Skillet Roasted Lemon Chicken with Potatoes

I found this recipe for Skillet Roasted Lemon Chicken and Potatoes in one of my Taste of Home magazines one Sunday afternoon and immediately put it on the top of my pile of recipes to try.

I actually only made two adjustments just because I didn't have all of the necessary ingredients on hand.  So a made a few minor swaps that worked.

And amazingly, it turned out just as delicious as it sounds. I mean really, you HAVE to try this. Plus, the bonus is it's compiled on one cast iron skillet and into the oven it goes and out comes this gorgeous skillet filled with lemon and garlic infused chicken topped with roasted rosemary potatoes and crispy skinned and succulent tomatoes. 
One skillet and about an hour of prep and cooking and dinner is on the table ready to go. Not to mention mouth-watering aromas are floating about your house for those 45 minutes getting your family salivating in preparation for the amazing meal ahead.


And that's it. Dinner is done and done. Perfect recipe for busy families, which as I know is pretty much all of us!

It has been promoted to one of our favorite easy week night meals in record time.

While we were eating, my honey made several comments such as, "Nice job honey, this chicken is really good." And he doesn't usually talk while he eats so this is something special. Nor does he usually comment on the food unless he as a suggestion for improvement. He's sort of my advocate and adversary in the kitchen.
But no constructive comments for this meal. I served it with fresh warmed corn muffins and it was the perfect sweet soft bite to accompany the Skillet Roasted Lemon Chicken with Potatoes. 
Now all we need is someone else to come do the dishes and it would be a perfect evening!

Okay, on with the recipe!

Skillet Roasted Lemon Chicken with Potatoes 
1 tbsp. Olive Oil, Divided
2-3 Lemons, Thinly Sliced
4 Garlic Cloves, Minced and Divided
1 tsp. Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp. Salt; Divided
1 4/ tsp. Pepper; Divided
4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts; 8 Ounces Each
1 Pound Red Potatoes; Cubed and Washed
1 Large Tomato (or a bunch of cherry tomatoes); Chopped
1/4 tsp. Fresh Rosemary; Minced 

1. Add about half of the olive oil to the cast iron skillet and preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Slice the lemons into thin rounds and place them on the bottom of the cast iron skillet making a thin layer of lemons.
3. In a large bowl, place the chicken breasts and add the garlic, lemon juice,and half the salt and pepper to the bowl. Toss the chicken breasts to coat them with the seasonings. Then place them on top of the sliced lemons in the cast iron skillet.
4. In a separate bowl, add the chopped red potatoes, minced rosemary, tomato, and the remaining salt and pepper. Toss to saturate the potatoes with the seasonings and then layer them evenly over the chicken breasts in the cast iron skillet.
 
5. Bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes, checking after 45 to see if the potatoes are tender to the touch. Meaning they pierce easily with a fork. If not leave in for another 10 minutes and continue checking every 10-15 minutes. Climate, oven, and altitude will determine how long this takes.
 
6. Then remove from oven carefully (the skillet is HOT) and scoop onto large plates with a corn muffin and enjoy this simple rustic meal.

Servings: 4 Main Courses

Nutritional Skinny:

400 Calories / 8.7 g fat / 25 g carbohydrates / 3.3 g fiber / 50 g protein

Mental Health Tid Bit: This dinner is not only easy and super delicious, it's also great for the whole family. It's loaded with lean protein great for growing bodies as well as mature bodies to keep our engines running throughout the day. And it also is low in fat and has a significant amount of fiber. This is a meal you can feel good about throwing in a skillet and serving to your family. Not to mention the great healing qualities of licopene and it's cancer fighting agents from the tomatoes. It's a show stopper and a health bounty for sure!