Lemon Pepper Chicken

Try Lemon Pepper Chicken for a Healthy, Zesty Taste

We're all fairly health conscious these days. At least we know we should try to cut back on sweets and fats, but we also want food that tastes good, not just healthy. Rising food costs make it even more difficult to put together a meal that is good for you and pleases your palate too.

Chicken is still relatively inexpensive and some of us rely on this white meat for its value and health benefits. Do you sometimes puzzle over a new way to fix chicken? Well, here's a great variation on the old bird that's sure to please. Lemon pepper chicken isn't a new recipe, but you may not know how many ways it can be prepared to look and taste like a new invention.

Lemon pepper chicken can be prepared using a marinade, combined in flour to dredge the meat in or applied directly to the meat and baked. For an extra lemony taste, try brushing the meat with a lemon pepper marinade, followed by a sprinkling of a dried lemon pepper shaker mixture on top. For a special gourmet touch, a bit of white sauce with capers over the top of the meat is a delicious change.

Traditionally, the breast of chicken is used for this dish, but, hey - rules are made to be broken. Some people just don't like the white meat, preferring the legs and thighs. One good way to prepare lemon pepper chicken with dark meat is to use a slow cooker. Line the bottom of the slow cooker with water chestnuts and thin slices of red bell pepper.

Add one cup of chicken broth. Wash the chicken thoroughly. Brush each raw leg and thigh with a lemon marinade and lay on top of the vegetables. Sprinkle dried lemon pepper from a shaker over the chicken. Set your cooker on a medium setting, cover tightly and walk away. Your meal will be ready in 4-5 hours, as tender and flavorful as can be.

You can serve this as a delicious entree. The colors and flavors make this a standout. If you have leftovers, strip the meat from the bones and save the vegetables in separate containers. These leftovers can be made into wraps, hoagies or tossed in with fried rice for a brand new meal.

When cooking breast meat, make extra. Just a couple of extra breasts can be sliced in strips and combined with lettuce, tomatoes, onion  and sliced avocado for a terrific sub sandwich. You can also top a chef's salad with a handful of lemon pepper chicken slices for a fabulous taste treat for tomorrow's lunch.

The outstanding virtues of lemon pepper chicken include its economy, nutritive value, ease of preparation and great taste. Explore some of these variations and see if it doesn't become a family favorite at your house!