Chicken with Shallots and Lemons (and Mushrooms)

Oven Roasted

Most of the time, I make roast the chicken pieces with shallots and lemons, but it is also good with mushrooms.
             --Barbara

Chicken with Shallots and Lemons (and Mushrooms)

4 pieces of chicken, your choice, bone-in
2 large shallots, quartered
2 lemons, quartered, seeds removed
1 pint mushrooms, sliced
1/8 t. dried French thyme, if desired
1 T. olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a cast iron pan, or heavy duty skillet, add enough oil to barely cover the bottom of the pan.  Heat the oil over medium heat until it starts to shimmer.

Dry off the chicken --- it is very important to do if you want brown and crispy skin.  It is even better to unpackage the chicken about an hour in advance of cooking, dry it off, and put it back in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook.

After seasoning both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper, put the chicken in the hot oil, skin side down and don't move it until browned.  Then, turn the chicken over and brown the other side.

Meanwhile, peel and cut the shallots into quarters and put them in the pan as you are browning the chicken.

Sprinkle the chicken and shallots with dried French thyme, about 1/8 t.

Then add the quartered lemons.

And the sliced mushrooms.

Put the whole pan in the oven, and finish baking it until the chicken is firm to touch and juices are clear, (chicken should be 165 degrees), about 30 to 40 minutes.

Discard the lemon before serving.

We like to roast a veggie at the same time, and make Texmati rice to go along with it.

Spoon a little of the pan sauce over the rice.

---Barbara