Recipe Details

Summary

Name: Famous Lemon And Basil Chicken

Category: Main Dish

Ingredients and Directions

4 each chicken, breast, halves, with skin and bones, fat trimmed

1 each chicken, whole, 2 lbs, cut up

1 pepper, freshly ground, to taste

4 each basil, fresh, leaves

4 each garlic, cloves, bruised with the side of a knife

4 each lemon, slices, thin

1 tablespoon oil, olive, extra virgin

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the chicken in a baking dish. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper and arrange skin side up. Loosen the skin from each chicken breast and slip a basil leaf between the skin and the meat. Add the garlic to the baking dish. Place a slice of lemon on top of each piece of chicken. Drizzle with oil. Bake, basting occasionally with pan juices and turning the chicken and the baking dish occasionally so the chicken browns evenly, 35 to 40 minutes. If using a whole chicken, the baking time will be about 50 minutes. To serve, place a browned lemon slice and garlic clove on top of each portion of chicken.