"Medicinal Chicken" (A Five Finger Discount)

As I mentioned in previous blogs, 2013 did not start out well for me.  I was sick with one cold or another for more of January.  I still don't know how I avoided one of my common attacks of bronchitis. 

Sitting at home treating neverending symptoms meant that I was trying everything in the book.  I took over-the-counter cold tablets, nasal washes, cough medicine, cough drops, and the occasional attempt at more natural remedies.  One of my favorite treatments was to sip a cup of tea made from ginger and lemon and sweetened with honey.  It's a very tasty combination for sure. 

Imagine my pleasant surprise when sitting at home reading through my favorite food blogs when I saw this post from the lovely Bellini Valli.  Sitting there on her blog was a recipe for fried chicken flavored with some of the very flavors I used to soothe myself when sick.  If I enjoyed a cup of ginger tea with lemon and honey, why had I not thought to use those flavors in other recipes? 

Then and there I made plans to steal the idea!  My apologies to Val.

I used whole chicken pieces and instead of marinating, coating, and frying, I simmered them in my ginger-honey-lemon sauce.  I didn't use any other ingredients.  I kept it simple (not always easy for me) and tried not to overdo the lemons. 

I was too lazy to plate these up and photograph them properly, so I showed them cooking in the pan, making them look like a dozen other chicken recipes on this blog.  Still I like to think the way the honey created a lovely glaze is visible.

This recipe is a keeper for cold winter nights burdened with sniffles.

Ginger Lemon and Honey Chicken

Ingredients

• 2-3 pounds bone-in, skin on, chicken pieces (I used breasts and thighs, but use what you like)
• Salt and pepper for sprinkling
• 1 Tbl grated fresh giner
• Zest of one lemon
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbl honey
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 Tbl olive oil
• 1 Tbl butter

Heat oil and butter in a large frying pan or saute pan.  Sprinkle chicken pieces lightly with salt and pepper.  Cook skin-side down about 10 minutes or until browned.  Turn over and brown the other side.  Remove from pan.

Combine lemon juice, zest, honey, and stock.  Pour into pan and deglaze, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom.  Bring to a boil and boil one minute.  Reduce to a simmer and return chicken to the pan.  Simmer an addition 30 minutes, or until cooked through and glazed with the sauce.