Crispy Lemon Chicken with Lemon Garlic Ginger Carrots

Yesterday was a rough morning. I woke up absolutely starving and wanting some cereal (a very rare desire for me), so I grabbed a bowl, poured my cereal, and went for the milk. Per college student protocol I sniffed the milk before pouring. Good thing, too, because it was slightly sour. Thus my need for a bowl of cereal could not be met and I had to figure out something to do with my newly acquired buttermilk. As I said, it was a rough morning.

My waistline put in a request for a main dish rather than a dessert and I, graciously, obliged. I did a buttermilk search of my favorite site, Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice, and stumbled across a delicious chicken recipe. Thinking carrots would go nicely with chicken, I decided to do another search. I was pleased to find a recipe that had the same supporting ingredient: lemon.

If' you're not big into lemon or citrus, you probably should steer clear of these two recipes, as the lemon flavor is very strong. I found both dishes to be delicious. The chicken had a crispy crust while still being perfectly succulent, flavorful, and tender on the inside. Fresh and zesty, the carrots were a nice complement to this lemon chicken. This is one meal I will be making many times over.

Chicken:

2 T Grated Lemon Zest, divided
1/2 C Lemon Juice
1 C Buttermilk
4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
Salt and Pepper
1/4 - 1/2 C Flour, or more
1 C Fine Bread Crumbs
1 tsp Dried Thyme
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
Olive Oil Cooking Spray

1. In the container you will marinade the chicken in mix together 1 T lemon zest, lemon juice and buttermilk. Season chicken with salt and pepper and marinade overnight or for at least two hours.

2. In a small bowl combine bread crumbs, thyme, salt, pepper, and cayenne.

3. When the chicken is done marinading, mix in enough flour so the marinade is just thick enough to coat the chicken. Pour some of the crumb mixture on a plate. Place a piece of chicken on crumb bed. Pour enough crumbs on top to cover, patting to make sure they stick. Repeat with each piece of chicken, using all the crumbs. Put chicken on a greased baking sheet.

4. Bake at 400 for 35-40 minutes until chicken is cooked through. You may need to tent with foil halfway through to prevent the crumbs from burning.

Carrots:

3 T Olive Oil
3 T Lemon Juice
3 tsp Minced Garlic
1-inch Piece of Fresh Ginger, minced or grated
3 C Fresh Carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal into 1/2 inch thick pieces
Salt and Pepper, to taste

In a large mixing bowl whisk together oil, lemon juice, garlic, and ginger. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add carrots and toss well. Pour into a greased 8x10 pan and spread out evenly. Bake at 400 for 40-45 minutes, until tender. Halfway through cooking time, turn the carrots.

Mahlzeit!
-Coriaunty