Lemon chicken and Ratatouille

The main course for my girl's herb-inspired dinner was a refreshing lemon chicken from The Silver Palate cookbook. Easy peasy to make and better yet, it can be served hot, cold, or room temperature. How great is that!
Along with Kathy's polenta I served this with a yummy, colorful pepper ratatouille. Also from the Silver Palate.

Bright and colorful this whole meal pleased the eyes as well as the palate.

Baked Lemon Chicken


2 chickens (2 1/2 pounds each), cut into quarters
2 cups fresh lemon juice
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup corn oil
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock
2 lemons sliced paper-thin

Marinate the chicken in the lemon juice overnight in the fridge. Turn pieces occasionally.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the flour and spices in a large plastic bag. Toss a few chicken pieces at a time in the flour mixture.
Heat the oil in a large pan or dutch oven over medium heat. Fry chicken (a few pieces at a time) until crisp and well browned. This should take about 10 minutes.
Arrange the fried chicken in a shallow baking dish and sprinkle with brown sugar then cover with the chicken stock and lemon zest. Lay lemon slices over chicken.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until the internal temp. reaches 165 degrees.
Transfer to a platter and serve immediately, room temperature or chilled. (room temperature is my preference)

Hot Pepper Ratatouille
(Silver Palate Cookbook Good Times Cookbook)

1.2 c. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
6 large garlic cloves, slivered
1 large eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 1" cubes
1 sweet red pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1/2 in. squares
1 green pepper, cut as above
4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
2 yellow summer squash cut into 1" cubes
1 Tblsp. dried oregano
2 tsps. groung cumin
Salt to taste
24 cherry tomatoes, halved
3 Tbls. chopped fresh coriander.

Heat oil in large saucepan and add onion Saute for 10 mins.
Stir in garlic and saute for 5 mins. Add eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 15 mins.
Add all of the peppers and squash Simmer covered over medium-low height, stirring occasionally for 25 mins.
Stir in cherry tomatoes and simmer for 10 mins.
Garnish with coriander and serve hot or at room temperature.

LOVE the room temperature dishes. They can be done way ahead of time so that it frees up the time for your guests.