Lebanese Lemon Chicken #30MinuteMondays

Fast and flavorful Lebanese lemon chicken with shallots, fresh herbs, 

and a touch of turmeric--a comforting paleo dinner for fall.

There was a touch of fall in the air this weekend, especially in the early mornings. So, even though the highs will be in the 80s all next week, I've decided it's time for fall comfort food. And this Lebanese lemon chicken fits the bill exactly. The flavors of lemon, rosemary and thyme hint at cooler weather, but the dish is fast enough not to heat up your entire house if the temperatures outside are still hot.

This recipe is inspired by the Lebanese chicken dish I had for lunch from the hot bar at Whole Foods last week. I don't do well if I grocery shop hungry, so when I arrive at the store not totally full, I get something to eat from the prepared foods section and sit down and eat it before doing my shopping. Whole Foods' version of this dish was made with bone-in, skin-on chicken, and also had potatoes, olives, and a few other ingredients. I loved the overall taste of the recipe, but wanted to simplify it a little.

I used boneless, skinless chicken because it's faster, and chose thighs because they're less dry than breasts and less easy to accidentally overcook. The chicken "marinates" very briefly in a little olive oil, lemon juice, turmeric, salt, and pepper.

Next, the chicken is seared in a hot pan so it browns a little and cooks through relatively quickly. After that, the chicken is transferred to a plate and the real magic begins. Lemon slices land in the pan with a sizzle, browning in the chicken juices. Shallots lend their sweetness to balance out the tart lemon, and rosemary and thyme round out the flavors. With a little water (or chicken stock if you're feeling fancy), all these aromatics come together to form an addictive pan sauce. The chicken thighs go back in for a quick toss in that golden elixir, and that's it!

I served this chicken with white rice and paleo flatbread. I experimented with baking the flatbread in the oven instead of cooking it in a skillet since I was running short on pans. If you'd like to try baking it, follow the recipe for paleo flatbread and preheat your oven to 375. After the dough rises, pat it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet until it's about 1/4-inch thick and then bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden. (If you're torn about which way to make your flatbread, I'll tell you this: the original skillet version is softer and chewier, like naan, whereas the oven baked version is crunchy around the edges like a thick cracker. Both are delicious!)

If you're doing a Whole30, this would go really well with cauliflower rice, mashed potatoes, creamy rutabaga, or just a bunch of roasted vegetables. 

This recipe makes a large amount. This weekend it fed four adults and three hungry children right after a soccer game, and one lonely thigh was left over. If you only need to feed three or four people, you can halve the recipe and you'll only need one pan. 

Looking for more quick paleo dinners? Check out the other recipes in my 30 Minute Mondays series: grilled pork chops and peaches, pesto shrimp bake with squash and tomatoes, caramelized salmon with basil chile oil and pickled vegetables, grilled shrimp skewers with creamy sesame slaw, rainbow salad with grilled chicken and raspberry walnut dressing, and roasted shrimp and asparagus with green goddess dressing.

Lebanese Lemon Chicken
Yield: 6-8 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

3 organic lemons
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for cooking
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons flaky sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 12 thighs)
2 large shallots or 1 large onion
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
2 sprigs of fresh thyme

Juice one of the lemons until you have 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Put the juice in a large bowl and add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil along with the turmeric, sea salt, and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and toss to coat. Let the chicken marinate briefly at room temperature while you prepare the other ingredients.

Trim the ends off the other two lemons and slice them into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Remove any visible seeds. Halve, peel, and slice the shallots.

Heat two large cast iron skillets over medium-high heat (or use one skillet and cook the chicken in two batches). Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom with a thin layer of oil. Divide the chicken pieces between the two pans with the smooth side of the chicken (where the skin was) facing down, making sure to leave a little room between the pieces so they can brown. Cook for about 5 minutes, until nicely browned on the bottom, and then flip and cook for 8-10 minutes on the second side, until just cooked through, lowering the heat slightly if necessary. Use tongs or a slotted spatula to transfer the chicken pieces to a plate.

Add the lemons, shallots, and herb sprigs to the pans. Let cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes, until the lemons are browned on the bottom. Pour 1/2 cup water into each pan and stir, scraping the browned bits from the bottom. Reduce the heat to medium, add the chicken back to the pans, and cook for 4-5 minutes so the flavors can meld. Serve the chicken, shallots, and pan juices hot over rice or cauliflower rice.