Quick and Easy Chicken Dinner

Sometimes I crave something simple; a light, healthy, meal with fresh ingredients. One without a heavy sauce or spices to mask the natural flavors of the main ingredients of the meal. This chicken dinner just that, and is also easy and quick to make...perfect for a busy weeknight! I usually use lemons when baking chicken, but they are difficult to find here in Grenada. I settled on some unripe oranges, as the oranges here never become as sweet as the ones in the U.S. and usually taste more like lemons anyway.

Ingredients:

2 chicken leg-quarters

2 whole lemons 

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon of fresh thyme, chopped

1/4 teaspoon of dry oregano (you may use fresh if you have)

2 teaspoons of olive oil

salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

5 small potatoes, cut into quarters

4 carrots, diced into 1-inch pieces

2 teaspoons of olive oil

1/2 teaspoon of parsley

salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350F. Slice the two ends of the lemons off and discard. Then slice two thin round slices of the lemons, and the rest into thicker (3/4-inch) slices. Place the thick slices of lemon on the bottom of a baking dish. 

2 thin slices and a few thick slices

Placed in the baking dish

Wash the chicken, then trim some of the fat and extra skin. Slide your fingers under the skin to lift it off and create a pocket. Mix together the garlic, thyme, and a little salt, and rub the chicken with the mixture under the skin. Next, place one thin slice of lemon under the skin of each of the pieces of chicken. Sprinkle some salt and black pepper on both sides of the chicken pieces. Place the chicken on top of the lemon slices in the pan, and then drizzle the olive oil over the top of the chicken.

Garlic and thyme

Minced garlic with thyme, oregano and salt

Place the chicken on top of the lemon slices in the pan, and then drizzle the olive oil over the top of the chicken.

Chicken ready for the oven

In another baking dish, add the potatoes and carrots, along with the oil, parsley, salt, and black pepper. Mix them together and then place in the oven. Bake both the chicken and the veggies for about 1 hour-1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken read with a kitchen thermometer reads 165F. The veggies should be almost fork-tender and golden brown along the edges. Enjoy!