Creamy Lemon Pepper Chicken (& artichokes)

INGREDIENTS

1 Stick Butter
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 c. finely chopped sweet onion
4 TBSP Lemon juice (bottled is fine, or you are welcome to use fresh squeezed)
6 Chicken Breasts, (boneless/skinless), pounded thin
Lemon Pepper Seasoning (my favorite is the McCormic California Style)
Fresh Basil
Flour
1 pint Heavy Cream
Capers (optional)
Cooked Spaghetti (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Sprinkle chicken with lemon pepper seasoning on both sides and press seasoning into the chicken. Place chicken breasts into frying pan with a little olive oil or butter and fry on each side for approximately 8 to 10 minutes per side, or until internal temperature of 160*F is reached. Remove chicken to a platter; cover and keep in a warm place.

Add 1 stick of butter to drippings in frying pan and melt on medium to medium high heat. Toss in garlic and onion and saute for a minute or so, then add lemon juice. Add 3 Tablespoons of flour and stir to blend until smooth. If the flour doesn’t totally absorb all the liquid, add just bit more flour until you have a nice peanut butter type consistency. Allow the flour to cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the heavy cream and wisk to blend. If sauce is too thick, add some water to thin it until the gravy is the consistency you desire.

Add the chicken breasts back to the pan and let them rewarm. If you like capers you can add a couple Tablespoons to the sauce just before serving.

Serve chicken alone, or on a bed of spaghetti or cooked rice.

Slice several leaves of basil into strips and use to garnish chicken. Also a slice of lemon would make it look pretty. Sprinkle with a little more lemon pepper if desired.

How to prepare ARTICHOKES

First select nice firm artichokes with tightly closed leaves.

Cut the stems off (so they will set in the pan upright to cook)

Cut the top off, and the tips off each of the leaves (as they have thorns that will poke you)

Place about 2″ water in a very large pot and bring to a boil, add a tsp salt

Add artichokes to the boiling water and cover with a lid

Boil for about an hour

Check for doneness by grabbing a leaf from a middle place of one of the artichokes with a pair of tongs and tugging it. If it pulls out easily, the chokes are done, but just to be sure let the leaf you pulled out cool slightly and then holding it on the cut end bite onto it (about half way from each end) and drag it between your teeth. If the meat slips off the leaf easily, the choke is done.