Roasted Chicken Breasts with Gremolata

From EatingWell: November/December 1994 — Subscribe Now!

Gremolata, a mixture of herbs, garlic and lemon zest, is stuffed under the skin, contributing its extraordinary fragrance to the chicken. To ensure moist and succulent meat, the skin is left on for roasting, but removed before carving. This is an excellent treatment for all kinds of poultry; for a turkey, make a double or triple batch of gremolata. Serve with plenty of Garlic Mashed Potatoes to soak up the sauce.

Roasted Chicken Breasts with Gremolata Recipe

4 servings

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 whole bone-in chicken breasts with skin, (1 1/2-2 pounds)
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place a rack in a roasting pan or large ovenproof skillet; lightly oil the rack or spray it with cooking spray.
Mash garlic and salt into a paste with with the side of a chef’s knife. Combine the mashed garlic with parsley, rosemary (or thyme), lemon zest and pepper in a small bowl.
Press the breastbone of each whole chicken breast with the heel of your hand to flatten slightly. Discard any visible fat. Carefully separate the chicken skin from the flesh with your fingers. Stuff the herb mixture between the flesh and the skin. Place the chicken breasts on the prepared rack and roast until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 35 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a carving board, cover and keep warm. Pour the drippings from the pan into a small bowl and chill in the freezer. Add wine to the roasting pan and bring to a boil, stirring to scrape up any brown bits. Boil until reduced by half, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour in broth, return to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes to intensify the flavors.
Skim the fat from the chilled pan drippings and add the drippings to the sauce. Dissolve cornstarch in water and whisk into the sauce. Cook, whisking, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Stir in mustard. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Remove the skin and carve the chicken into thin slices. Serve with the sauce.

Nutrition

Per serving: 202 calories; 3 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 78 mg cholesterol; 4 g carbohydrates; 29 g protein; 0 g fiber; 203 mg sodium; 287 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (36% daily value).

Exchanges: 4 very lean meat