ROASTED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH PRESERVED LEMON
- ½ to ¾ preserved lemon, lightly rinsed
- â…“ cup good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ light-packed cup fresh coriander sprigs
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 1 generous teaspoon whole cumin seeds
- 6 large bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (3 to 4 pounds; organic if possible)
- Fresh-ground black pepper
Instructions:
Once you’ve tasted good preserved lemons in a dish, they haunt you.
- Turn the oven to 450°F. In a food processor, finely chop together the lemon (start with ½ lemon), olive oil, coriander, garlic, and cumin. Taste for saltiness, adding the rest of the lemon if you’d like.
- Cover a large, shallow roasting pan (a half-sheet pan is ideal) with a sheet of heavy-duty foil. Arrange the chicken breasts on the foil, and spread the lemon mixture over them. Grind a generous amount of pepper over the chicken, and put the pan in the oven. Turn the heat down to 325°F.
- Roast the chicken for 45 minutes, basting it with its pan juices. When the chicken reaches 170°F on an instant-reading thermometer, it is done. If you’d like, brown the chicken under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Pile the chicken on a platter, and serve it hot or warm. A bundle of fresh coriander is a nice finish on the plate.