I’m a big fan of the Barefoot Contessa, especially her chicken recipes. This one does not disappoint. Warm minced garlic in oil, then add lemon zest, juice, wine, oregano and thyme. Pour over chicken pieces, bake and enjoy!

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used a white wine from Frogpond Farm with a sulfite level lower than 10 parts per million. Be sure to use fresh lemon juice.

Pour sauce over chicken and bake until done

Ina Garten's lemon chicken

Ingredients:

¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil

3 tablespoons (45 ml) minced garlic, 8-9 cloves

⅓ cup (85 ml) dry white wine

1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon zest, from about 2 lemons

2 tablespoons (30 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice, about 1 lemon

1 ½ teaspoons (7.5 ml) dried oregano

1 teaspoon (5 ml) fresh thyme leaves

Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

4 boneless, skin-on chicken breasts, 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, or 2 skin-on half chickens, patted dry

Slices lemon, from remaining lemon after zesting

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400°F/204°C.

In a small sauce pan, warm the oil over low heat. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown. Remove from heat.

In a small bowl, stir together the wine, lemon zest and juice, oregano, and thyme.

Whisk the wine mixture into the warm oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In an oven safe-baking dish, pour in about half of the wine and oil mixture. Place the chicken over the sauce, skin side up. Tuck the lemon slices under the chicken skin. Season the skin with salt and pepper, if using. Pour the remaining wine and oil mixture over the chicken.

Cook times: boneless skin-on chicken breasts: 30 – 40 minutes; boneless skinless chicken breasts: 25 – 35 minutes; bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs: 40 – 50 minutes; skin-on half chickens: 45 – 55 minutes. Serves 4.

From Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa