In the dog days of summer, people tend to grill out so they don’t heat up the kitchen with the oven or stove.  But in this crazy heat wave of 100+ temperatures in 2022 where everyone has air conditioning, I’d say stay inside and make something amazing.  This week I’ve got a great recipe to beat the decision fatigue of what to make for dinner.  This quick and easy meal packs a huge flavor punch and won’t take all day.  

I use chicken thighs in this recipe.  It’s one of my favorite chicken cuts to cook because the dark meat is super moist and flavorful.  And the bone-in, skin-on thighs are one of the cheapest cuts of meat you can buy these days.  I still routinely see them for about $1.49 per pound on sale.  You can absolutely use chicken breasts (thin sliced cutlets would be best) or any other part of the chicken you’d like.  Cook times may vary so make sure you have a good meat thermometer to make sure the thickest part of the meat reaches a safe temperature.  Because they’re lean, take chicken breasts no higher than 170 degrees.  I take drumsticks or thighs 185-200 for tenderness.

For the seasoning, my favorite lemon pepper seasoning is Meat Church that I found at The BBQ Allstars in Southaven.  Honestly, I’d take just about any excuse to make a trip out there, it’s amazing!  I also use Uncle Feol’s steak seasoning or Heath Riles Garlic Jalapeno (find at Kroger) as my all purpose seasoning.  You can also use equal parts salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  

Lemon Pepper Chicken

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Ingredients

  

• 8-10 bone-in skin on chicken thighs trimmed of excess fat
• All purpose seasoning see notes
• Lemon Pepper seasoning
• 8 tbsp butter 1 stick, divided
• ½ cup white wine
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Place a large, oven proof dish in the oven with half the butter to melt.  A pan with a lid is best.  Season the bottoms and then the tops of the chicken thighs with all purpose seasoning and then lemon pepper seasoning.  When the pan is hot and butter is melted, place the chicken thighs bottom side down in the pan.  Bake for 15 until the tops are browned and the skin is crispy.  Cover the dish with a lid or foil and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until the internal temperature is at last 185 degrees.
• Make the sauce.  Transfer the thighs to another dish and set aside.  Set the pan on the stove over medium heat and melt the butter.  When the butter is melted, add the white wine and use a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan by scraping the bottom of it and releasing the baked-on bits.  Add the heavy cream and 2 tsp of lemon pepper seasoning.  Whisk to combine and then whisk frequently and simmer for about 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens.  Serve the chicken over rice and drizzle the sauce on top.  Serve with a side salad.  Enjoy!