sauce is to die for!
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
Herb Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Tbsp Yellow Mustard (or dijon mustard)
- Zest of 1 Lemon
- 1 Tbsp Fresh Basil (minced)
- 1/2 tsp Real Salt *
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes (or more or less, to taste. For a more mild flavor, you could use paprika.)
Garlic and Optional Extras
- 10 Cloves Garlic (whole, peeled)
- Onion, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, summer squash (optional)
Lemon Cream Sauce
- 1 Lemon (juiced, about 1/4 cup or a little more)
- 1/2 Cup Chicken Broth (or water)
- 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
- 1 Tbsp Fresh Basil (minced)
To Finish
- 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
- Lemon Slices (for garnish)
- Fresh Basil (for garnish)
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- While the oven is pre-heating, place chicken in a 12 inch enameled cast iron dutch oven. (You could also use a 9x13 baking pan, but it will probably take about 5 minutes or so longer because it doesn't conduct heat as well.)
- Combine the herb sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix with a basting brush.
- Brush the herb sauce evenly over the top of the chicken. Place in the oven. If frozen, cook for 20 minutes. If not, cook for 10 minutes.
- While the chicken is cooking, peel all the garlic cloves, then throw them randomly in the pan at the end of the 10 or 20 minutes mentioned above.
- Put the chicken back in the oven for 10 more minutes while you prepare the lemon cream sauce in the same bowl you used for the herb sauce.
- Dump the lemon cream sauce in the pan over the garlic but not over the chicken.
- Cook for another 20 minutes. (I usually take a 5 minute break, then start the rice cooking in my Instant Pot * so it will be done at the same time as the chicken). Cream should be bubbling and slightly thicker.
- Serve with cooked rice, pasta, zoodles *, quinoa * or cauliflower rice - depending on your diet.
- Chicken can be served as is (if doing so, add the butter to the sauce and stir until melted and combined, then serve), or, if a thicker sauce is desired, you can pour the sauce from the baking dish into a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Let cook down for 2-3 minutes, or just until the sauce thickens to the degree you want it to and becomes glossy. Whisk the butter into the sauce until melted and combined. Pour over the chicken and serve.
- Garnish with the lemon slices and basil.
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Keywords: Baked, Easy, Creamy