Lemon Basil Chicken (Happily FRESH basil is available all year long)

h2Chef’s Notes/h2
pIn summer, when basil is abundant in the garden, this is a simple way to catch up with this fast growing crop. I prefer to use chicken with the skin on for both flavor and moistness. You can certainly remove the skin before eating./p
pWhen you use fresh garlic and shallot, it is best to scrape those bits off before cooking so they don’t burn. Burnt garlic and shallots bits will harm the recipe./p
pMakes 2 servings but I recommend doubling or tripling the recipe. Good as it is the first night, it develops depth when reheated the next day or makes amazing chicken salad./p
h2Ingredients/h2
ul
li2 skin-on boneless chicken breasts or leg quarters/li
li1-2 cloves of garlic, grated (or ½ tsp. powdered)/li
li1 small shallot, minced (or ½ tsp. Powdered)br /
ORbr /
2 scallions, minced/li
li1 cup basil leaves (divided ½ cup ½ cup)/li
lisalt and pepper to taste/li
liGrated zest of one lemon/li
li¼ cup white wine or vermouth (my preference)br /
ORbr /
¼ cup TROP 50 ORANGE JUICE (if avoiding alcohol)/li
li2 tbsp. olive oil for pan cooking/li
liJuice of ½ of the lemon (about 1 tbsp.)/li
/ul
h2Preparation/h2
ol
liCombine garlic, shallots, salt and pepper, lemon zest, white wine or vermouth, or TROP 50, and olive oil./li
liChop ½ cup of the basil and add to the mixture./li
liAdd chicken to the liquid, cover and marinate for at least one hour up to overnight./li
liTear the remaining basil into small bits. (cutting the basil will turn it black.)/li
liPat down the chicken, reserving the marinade./li
liCook over medium heat until light brown on each side and cooked through (about 8-10 minutes a side). Remove from pan./li
liPour the marinade into the pan and over high heat reduce by half./li
liAdd the lemon juice and torn basil. Stir./li
liSpoon the reduced sauce over the chicken breasts./li
/ol
h2Nutrition Information/h2
pServing size: 1 breast or leg quarterbr /
Net carbohydrates: 6g/p
piSource:a href=”http://www.thedecadentdiabetic.com/” Ward Alper, The Decadent Diabetic/a/i/p