Lemon and Rosemary Chicken

I made this chicken dish for dinner a couple of nights ago and it was one of the most successful dinners I have cooked in a while. That's not to say that my family doesn't enjoy my cooking but lately many of the items I have prepared have either been repeat recipes or new ones that were only "okay". However the enthusiasm my family showed with this chicken blew me away and made me very proud. In fact, I was sitting one night and eating it and said something along the lines of "Hmm, this actually tastes quite good", to which my brother immediately replied "Of course it tastes good, you're surprised?" That comment definitely made my night!

Equally well received as the chicken was the Israeli couscous I prepared alongside it. I've had Israeli couscous in the past but I never realized that it's actually just pasta in the shape of tiny little balls, reminiscent of pearl barley. I prepared it using chicken stock and then added fresh Italian flat leaf parsley and pine nuts. It wasn't anything too special but everyone loved it so much that it was finished within a day and I had to make more the next day. The overall meal turned out so well I think it won't be long before my family asks me to prepare it again.

Lemon and Rosemary Chicken

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 zucchinis, cut in half lengthwise then sliced
• 1 lemon (cut three slices then juice the rest)
• 2-3 small branches of Rosemary
• 2 cups chicken stock
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil

1. In a large pot, warm up some olive oil over medium heat then add the chicken and cook until nicely browned. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside (the chicken doesn't have to cook all the way through).
2. Drain the fat from the pot and heat a little more olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onion until translucent, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic, zucchini, lemon slices, and rosemary. Stir everything together and continue to cook until the zucchini softens, about 3-5 minutes.
3. Return the chicken to the pot and add the chicken stock and lemon juice. Mix everything to incorporate all of the ingredients then turn the heat down and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper.