Lemon Garlic Chicken is a tried and true favorite with my kids and my husband, gobbled up quickly every time, with several requests for seconds.

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One of the struggles we face every week is how to eat dinner together, the four of us as a family.

It seems simple enough, until you factor in commutes, toddlers who go to bed before 7 p.m., and evening work commitments.

But in 2011, we’re working on that and we’re also working on meals that don’t always involve the word nugget, stick, or dog.

Lemon Garlic Chicken

The basic recipe behind my Lemon Garlic Chicken is a tried and true favorite with my kids and my husband—just substitute the garlic salt with regular salt, take out the lemon, and add other seasonings like chili powder or Old Bay, if you want.

This chicken recipe is very versatile and hard to screw up.

This Lemon Garlic Chicken is a simple meal that’s gobbled up quickly every time, with several requests for seconds. Try it!

I promise you … all of you … will like it.

Lemon Garlic Chicken

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

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Ingredients

• 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, rinsed and patted dry (if they're 3 large breasts, the kids split one)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground, if possible)
• 1 tablespoon herbs (dried or fresh; whatever you have on hand - I like parsley or basil best)
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest (about 1 lemon's worth)
• 3-4 lemon slices, halved

Instructions

Drizzle the olive oil in a large skillet and preheat over medium-high heat. While the skillet is heating, place the chicken breasts in between a few paper towel sheets, and pound them down to about 1/2" thick. Sprinkle each of the chicken breasts (just the side facing up) with 1/2 of your garlic salt, pepper, herbs and lemon zest. Lay them, seasoned side down, in your skillet for 5 minutes. Don't move them around; just let them sit until the 5 minutes is up. Sprinkle the remaining garlic salt, pepper, herbs and lemon zest over the unseasoned side of the chicken.

After 5 minutes, flip each chicken breast. Add your lemon slices to the top of the cooked side, and let the chicken cook for another 5 minutes. Remove to a plate, cover loosely with foil, and let sit - untouched - for another five minutes.

If you'd like, drizzle the pan juices over the chicken. Seems a shame to waste them!

Notes

You should hear a sizzle when the chicken hits the olive oil in the skillet. If you don't, then your pan isn't hot enough. Turn up the heat a little, and then try again in a minute.