Lemon Chicken Breasts (Barefoot Contessa)

I never like to use an oven to cook chicken breast. They can be dried, tough and rubbery on the outside and tasteless at its inside.

Before baking this dish, I have heard and know about Ina Garten but didn't get a chance to cook any of her recipes. But when I first saw this Barefoot Contessa recipe at Jacquelyn's post (Marin Mama Cooks), I was very impressed and amazed how easy to cook this dish. These chicken breasts were well-flavored and every bite of them is so moist and juicy. Jacquelyn has rated this dish a perfect 10 and my family and I would rate this dish the same!

For the next coming months, I was thinking of these themes, Jamie Oliver and MasterChef but can't decide to set which theme I should learn to cook at which month. Can you help me to decide?

Take a closer... I can't believe this dish is so easy to cook!

Here's the Barefoot Contessa recipe from Food Network

(with my notes modification in blue)

1/4 cup good olive oil
3 tbsp minced garlic (9 cloves)
1/3 cup dry white wine  
(I used Semillon Sauvignon Blanc being always the best match to enjoy with a chicken dish)
1 tbsp grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on 
(6 to 8 ounces each - mine is about 13 ounces each!)
1 lemon

Serve 4  
(or more - this portion is a little too much for the 3 of us and had to freeze half of the amount)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F (or 180 °C fan forced).

Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don't allow the garlic to turn brown. Off the heat, add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme (lemon thyme), and 1 tsp salt and pour into a 9 by 12-inch baking dish (mine is 24 cm x 35 cm).

Pat the chicken breasts dry and place them skin side up over the sauce. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck it among the pieces of chicken.

Bake for 30 to 40 min, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done and the skin is lightly browned (I baked mine for 40 min). If the chicken isn't browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2 min (I did grilled mine for the extra 2 min). Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 min. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the pan juices.

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