Garlic Roast Chicken

Don't you love it when something turns out so right?

I've been doing a lot of cooking lately. I don't know what's got into me and how I've been able to manage it with Miss A running amok and all. Actually, dare I say, she's been pretty good these days. If Daddy isn't home when it's time to start cooking dinner, I let her watch a little TV (after about 10 minutes, she's cruising on the sofa). It's the only way I can get started and I watch her from the sink as I chop and peel vegetables.  When she starts losing interest I scoop her up and put her in her highchair with some books and a sippy cup. This doesn't lasts long either So the next thing to try is measuring cups and bowls! She also likes to play with the kitchen towels and will pull them down to play peek-a-boo. Whatever works, right? Dinner has to somehow make its way to the table!

So, with that said, I was really happy at how easy this was to put together. I butterflied the chicken breasts, arranged them on a baking sheet with olive oil, salt, pepper, a few crushed garlic cloves, rosemary, and lemon zest. This was a great compromise for cooking a whole chicken. Instead of having it cook for an hour and a half, this was done in 20 minutes! The end result was moist and tasty. The juices rest in the oven for about five minutes with the oven shut off, a great way to add even more flavor. I paired this with garlic rice pilaf and a cesar salad. I bet it would also go great with roasted asparagus and mashed potatoes!

Source: adapted from Classic Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals Cookbook
Servings: 4

2 large boneless chicken breasts, butterflied
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon rosemary
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, juice and zest
1/2 cup chicken broth or white wine
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425. Butterfly each chicken breast so that you have four thin pieces. Arrange chicken in a 13x9 baking dish and salt and pepper both sides. Add the crushed garlic cloves, rosemary, olive oil, and lemon zest. Toss and coat with the ingredients and roast in the oven fro 20 minutes. Add the chicken broth or wine and lemon juice to the pan and combine with the juices. Turn the oven off and allow to stand in the warm oven for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, serve the chicken with the pan juices.