Anna Morse’s Lemon Chicken

For someone who loves lemons as well as chicken, take it from this fond lover of lemons with her chickens– You’ll love this.  It’s also– light. 

Grease a 9×13 baking pan, coating bottom and sides.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Extract 5 tablespoons lemon juice; place in a shallow dish…

Slice 2 lemons and set aside…

Rinse 6 to 8 chicken pieces, or 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts; dry after wash…  dip them in the lemon juice extracted.  Pour remaining lemon juice into the baking pan.

Have a skillet ready, 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil on hand with 2 tablespoons softened butter– After shaking raw chicken in a closed bag of 1/3 cup flour, 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon paprika–

…  fry over medium heat.  Cook on both sides until golden brown.

Remove chicken to the baking dish with leftover lemon juice to prepare for the oven…

Lay the lemon slices over the chicken…

…  Sprinkle over the lemon slices– 3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar.

Pour 1 cup of chicken stock into the frying pan in which the chicken was fried on sides golden brown; set over medium heat and simmer.  Scrape bottom and sides of skillet with a wooden spoon to retrieve browned bits clinging to the bottom of the skillet.  Cook the chicken broth until lightly thickened.  Pour the sauce into a corner of the baking pan of chicken and cover dish with aluminum foil.  Bake until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes for boneless, skinless breasts; 40 to 45 minutes for bone-in pieces of chicken. 

Baste with pan juices at least one time during cooking.