Pollo Al Limone (Lemon Chicken)

A wonderful recipe and one of my favorites. Any fresh herbs that are available will be delicious...even plain parsley. Try some fresh minced basil for an entirely different taste. You can prepare the chicken in the marinade in the morning and put it in the refrigerator until time to start making dinner. Prep time does not include time to marinate.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2  fresh lemons (preferably organic, but not necessary)
• 1  cup dry white wine
• 1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus
• 2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 5  tablespoons  minced fresh herbs (sage, thyme, rosemary, parsley, or basil, or whatever is available)
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (3 -4 lb)  whole chickens, cut into serving pieces (or use 3 to 4 pounds of your favorite chicken parts)
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Grate the zest of the lemons into a bowl that is large enough to hold the chicken pieces, and then squeeze in all the lemon juice, holding back the seeds. Whisk in the white wine, 1/4 cup of olive oil, the fresh herbs, and the garlic. Add the chicken pieces, turning them to coat well with the marinade. Set aside, covered, in a cool place to marinate for several hours (or prepare the chicken in the morning and refrigerate until time to start cooking dinner).
2. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan.
4. Drain the chicken pieces, reserving the marinade, and saute them over medium heat until they are golden and crisp on all sides, about 7 minutes a side. Place the chicken pieces in an oven dish that is large enough to hold them in a single layer. Pour the reserved marinade into the frying pan and bring to a boil, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan. Pour the marinade over the chicken pieces and set the dish in the oven. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the chicken pieces are done (the juices will run clear when you prick a piece with a fork.) Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as desired.
5. Serve immediately in the baking dish in which the chicken was baked, or remove to a heated platter and pour the pan juices over.