Lemon Garlic Chicken with Greens

Written By Bracken Flynn

Start By Picking out 8 little radishes, 10 slender celery stalks…

Now, get yourself one bunch of mustard greens. Crush and rip them, then pound pepper, salt, ginger, cayenne, torn mint leaves, and torn tarragon leaves. Do the same to those radishes and celery. Let out all that work stress. Then bring it back down by calmly drizzling in the liquid vinaigrette on top of your radishes and mustards. 30 second meditation optional. Keep this simple syrup simple folks: Juice of 1 Lemon. 1 Tbsp each of sliced shallots and honey. Stop and whisk. Then 5 tbsp of the Dijon Mustard. Slowly pour in 3 tbsp of oil to get that fancy pants emulsified shallot lemon sauce. Finesse is best. Okay boss, time to toss. Shake and bake that veggie vinaigrette. Coat those veggies in the liquid gold. But not too much, you shouldn’t need it all. No pools in the bottom of this beach party. Set aside and let both veggie mixes marinade for 40+ minutes at room temp.

Okay. on to that bird. We are going the weekday, post-workday route. We’re tired. And hangry. That means we need that skinny-boy bird. The Butcher boys will know what’s up when you ask for the chicken cutlet or go fancy on ‘em and ask for “two chicken scallopini cuts please”. Or maybe not. Probs not. They just want to go home like you. Now we have that thin-and-quick-to-cook bird meat and we’ve seasoned it with a good sprinkling of kosher salt. All you gotta do now, is heat 6 tbsp of oil in a Dutch Oven over a medium-low burner.

When that marinade has gone for 40+ minutes, add a dab of butter to the Dutch Oven. Let that butter melt down then swing him around to coat that bottom good. We want it slick, Rick. Sometimes I’ll throw in a popcorn kernel. Why? No reason. Just like the POP!

Grab a big ol’ mixing bowl. Batter up! Mix together the batter ingredients: Flour, Eggs, Dijon Mustard, Salt, and Water. (Add salt and water last and whisk till it gets thick and creamy). UFO style hover on over to the top of that chicken. Do not add vegetables yet. Just one UFO. This isn’t an invasion. Alright, dump that batter on top of the seasoned bird. Then let it swim for 2 min. No touchy touchy during this time.

Commercial break. Evenly coat those veggies with a quick toss. Everybody needs their sunscreen on in this saucy beach party.

And we’re back. We last left off with a couple love birds skinny dipping in some a pool of Dijon (if you’re keeping score at home folks that’s all 10 ingredients and 60 min through this 90 min cooking experience). Unfortunately for that bird, his goose is about to get cooked. Time for a quick dip in the hot tub. Pick out the prettiest bird, and slowly lower it into the oil. Allow 2 min of frying per side. After both sides of both birds have been cooked, you should butter your birds and dispose of the oil. Then sprinkle on some garlic herb seasoning, torn herb leaves like tarragon or sage, and fresh salt and pepper. Throw that beach party bird into an oven that’s hot as hell. Put it to broil. 500 degrees or get the F-ahrenheit out of here. Let everybody get their gooses double-cooked for 5 minutes. When the time is up, retrieve the Dutch Oven full of your baby birds and let it rest for 10 minutes. Patience. This Dutch egg isn’t ready to hatch. To pass the time, you can drizzle on some hot sauce into that salad bowl. Now crack it open, scoop ‘em out, and serve it up to your own special lovebird!

Ingredients List:

  • 10 Celery Stalks

  • 8 Radishes (one bunch)

  • Mustard Greens (one bunch)

  • 1 Shallot

  • 1 Lemon

  • Honey (pepper infused, if on-hand)

  • Herbs (tarragon, garlic, mint, chef’s choice)

  • Dijon Mustard

  • And all the ingredients that don’t really count cause you should always have them on-hand: Salt and Pepper, All-Purpose Flour, Eggs, Butter, and Water

Bracken Flynn