By: Adapted from www.cooking.nytimes.com.
This recipe uses heat and sugar to quickly pickle thinly sliced Meyer lemon. The sweet, sour, and lightly bitter pickled lemon adds tons of flavor to this fast chicken dinner.
Time: Preparation 30 mins
Serving: 4 Servings
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb chicken thighs
- 3 T olive oil
- 2 t miced fresh rosemary
- coarse salt
- 0.5 t black pepper
- 1.5 Meyer lemons
- 2 T sugar
- 2 leeks
- 2 clv garlic
Preparation
Place the chicken in a mixing bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, rosemary, 1 teaspoon of salt, and pepper. Set aside.
Slice the ends off 1 lemon. Quarter lengthwise, then remove the seeds. Slice the quarters crosswise into 1/8-inch slices.
Bring a small pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the sliced lemon, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain under cool running water. Refill the pot with 1 cup of water, the sugar, and 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then add the blanched lemon slices and simmer for 3 minutes. Drain under cool running water, and gently pat dry. Set aside.
Heat a skillet over high heat for 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the lemon slices. Stir-fry until golden. Add the leeks, reduce heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are soft and golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Use the spoon to push the leek mixture off to one side of the skillet. Add the chicken mixture to the empty part of the pan and sear, undisturbed, for 4 minutes. Fold chicken and leek mixture together, and continue to cook until the chicken is no longer pink, 3-6 more minutes. Serve hot, with the remaining lemon half squeezed on top.
