By Pierre Franey, NYT

This is a wonderful recipe. It came together quickly and was juicy, tender, and very tasty. Adam was the cook and felt that it might have been too lemony. He suggested using 1 teaspoon of zest and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. You can always add more. We served this with rice. Pierre Franey suggests serving with mashed Yukon Gold potatoes.

INGREDIENTS

Yield: 4 servings

• ½ cup flour for dredging
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• ½ cup chicken broth, fresh or canned
• 2 tablespoons butter
• PREPARATION
• Season flour with salt and pepper, and dredge the chicken all over. Remove the excess flour.
• Heat the oil in a heavy skillet large enough to hold the chicken pieces in one layer. Add chicken and cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Flip the chicken and cook for 5 minutes more, or until cooked through. Carefully remove the oil from the skillet, leaving the chicken. Discard the oil.
• Add the thyme, shallots and garlic, and cook for about a minute. Do not burn the garlic. Add the lemon rind, the lemon juice and the broth.
• Scrape the skillet to dissolve the brown particles that cling to the bottom. Add the butter, and cook for 3 minutes longer. Serve immediately.