Southern Living Magazine has been a reliable recipe source for Southern cooks since 1966 when it was introduced by the publishers of Progressive Farmer Magazine. Around that time many farmers were moving to cities and wanted a less agrarian source of information for all things Southern. In other words, news on the latest tractor models had become “worthless as gum on a boot heel.”
Not all Southern Living recipes have been exactly healthy when you consider the South's main source of cooking: fried (green tomatoes), fried (chicken) and fried (hush puppies). Fortunately, SL has kept up with the times, featuring healthier, non-fried recipes that mercifully skip the step of being submerged in hot oil.
The SL recipe serves 4 very generously. I cut the ingredients in half to serve 2. You can double the ingredients given here to serve 4. Note: I used the full amount of chopped tomatoes because, who doesn't need more veggies?
SL calls for buzzing up the marinade ingredients in a mini food processor. I didn't want to clean another bowl so I just mashed the herbs and oil in a mortar and pestle and it worked fine. There are all sorts of zesty, unexpected flavors going on here: the marinade even includes a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg! Fear not, the cinnamon and nutmeg are almost imperceptible. Topping each serving with chopped fresh tomatoes, Kalamata olives and feta cheese makes this healthy, low WW Point dish company-worthy, yet easy enough to make on weeknights for just the two of you.
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh oregano leaves, divided (I used 1 tsp. dried)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 (12-oz.) bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, trimmed
1 lemon, thinly sliced
3/4 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, halved lengthwise
1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. low-fat feta cheese, crumbled
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine onion powder, salt, thyme, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, 1 Tbsp. parsley and 1 tsp. oregano in a mini-food processor. Pulse several times until well blended. Add olive oil and pulse until combined.
Place chicken and lemon slices on a rimmed baking sheet; rub chicken evenly with half the herb mixture. Toss potatoes with remaining herb mixture. Arrange potatoes around chicken and lemon slices. Roast in preheated oven until a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion of chicken registers 155 degrees F and potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.
Increase oven temperature to broil. Broil until the chicken skin is browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 5 to 10 minutes.
Remove skin from chicken and sprinkle each serving with tomatoes, olives, feta cheese and remaining chopped parley and oregano.
Serves 2