Lemon Chicken

In an attempt to eat dinner prior to 10pm, I have been trying to find good weeknight dinner options.  In my cookbook collection I have Better Home and Gardens Big Book of 30-Minute Dinners.  I bought this book several years ago, when I was living on my own.  I made 2, maybe 3 recipes from it for myself and when my husband and I moved in together last year I put the book with my other cookbooks and promptly forgot about it.  It caught my eye the other day and I now have many recipes on my "to do" list!

This recipe for Lemon Chicken seemed very easy to make.  One thing I'd do differently next time is to buy thin-sliced chicken breasts.  The recipe says to take regular chicken breasts and then use a meat mallet to thin it out.  I didn't have a meat mallet, so I didn't thin the chicken out before cooking.  It ended up taking a bit longer to cook (about 20 min, not the 4-6 that it says).  It was the perfect amount for the two of us.  My husband loved how the flour coating made the chicken a bit crispy as if it had the skin on it.

I served this with sesame green beans and couscous.  It was delicious!  Not only that, but I didn't start cooking until 7:30 and we were sitting down maybe an hour later.  I know next time I'll be able to go a little faster and get the meal ready closer to the 30 min the book promises!

Lemon Chicken (slightly adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Big Book of 30-Minute Dinners)

Ingredients
4 medium skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound total)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tbsp soy margarine
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)

Directions
- Rinse chicken; pat dry.
- Place each chicken breast half between two sheets of plastic wrap.  Working from the center to the edges, pound lightly with the flat side of a meat mallet to 1/4-inch thickness.  Remove plastic wrap.
- In a shallow dish, stir together flour and pepper.  Lightly coat each piece of chicken with the flour mixture.
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.  When butter is melted, cook the chicken for 4-6 minutes, or until chicken is tender and no longer pink, turning once.
- Remove chicken from skillet.  Keep warm.
- In a small mixing bowl, stir together chicken broth, lemon juice, and cornstarch.  Add to the skillet.
- Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.
- Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.
- Stir in green onions.
- Serve chicken with sauce and, if desired, hot, cooked couscous.