Chicken with Lemon, Garlic and Capers

Serves 2

For such a quick and simple recipe this is full of flavour and incredibly satisfying.

It’ll take five minutes of prep, a little time to marinate and then 10 minutes of cooking and it’s ready to eat. The Italian flavours here work with a variety of accompaniments. My go-to would be garlic and rosemary roasted or sautéed potatoes, but linguine dressed in olive oil and parmesan would also be well suited. Or for a plainer carbohydrate try basmati rice.

It is important to butterfly the chicken breast to make it an even thickness for even cooking. If you’re not sure how to do this, find a guide here.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, butterflied 

1 unwaxed lemon (zested and then cut in half)

3 tbsp garlic-infused olive/rapeseed oil (or 3 tbsp oil with 2 fat cloves of garlic, minced)

Salt and pepper

3 tbsp capers in brine, drained

Step 1: Begin by marinating the chicken in the zest of the lemon, the garlic oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cover and leave for about an hour (minimum 30 minutes, maximum over night).

Step 2: Heat a frying pan over a medium high heat. Add the chicken breasts ensuring that they are flat in the pan. Remember you are aiming for even cooking.  Cook for three or four minutes on each side; the breasts should be cooked through with no pinkness remaining.  At this point squeeze in the juice of half the lemon and add the capers to the pan.

Step 3: Serve with a wedge of lemon and your chosen accompaniments, such as roasted rosemary and garlic potatoes and green beans.