Not Your Usual Lemon Artichoke Chicken Recipes

NOT YOUR USUAL LEMON-ARTICHOKE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Sprinkle chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. In a 10 inch frying pan, over medium high heat, melt butter. Add chicken in batches and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a 9X13 inch baking dish, and add artichoke hearts.
• Add Sherry, lemon peel, lemon juice to remaining butter in frying pan. Stir over medium heat until well blended and hot, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cream and stir. Add capers if using them. Remove from heat and pour sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake until sauce is bubbling and golden brown on top, 20-25 minutes.

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.

CREAMY LEMON CHICKEN WITH SPINACH AND ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper; dredge in flour, shaking off any excess. Add butter and 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. When butter melts, add chicken in a single layer and cook, flipping once, until golden brown in places but not cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, and thyme to skillet; cook until fragrant, 10 seconds. Stir in broth and cream cheese; cook until mixture boils and cheese melts. Add spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in artichokes; cook 1 minute more. Return chicken and accumulated juices to skillet. Simmer, shaking pan occasionally, until sauce is reduced and thickened slightly and chicken is just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice and cheese. Serve over rice.

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.

LEMONY CHICKEN WITH ARTICHOKE HEARTS

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Combine the flour and salt on a plate, then gently press the chicken breasts into the flour mixture to coat. Shake off the excess flour. Arrange the chicken in the skillet and cook until browned on each side, about 10 minutes. Add the lemon juice, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, vermouth, garlic, bay leaf, and basil. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Stir in the artichoke hearts, and continue simmering until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 15 minutes more.
• Mix the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Stir the mixture into the chicken, and continue cooking until thickened, about 5 minutes.