🍋🌿🐔🥔🧀🧅 Lemon-Dill Garlic Chicken with Roasted Potatoes & Creamy Mushroom Feta Pesto
This vibrant and refreshing bowl brings the sunshine of the Mediterranean to your table. Featuring tender lemon-garlic chicken and perfectly crispy roasted potatoes, all generously enveloped in a luxurious creamy sauce. This unique sauce boasts a tangy feta and dill pesto base, blended with earthy mushrooms. A final elegant garnish of bright, zesty pickled red onion ribbons elevates this gourmet meal to an unforgettable culinary delight.
Yields: 2-3 servings
Prep time: 25 minutes (plus chicken marinating time & onion pickling time)
Cook time: 30-35 minutes
Ingredients:
🐔🍋🧄 Lemon-Garlic Chicken:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into ½-inch thick cutlets or bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced 🧄
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 🍋
1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped 🌿 (or 1 tsp dried)
½ tsp dried oregano
Salt & freshly cracked black pepper to taste
🥔 Crispy Roasted Potatoes:
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt & freshly cracked black pepper to taste
🧅 Twist Garnish: Pickled Red Onion Ribbons:
½ small red onion, very thinly sliced into rings/ribbons
½ cup hot water
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
🍄🧀🌿 Creamy Sauce: Tangy Feta Pesto Blended with Mushrooms & Dill:
For Feta-Dill Pesto:
4 oz crumbled feta cheese 🧀
¼ cup fresh dill, packed 🌿
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, packed (optional, but adds depth) 🌿
2 cloves garlic 🧄
2 tbsp pine nuts (or walnuts, optional)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 🍋
¼ cup olive oil (for blending pesto)
Salt & freshly cracked black pepper to taste (taste before adding, feta is salty)
For Mushroom Cream Base:
2 tbsp butter 🧈
8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced 🍄
2 cloves garlic, minced 🧄
1 ½ cups heavy cream
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese 🧀 (for sauce)
Salt & freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions:
Prepare Pickled Red Onion Ribbons (do this first to allow pickling time):
In a small heatproof bowl or jar, combine sliced red onion, hot water, white vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Let sit at room temperature for at least 20-30 minutes while you prepare other components. The longer it sits, the more pickled it becomes.
Prepare Crispy Roasted Potatoes:
Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, toss potato cubes with 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Spread in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown, tender, and crispy, flipping halfway through.
Prepare Lemon-Garlic Chicken:
While potatoes roast, in a bowl, toss chicken with 2 tbsp olive oil, 4 cloves minced garlic, 1 tbsp lemon juice, fresh dill, oregano, salt, and pepper. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes.
Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 5-7 minutes (for bites) or 2-3 minutes per side (for cutlets), stirring occasionally, until cooked through and nicely browned. Set aside.
Prepare Tangy Feta Pesto:
In a food processor, combine crumbled feta cheese, packed fresh dill, fresh basil (if using), 2 cloves garlic, pine nuts (if using), and 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice.
Pulse until finely chopped. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in ¼ cup olive oil until a smooth or rustic pesto forms. Taste and season with salt and pepper (remember feta is salty, so add salt cautiously). Set aside.
Prepare Creamy Mushroom Base & Infuse with Pesto:
In a large skillet or saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
Add sliced mushrooms and 2 cloves minced garlic. Cook until mushrooms are softened and lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes.
Pour in 1 ½ cups heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer.
Stir in ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Stir the prepared Tangy Feta Pesto into the mushroom cream base until well combined. Keep warm over very low heat.
Assemble & Serve:
Add the cooked lemon-garlic chicken to the creamy mushroom feta pesto sauce and gently stir to coat.
Divide the crispy roasted potatoes among plates or bowls.
Spoon the creamy, tangy Lemon-Dill Garlic Chicken Alfredo mixture generously over the potatoes.
Garnish each serving with a generous helping of the bright, tangy pickled red onion ribbons (drained from their liquid). Add a sprig of fresh dill or a lemon wedge if desired.
Serve immediately and enjoy this incredibly fresh and flavorful Mediterranean feast!
Tips for Success:
Feta Quality: Use good quality crumbled feta for the best flavor in your pesto.
Dry Pesto Ingredients: Ensure your fresh herbs and nuts are dry to prevent the pesto from becoming watery.
Pickling Time: The longer the red onions pickle, the more vibrant their color and tangy their flavor will become.
Chicken Doneness: Avoid overcooking the chicken to keep it juicy and tender.
Potato Crispiness: Ensure potatoes are in a single layer on the baking sheet and not overcrowded for maximum crispiness.
Sauce Consistency: If the Alfredo sauce seems too thick, you can thin it with a splash of warm chicken broth or milk.