Chicken With Artichokes And Melted Lemons Recipes

CHICKEN WITH ARTICHOKES AND LEMON

Steps:

• If using fresh artichokes, fill a large bowl with water. Cut 1 lemon in half then squeeze the juice into the water; add the spent lemon halves to the bowl, too.
• Prepare the artichokes one at a time, rubbing them all over with the spent lemon halves as you cut and expose the inner artichoke heart. First, cut off at least 1 inch of the thorny top. Trim the stem near the heart, leaving about 2 inches of stem if possible, then peel off the outer green fiber of the stem. Using your fingers, tear off the tough outer leaves, then switch to a sharp paring or bird's beak knife, when necessary, to shave more inner artichoke leaves until you reach the tender pale green or yellow leaves and create a bulbous shape. Gently open the leaves and remove the choke using a grapefruit spoon or melon baller, then scrape and tear (or slice) the remaining leaves off so that only the bottom remains. Cut the artichoke heart in quarters; put the quarters in the lemon water as you work to prevent discoloration. Discard the rest of the artichoke, leaves and stem, or reserve for another use.
• Pat chicken dry, then season all over with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat, then add the chicken, skin-side down. Cook, undisturbed until well browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Flip and brown the other side, about 5 minutes. Transfer chicken thighs to a plate and spoon out about 3 tablespoons of fat from the pan, if desired. (You can discard the excess fat or save for another use.)
• Return the skillet to medium heat and add the onion, garlic, parsley and saffron. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the cinnamon over the onion, then stir to combine.
• Add the broth to deglaze, scraping the bottom of the pan, and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Return the chicken to the pan, nestling it into the pan skin-side up. Arrange the artichokes between the chicken pieces, cover, and simmer over medium-low until the chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate.
• Raise the heat to medium-high and cook until the sauce is thickened and the artichokes slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the juice from half the remaining lemon, taste, and adjust with salt and more lemon juice if needed. Spoon artichokes and pan sauces over the chicken, sprinkle with parsley to garnish, and serve.

CHICKEN WITH ARTICHOKES AND MELTED LEMONS

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in an 8-inch skillet over medium high heat, and swirl to cover the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken breasts and sear them until browned. Turn the chicken, and brown them on the other side. Remove the chicken breasts to a plate and increase the heat to high. Deglaze the pan with the lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits into the sauce.
• Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Add the lemon slices to the pan, reduce the heat to medium, and place the chicken breasts on top of the lemon slices. Add the capers, cover, reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and add the drained artichoke hearts. Cover and continue cooking for five minutes, or until the breasts are cooked through.
• Remove the chicken to a warm plate. Increase the temperature and reduce the sauce to a glaze. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Just a little salt will reduce the acidity of the lemons, capers and artichokes and balance the flavors. Serve the chicken with the artichoke hearts, capers and melted lemons drizzled with the glaze.

LEMON CHICKEN WITH ARTICHOKES, CAPERS AND ARUGULA

Steps:

• Place the flour on a plate and toss it with the salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture so it is lightly coated, shaking off the excess. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place two pieces of chicken in the pan and cook until they are browned, about 2 minutes per side, then transfer them to a plate. Repeat with another 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil and the remaining chicken, transferring it to the plate.
• Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet, lower the heat to medium, then add the garlic and artichoke hearts and cook until the garlic has softened a bit, 1 minute. Add the wine, increase the heat to high, and reduce by about half, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and capers to the skillet, bring to a boil, then cook until the sauce has thickened somewhat, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the butter until it is melted.
• Return the chicken, with any accumulated juices, to the pan, nestling it into the sauce. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes.
• To serve, place a cup of the arugula on each of four serving plates. Top each with a chicken breast and spoon the sauce and artichokes on top. Season with salt and pepper to taste.