Lemon Thyme Chicken - Everyday Annie

This recipe is not new to the blog, but it is one of my favorite quick and simple ways to prepare chicken. Since we enjoy this meal often in our home, I felt it was deserving of an updated photo and slightly tweaked recipe, as well as being brought to the attention of those who haven’t been reading long. The inspiration for this dish comes from one of our favorite restaurants in our hometown, Scholars Inn. (In fact, we loved it so much we had our rehearsal dinner there!)

These days I am a far more adventurous eater than I used to be. I doubt I would order this dish if I were seeing it on the menu for the first time. You see, I’m generally of the mind that if I am eating in a restaurant, I should order something I’m unable or unlikely to make at home. Making chicken at home? I do that all the time, and so, I almost never order it in restaurants. I’m very thankful that my formerly picky tastebuds gave me the opportunity to try this dish because it was an immediate favorite, and I ordered it nearly every time we dined there until one sad day, it was taken off the menu. With some advice from the staff at the restaurant I have been able to recreate it at home with great results. This goes splendidly with garlic rice pilaf or cous cous and a mixed green salad, and totally works for entertaining guests or just a regular weeknight dinner.

Yield 2-4 servings

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied into halves (4 pieces total)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup all-purpose flour
1½ tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, minced
½ cup dry white wine
¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp. butter

Directions

01
Season both sides of the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow bowl, and dredge the chicken pieces in the flour, shaking off the excess. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute until lightly golden, about 2-3 minutes per side, and an instant-read thermometer reads 160˚ F in the thickest part of the chicken. (Keep in mind that pieces of different sizes will finish cooking at different times to avoid overcooking.) Remove the chicken pieces to a plate, tent with foil, and set aside.
02
Add the garlic and thyme leaves to the pan and sauté just until fragrant, about 1 minute. (If necessary, add an additional small drizzle of olive oil if most of the oil was absorbed by the chicken.) Off the heat, add the wine to the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Return the pan to the heat and bring the liquid to a simmer. Stir in the chicken broth. Reduce until the sauce has thickened, about 4-5 minutes. Add the lemon juice to the pan. Add in the butter and whisk until completely melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, spooning the sauce over the chicken.

Source

Annie original, inspired by Scholars Inn