Lemon-Garlic Chicken Breasts

Some days call for a meal that takes almost nothing from you. Everything goes into a single dish, the marinade does its quiet work while you rest, and the oven finishes the job with almost no attention from you. The cleanup is 1 pan. Keeping a few easy, repeatable mains like this in your week is part of what makes this way of eating sustainable.

Lean chicken breast is a source of protein and B vitamins, and protein gives the body the building blocks it uses for tissue repair, which is steady, ongoing work when you are calming an overactive immune system. The lemon and garlic season it brightly without any of the off-limits spices, so the flavor comes from real food.

Choose chicken raised well, and let that choice be part of the practice. When you plate it, add a little color beside it, some greens or a roasted vegetable, and take a breath before the first bite. The few seconds of presence you bring to the table are not separate from the healing.

Ingredients

• 1 pound chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Omit the black pepper the source lists, which strict AIP elimination leaves out. The lemon, garlic, and oregano carry the dish on their own.

Method

• Combine the chicken, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, and salt in a baking dish, turning the breasts to coat. Let them marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
• Heat the oven to 425F.
• Bake the chicken in the same dish for 45 to 55 minutes, until the juices run clear and the thickest part is cooked through.

Air fryer variation

Marinate as written. Air fry at about 380F for 18 to 24 minutes, turning once, until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear. Thicker breasts take longer, so check the largest one before pulling them. (verify - untested conversion)

*Adapted from acleanplate.com*