I’ve never been in the running for “Worlds Coolest Mom,” and I’m really okay with that. But…yesterday, I discovered I could fly!

This might change everything.

Okay, so I can’t really fly, but I did unintentionally fly down a flight of stairs. I stuck the landing, but have some scrapes, bumps, and bruises as a result of my clumsiness. Oh, and I did this performance and my kids’ school – in front of teachers and parents! So not only are my knees and feet sore, my ego is pretty bruised too.

Today, I’m licking my wounds and elevating my sore knee. That leaves my lap open to sit and write up some new recipes.

This is one of my favorite dishes to make when we have company coming, or if we don’t. It’s quick to prep and once you put it in the oven, you can turn your attention to the rest of the meal. I love to serve this with roasted sweet potatoes (roasted my way) and steamed broccoli.

This uses bone-in chicken. I usually head the the butcher counter and ask for 2 breasts, 4-6 thighs and 4 drumsticks of organic chicken. This way, my family gets all of their favorite cuts and we have enough for leftovers.

I clear out a place on my counter and prep my pan before opening the chicken packages. I’m a stickler about germs in the kitchen and try to keep it as clean as I can when working with raw meat. Next drizzle the pan with the olive oil. Once you open the chicken, place it on the pan (on the olive oil) and roll all of the pieces around in the oil. Once covered with oil, wash hands and sprinkle with your seasonings. This is certainly an opportunity to get creative. I use what I have on hand, but it’s most important to use a generous amount of salt and pepper. Be sure to season both sides of the chicken. This is often when I get my kids involved to help with sprinkling so I can keep my chicken hands away from the jars of seasonings and it’s always great to make them a part of the process.

Strip one or two sprigs of rosemary and sprinkle on the chicken. Now, move on to the lemon. Slice thin rounds to place on top of each chicken piece and then use the remaining lemon to squeeze all over the chicken. This is what makes it – trust me!

When it finishes cooking and reaches the right temperature (165º), check to make sure its browned as much as you like, otherwise, put it under the broiler for a few minutes to brown the skin. Once its removed from the oven, tent it with foil and you can finish organizing the rest of the meal and get it all on the table at the same time.

This is one of those easy, naturally gluten free recipes that are great for people new to eating GF. Nothing processed, no place for cross contamination and all really good for you. And, its delicious.

Oven Roasted Lemon & Rosemary Chicken

Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 30
Serves 6

Ingredients

1 Whole Cut-up Chicken (or select pieces of bone-in chicken)

2 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Lemon

1 tsp Salt

½ tsp Fresh Ground Pepper

1 Tbs. Braggs Sprinkle or Italian Seasoning

2 Sprigs Rosemary

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425º
Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and drizzle it with oil.
Place raw chicken pieces on the sheet and roll in the oil to cover.
Sprinkle on all sides with seasonings.
Slice the lemon in half and slice off enough rounds to cover each piece of chicken.
Use remaining lemon to squeeze the juice over the chicken pieces.
Place the chicken in the oven and roast for 25 minutes, rotating the pan once.
Using an instant read thermometer* check to be sure the temperature is 165º (be sure you aren’t too close to the bone when checking)
Turn on the broiler and broil the chicken for 2-4 minutes to brown the skin.
Remove from the oven and tent with foil for 5-10 minutes.
Serve with steamed vegetables and roasted sweet potatoes.