Rosemary Chicken and Mushroom Skillet

This hearty and filling meal comes together in one large skillet. Yes, you read that correctly, one skillet! That means lots of extra time for you not spent cleaning a sink full of dishes. I highly recommend sticking to the recipe and using bone-in chicken. Leaving the bone in keeps the chicken juicy and flavorful. Boneless chicken will work fine, but it might become dried out, so you will want to check on it more frequently.

Recipe yields 6 servings

Ingredients
1 lb baby red potatoes, diced
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, plus 1 tbsp extra leaves
2 cloves garlic
2 lemons
Pinch of salt
Dash of red pepper flakes
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts
10 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced

Preheat the oven to 450F degrees. Add the potatoes to a pot and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and cook potatoes until tender. Drain and set aside.

Mince the garlic into a paste and combine with rosemary leaves, red pepper flakes and salt. Add to a mixing bowl and whisk together with the juice from 1 lemon and the olive oil. Add chicken to the bowl and flip to evenly coat chicken. Heat a skillet on high heat and cook chicken, skin-side down until browned and crisp.

Turn the chicken and add the cooked potatoes and mushrooms to the skillet. Drizzle with the juice of the remaining lemon and fill in the gaps of the skillet with rosemary sprigs and the squeezed lemon halves. Place the skillet in the oven and roast, uncovered, for 35-45 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Serve and enjoy!

Red Onion & Zucchini Chicken Sandwiches

I hope everyone had a nice and relaxing Labor Day Weekend. This has been my go-to sandwich for lunch on Saturday's all summer long. It is so quick to put together and is filled with refreshing flavor. Whether we were going to the beach or spending the day out on the boat, I was constantly getting requests to prepare these sandwiches to bring with us.

Recipe yields 3 sandwiches

Ingredients 

1 Rotisserie chicken

1/2 red onion

1 medium zucchini (in a pinch, I've substituted cucumbers as well)

1 lemon

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp white wine vinegar

2 tbsp fresh parsley

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

1 loaf Italian bread

Shredded lettuce, optional

Start off by thinly slicing the onion and zucchini. You want the zucchini to look like thin ribbons.

Mix together the onion, zucchini, olive oil, vinegar, juice from one lemon, about 2 tbsp lemon zest, chopped parsley and the salt and pepper. Let that marinate for at least 15-20 minutes while you get the chicken ready.

In the meantime, remove the breasts and legs from the chicken. Remove the skin and using two forks, shred the meat into bite sized pieces.

Mix together the shredded chicken with the marinated vegetables. Add extra olive oil if the mixture seems too dry. Use your judgment and preference here. Slice open your Italian bread and load it up with the mixture. 

Top off your sandwich with shredded lettuce, if you prefer. You could even add some tomato slices if that is your thing. Cut into individual sandwich size pieces. Either wrap up to enjoy later on at the beach or on the boat, or serve with a bag of chips and enjoy it right now!

Fresh Salad with Fennel & Parsley

With another hot day in the books, it is too hot to be doing anything. This salad is light and refreshing and perfect for the day. The fennel is crisp and the watery Boston lettuce is sure to keep you well hydrated. A no-fuss vinaigrette is the perfect dress for this simple salad. Pick up a rotisserie chicken from your local grocer to turn this into a complete meal with minimal effort (and heat).

Recipe yields 6 servings

Ingredients
2 fennel bulbs
2 cups Italian parsley
1 head green Boston lettuce

Dressing:
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp honey
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp canola oil
Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Peel the leaves off the lettuce and give them a rough chop. Rinse and dry in a salad spinner before adding to a large salad bowl. Slice the fennel bulbs in half, lengthwise. Slice as thinly as possible and add to the bowl.

Rinse and dry the parsley. Remove the stems and throw into the bowl.

Toss together all the ingredients.

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and honey. Slowly add the oils and continue to whisk until incorporated. Add salt and pepper to your liking. Drizzle the salad with your dressing and toss to coat. Serve and enjoy!

Simple Roasted Chicken

A roast chicken is so versatile and can be very easy with a few simple steps. However, most people find it so intimidating. I promise, I can change all of that. The secret, and only key ingredient, is herb butter. Any herb butter! Pick your favorite flavors and make your own (that's what I show you below). Once you have your herb butter, all it takes is a little massaging and a little waiting and you are on your way to a delicious roasted chicken.

Recipe yields 2-3 servings

Ingredients
2 1/2 - 3 lb whole chicken
1/2 cup unsalted butter
4 sprigs rosemary
1 lemon
Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

About a half hour before you are ready to start, let your chicken sit at room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 425F degrees. Finely mince the leaves of the rosemary. Please note you can use thyme, parsley, tarragon, whatever spices you prefer or have on hand. Today I chose to use rosemary, but get creative and change it up if you would like.

In a bowl, add the butter, minced rosemary and zest from the lemon. Mix to combine all ingredients and create an herb butter. (You will want your butter to be soft to make this easier.)

Using your fingers, loosen up the skin from the chicken. Take about a tablespoon of the herb butter and massage it into the chicken breasts between the meat and the skin. Continue until both breasts are coated, using a tablespoon at a time until they are covered. With the remaining butter, massage it into the rest of the bird, being sure to get into all the corners and edges (don't forget under the wings!). Stuff the bird with lemon halves and extra rosemary sprigs.

Place the chicken in a roasting pan, heavily lined with aluminum foil and place in the oven. Cook for about 1 hour before checking the chicken. Your chicken will be ready when the juices are clear, if you still see pink, continue to cook at 15 minute intervals.

Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove from the oven and let rest on a cutting board before carving and serving. Enjoy your deliciously fresh and simple roasted chicken!

Cheesy Lemon Chicken

I am always looking for new ways to serve chicken cutlets. Don't get me wrong, a simple breaded chicken cutlet is delicious, but it can get a bit boring after a while. If you are looking to switch things up, this is an easy recipe to do it. The prep and process are, for the most part, the same, so you don't have to worry about a big time commitment. Just throw in a few extra ingredients and you have a new dish everyone is sure to enjoy.

Recipe yields 5-6 servings

Ingredients
2 lbs chicken breast
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1/4 cup water
2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
1 tbsp garlic powder
Zest from 2 lemons
3 tbsp oregano
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 450F. Prepare your baking sheets with a light coating of olive oil. I used two baking sheets and about 1 tablespoon of oil for each. Depending on the size, you may need more or less oil, just make sure there is a nice coating. Prepare your breading stations by placing the flour in one bowl. Whisk together your eggs and the water in a second bowl. And in the final bowl, mix together the Panko breadcrumbs, garlic powder, lemon zest, oregano and Parmesan cheese.

For each chicken breast, first cover it will flour, shaking off any excess. Then dip it in the egg wash and finally cover with a nice coating of the breadcrumb mixture. Place the chicken on the baking sheet and repeat this process until all chicken is breaded.

Place the chicken in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 15 minutes. While in the oven, slice the lemons that you zested earlier. After 15 minutes, the bottom of the chicken should be browned and crispy. Flip the chicken over, sprinkle with fresh lemon juice and leave the lemon slices on the baking sheet when you put it back in the oven. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the chicken is just about crispy on all sides.

Sprinkle the tops of the chicken breast with a handful of shredded mozzarella cheese and return to the oven for 2-3 minutes to allow the cheese to melt.

Serve with a slice of lemon for garnish and some vegetables or a fresh salad on the side. Enjoy!

Baked Lemon Sole

I am all about simple meals that come together in a quick amount of time. No matter how delicious a fresh roasted chicken is, we don't all have 3 hours a day to spend on dinner time. Seafood is always a quick option that can seem detailed and put together, but take only very little effort.

Recipe yields 4 servings

Ingredients
8-10 pieces sole
2 lemons
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp parsley
Salt, to season
Freshly ground black pepper, to season

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Clean sole and arrange on a greased baking sheet.

Season both sides of fish with salt and pepper. Chop the parsley and oregano, remove thyme from stems. Season fish with spices.

Squeeze the juice from one lemon on top of the fish. Slice the second lemon and arrange slices on top of fish.

Place in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. Fish will be ready when white and flaky.

Remove from the oven and plate. Serve & enjoy!

Brown Rice & Garbanzo Bean Salad

This isn't the first time I have told you about an easy side dish made with rice. Rice is versatile and can be used with so many different flavor combinations and main dishes. Here is one recipe that is takes it up a notch with the addition of the garbanzo beans.

Recipe yields 4 servings

Ingredients
1 cup long grained brown rice
1 can garbanzo beans
1 tbsp olive oil
4-5 cloves of garlic
2 tsp basil
1 lemon
2 tsp red wine vinegar

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the brown rice until soft and plump. While the rice is cooking, mince the garlic and juice the lemon.

Once the rice is cooked, remove to a serving dish.

In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, basil and garlic paste. Mix well to create your dressing. Evenly coat the rice and beans with the dressing.

Serve & enjoy!

Lemon & Oregano Chicken

If you are looking for a light and refreshing chicken recipe for the summer months, this is it. The zestiness from the lemon mixed with the earthy flavor of oregano really combines to pack a punch.

Recipe yields 5 servings

Ingredients

2 lbs chicken breast, pounded

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

4 tbsp oregano

4 garlic cloves

1 large lemon

3 tsp kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. (I cooked mine in the oven, but you could also cook them on the grill!) In a small bowl, combine olive oil, oregano and salt. Add juice and zest from one large lemon. Add 4 cloves worth of garlic paste. Combine all ingredients well.

Add chicken to a large ziploc bag. Pour in marinade. Close bag and mix until all chicken is coated. Let marinade at room temperature for 30-45 minutes.

 Remove chicken from bag and place on a baking sheet that was prepped with cooking spray. Bake for 8 minutes. Flip chicken and bake for an additional 4-5 minutes. (Cooking times may vary, chicken is ready when it is no longer pink inside!)

Remove from oven and place on a serving dish. Serve with your choice of sides and enjoy!

Garlic-Lemon Cod

Yet another seafood dish. I don't know if I've mentioned this, but we really enjoy eating fish at my house. Hope you enjoy this recipe. Despite its ease, the flavors are complex and delightful. For this one I used cod, as it was our latest catch. However, the cod can be switched out for any white fish you like.

Recipe yields 4 servings

Ingredients
4 cod filets (6-8 oz each)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place filets in a baking dish. Mix olive oil and lime juice. Pour over the filets to coat well. Combine salt, pepper, thyme, paprika and garlic powder. Season the filets with the spices and lightly rub into the fish. Chop the garlic cloves and sprinkle over the fish.

Cook for 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the filet. (Additionally, if you swapped out the cod for a thinner white fish such as flounder, adjust the cooking time.) The fish should be white and flaky when it is ready. Serve and enjoy!