This is one of the best recipes I've ever made, no joke. If you want to treat yourself to a delicious meal, incredible date night, or wow your family - make this! The sauce that goes on the lemon pepper chicken takes less than 2 minutes to make and is so flavorful. Potatoes au Gratin is the creme de la creme of all potato recipes, literally there's nothing better. This French classic is beautiful and delicious. With layers upon layers of finely sliced potatoes baked in, cream, butter and cheese with a hint of fresh thyme, it’s luxurious and thoroughly indulgent. You need to try this recipe!
Serving Size: 4 people
Ingredients:
For the Chicken:
4 chicken breasts
5 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 lemons, juiced
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
For topping: 1 tablespoon chives, chopped
For the Potatoes au Gratin:
4 russet potatoes
1 shallot, sliced
3/4 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese - from the block (from the bag doesn't work)
3/4 cup medium yellow cheddar cheese - from the block (from the bag doesn't work)
1.5 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
For the Asparagus:
1 lb asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Recipe:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray a 1-quart casserole dish OR cast iron skillet with spray, so the potatoes don't stick.
Use a mandoline (I set mine to 2mm - do this if yours has settings) and slice your potatoes. Be careful not to cut yourself! Slice your shallot.
Layer half of your potatoes on the bottom. I do this by layering them on top of eachother while slowly spreading them out. Refer to PICTURE 1 below for an example of how I did it. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. On top of these potatoes, add your sliced shallots. Then add the remaining half of your potatoes on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Grate your cheese. Make sure you use cheese from a block because shredded cheese in a bag will not melt correctly.
Heat a pan with 3 tablespoons butter. Once it's melted, add in your flour and salt. Mix around until it thickens and becomes a roux. Slowly add in your milk and heavy cream and mix around, I did this 1/4 cup at a time. Once it's all in, mix around thoroughly. Add in your shredded cheese slowly and mix around with a whisk. This took a few minutes for it to fully melt together. Once melted in, add in your seasonings: thyme and garlic powder. Mix around.
Pour this sauce on top of the potatoes in the dish. Once poured on top, put the potatoes au gratin into the oven for 1 hour on the top rack. Your dish should look browned on top to show that it is done cooking.
Once there's 30 minutes left on the potatoes au gratin, begin preparing and cooking your chicken breast. Use a meat mallet to pound your chicken breast thinly and evenly. Once pounded thin, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Heat a pan with 1 tablespoon butter. Once hot, add in your chicken breasts. You will probably have to cook these 2 at a time. That's ok! Just set the cooked ones aside on a cutting board or plate once cooked. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side, or until the chicken is 165 degrees F internally.
Use another pan and heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cut the ends off of your asparagus and then add them into the heated pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for about 7 minutes.
Use the same pan that you cooked the chicken in and add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter to the pan. Let melt. Add in 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 juiced lemons, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Mix around and then turn off the heat. Add in the cooked chicken breasts and baste them with the butter sauce.
Serve the lemon pepper chicken, potatoes au gratin, and asparagus on a plate. Add chopped chives on top of the lemon pepper chicken and potatoes au gratin. Enjoy!
Picture 1, for reference - how to place the sliced potatoes in the baking dish:
Cooked chicken with lemon pepper butter sauce:
Potatoes au Gratin:
