Martha’s Lemon Chicken*

3 lemons, divided use
4 bone-in, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup chicken stock (or juice of 1 more lemon)
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh or dried tarragon, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grate the zest (yellow part only) from 2 lemons, and set it aside. Sprinkle juice of 1 of the zested lemons over chicken breasts. (Reserve second lemon.) Mix flour, salt and paprika in a gallon-size zipper-top plastic bag. Shake one chicken breast at a time in flour mixture and then remove chicken from bag and shake off any excess flour. Repeat with each breast half. Discard the remaining flour mixture.

Heat oil in a large frying pan or skillet over high heat. Add chicken, and fry until chicken is lightly browned on both sides, about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a foil-lined baking dish (foil is important to reduce cleanup).

Thinly slice the remaining lemon (the one not zested) and top chicken with lemon slices. Sprinkle chicken with reserved lemon zest and tarragon. Put in oven and bake, uncovered, 20 minutes.

In a small bowl, juice the remaining lemon that was zested. Add chicken stock and brown sugar to juice, stirring until sugar dissolves. After 20 minutes of baking, top chicken with lemon-sugar mixture. Bake an additional 30 to 40 minutes or until chicken tests done (180 degrees F on a meat thermometer). Baste with pan juices halfway through cooking time. Remove from oven and serve, or cool and refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve, up to 2 days.

Martha’s Lemon Chicken*

Approximate Values Per Serving: 304 calories (31% from fat), 11 g fat (2 g saturated), 77 mg cholesterol, 30 g protein, 23.5 g carbohydrates, 2 g dietary fiber, 369 mg sodium

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