the sky is falling!

okay, fine...so it's just a little chicken.  and i can't help that i make bad puns.  or that people smile at them.

but yes, i was afraid that the second meyer lemon i got from dad's tree over christmas would go bad, and i am not quite up to the task of making a lemon pie (yet).  so i just stopped by the store after work for some chicken and broccoli.  thirty minutes later, and i had a splendid dinner of steamed broccoli, jasmine rice, and baked chicken.

winner, winner

ingredients:
boneless chicken (1 breast and 2 thighs)
1 meyer lemon
bacon pieces
olive oil
garlic powder
basil
thyme
salt/pepper

preparation:

for this baked chicken dish, i opened up the cabinet and chose some a few random herbs and spices that looked like they might work.  i have never been particularly afraid of experimenting with flavors, and from what i've seen, the basic herbs rarely clash unpleasantly.  in this case, basil and thyme seem to work with chicken, and i hadn't used them much lately.  so why not?

coat the chicken in olive oil, and dust both sides with the seasonings.  i used a fairly heavy hand with the basil and pepper, and i chose to use a little restraint with the thyme.  for better or worse, i also tend to limit the amount of salt i use; maybe i underseason a little, but i figure it's a lot easier to add more salt than it is to subtract some.

i sliced the lemon thinly and spread it across the top of the chicken, and then i added some bacon pieces on top of the whole ensemble.  because everything is always better with bacon.  bake at 350°F (uncovered) for about 25 minutes.  again, i tend to rotate the dish halfway through (whether it needs it or not).

verdict:
there was perhaps a little too much lemon for the amount of chicken i cooked.  i should either have baked more at one time, or maybe i should have just used the juice.  but the lemon slices look so cheerful on top of the baked chicken...and it seemed a shame to waste any of the lemon from dad's tree.

aside from that, the herb mixture definitely worked with the dark meat of the chicken thigh.  the chicken was tender and well-seasoned, and by mixing it in with the rice and broccoli, a little bit of the excess lemon flavor got soaked up.  all told, a successful experiment!