Lemon Garlic Chicken

Prepare the aromatic marinade: wash and dry the lemon. Finely grate the zest (only the yellow part). Squeeze the juice. In a large bowl, mix olive oil, lemon juice and zest, finely minced garlic cloves, mustard (if used), paprika, thyme, rosemary, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Whisk vigorously until emulsified.

Deep marination: lightly prick the chicken thighs with a fork to allow the marinade to penetrate better. Dip them in the marinade and coat each piece carefully. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (ideally 4 hours or overnight). Turn the pieces halfway through.

Perfect searing: take the chicken out 30 minutes before cooking. In a cast iron pot or sauté pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Drain the chicken (reserve the marinade) and brown it for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove and set aside.

Sauce creation: in the same pot, deglaze with the reserved marinade, scraping the cooking juices. Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Return the browned chicken and lemon slices. Cover and simmer over low heat for 35-40 minutes (30 minutes for breasts), turning the pieces halfway through cooking.

Glazing and concentration: at the end of cooking, uncover and slightly increase the heat to reduce the sauce for 5-8 minutes until it becomes slightly syrupy and coats the chicken well.

Serving: arrange the chicken on a warm serving dish. Coat with the filtered sauce if desired. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately.