When the weather is nice, I want to eat something that is bright, fresh and light. But, if I were left to eat arugula salads with lemon vinaigrette all Spring, I might not make it to Summer…

When it comes to putting together a satisfying meal that isn’t too heavy or rich, a little creativity can go a long way. For us, dinnertime is a never-ending quest to get something delicious and healthful on the table without maxing out our 3 square feet of counter space. Oh, and we want to enjoy the spring breezes so spending all afternoon in the kitchen isn’t an option. 

This ridiculously simple method of preparing chicken follows the same principles as sous vide cooking without any of the fancy equipment. By cooking the chicken very slowly– and at a low temperature– it will be one of the juiciest and most tender pieces of meat to ever come out of your oven. Follow that up with a quick crisping of the skin and you’ve got 4- Star chicken with Mcnuggets effort. A simple side of sauteed green beans with chopped hazelnuts makes dinner complete!

‘Spring’ Chicken

4 bone-in chicken breasts
6 sprigs fresh mint
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
6 garlic cloves, crushed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

preheat oven to 250˚

Season the chicken generously on both sides and place in an oven proof baking dish. Scatter the mint, lemon and garlic over the chicken and cover the dish with aluminum foil. Place the chicken in the oven and bake for 75 minutes. When the chicken is done, remove the pan from the oven and uncover. Leave the chicken to rest uncovered until ready to eat. The chicken can be held for 2 hours outside without refrigerating. The chicken made be held refrigerated for up to 3 days, so don’t be afraid to bake off a large batch of chicken and enjoy it for a couple days.

When ready to eat, place a cast iron skillet or non-stick pan over medium heat. Leave the pan to preheat for 2 minutes. Add enough oil (canola/vegetable or olive) to coat the bottom of the pan and place the chicken in the pan skin side down. Press lightly to help the skin contact the bottom of the pan. When the skin is well browned, about two minutes, turn the chicken over and cook 2 minutes more, to heat through if necessary.