Herbed Lemon Chicken with Parmesan

Most Americans equate Italian food with pasta and tomato sauce or pesto.  Not all Italians cook the same thing.  Pizza is from Napoli.  The far north eats heavier items like sausages.  And in Tuscany, you find almost French fare.  In fact, tomatoes have been a part of Italian cuisine for less than 500 years.  That leaves 2000 years of traditional dishes that do not include the tomato, or any New World ingredient.

This version of a roasted chicken dish is pretty basic, but looks fancy.  You just marinate in a light dressing, bake, and add parmesan at the end.  The effort is minimal, and you only have to plan a whopping two hours ahead.  That's about how much time I had from getting home from the market to putting the chicken in the oven.  The focaccia bread was free with a coupon and the broccoli was cheap.  I already had the parmesan in the fridge.  With the chicken thighs on sale, what you see in the top photo cost me about 75¢, or $3 for four servings.  If you're a mindful and creative shopper (and happen to grow your own lemons), nice food doesn't have to be expensive.

*juice of 1 lemon
2 Tb olive oil
*1/2 tsp dried oregano
*1/2 tsp dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
4 chicken thighs (skin optional)
*1/4 C shredded parmesan cheese

1.  Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper.  Pour into a 1-quart zipper baggie.  Cram in chicken thighs and seal shut.  Place flat in a small roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, turning every hour.

2.  Preheat oven to 350º.  Open baggie and arrange chicken in pan, bones down.  Pour remaining marinade over the top.  Roast for 30 minutes.

3.  Sprinkle 1 Tb of cheese on each piece of chicken.  Put back into the oven and continue to roast until a thermometer reads 160º, about 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.  Drizzle each piece with a little of the pan juices, or even use it as a dipping sauce for the bread or dressing for the veggie.

Difficulty rating  π