Lemon and Dill Chicken

 Here's a light summery dish that is the perfect weeknight supper. It's super easy to make and you can have it on the table in under 30 minutes. How does that sound??
 My friend Jason and I were recently planning to get together, and when I gave him a list of the fresh herbs I have growing, he chose dill. After a quick google search, I found this Eating Well recipe and it was exactly what I wanted. The flavors are bright, the dish isn't too heavy, and you do it all in a pan on the stove top, so there's no need to turn on the oven. It's definitely a welcome break from the endless burgers that summer sometimes brings. (No one loves a burger more than I do, but a little variety is always a good thing, dontcha think?) And as soon as I tasted it, I thought, "OMG this needs to be in the regular rotation of go-to meals!" It was a big hit with Jason too. Win/win! Serve it with steamed or roasted green veggies or my Summer Squash Sauté, which is how I served it. You could also serve it with rice, which would be ready in the same amount of time!
 The next time I make it, though, I think maybe I'll try using a different fresh herb, just to see how far a little variation would go. (You know I can never leave a recipe alone!!) Lemon goes so well with so many fresh herbs, I think that might be next on my to do list. Thyme, basil, and oregano are the front runners, I think. I'll be sure to let you know how they turn out! In the meantime, you should definitely give this one a go. It's absolutely one of my new faves and it's definitely a keeper!


4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts,
Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste 
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, or canola oil, divided 
1/4 cup finely chopped onion 
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth 
2 teaspoons flour 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, divided 
1 tablespoon lemon juice



  Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear until well browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate and tent with foil. 
Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to the pan. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk broth, flour, 1 tablespoon dill and lemon juice in a measuring cup and add to pan. Cook, whisking, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. 
Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan; reduce heat to low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a warmed platter. Season sauce with salt and pepper and spoon over the chicken. Garnish with the remaining 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill.

Tips:
Be sure to whisk the flour into the cold chicken broth before you add it to the pan. If you just add the flour to the pan, you'll be more likely to get lumps. Also, if you'd like your pan sauce to be a little thicker (more like a gravy), add a little extra oil and a little extra flour. it doesn't take much, but just that little extra bit will give you the perfect sauce to pour over the chicken.
I didn't have any onions, so I just added some onion  powder. Of course I would have preferred to add the onions, and I probably would have added more than 1/4 cup, but I just went with what I had on hand.