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Collegiette Eats: Rosemary Lemon Chicken

Sick of eating cereal and ramen for lunch and dinner? Want to spend less money eating out and finally start cooking for yourself? Put down that frozen pizza, because HC’s Health Editor, Sammie Levin, is here to share her daily eats so you can get ideas for healthy, satisfying meals that are easy enough for any time-strapped collegiette to make. After you read Collegiette Eats, your taste buds, wallet and waistline will thank you.

Breakfast

Breakfast yesterday morning was a piece of toasted sesame Ezekiel bread topped with a fried egg and a little salt and pepper with a side of berries. 

Lunch

I was running errands with my mom yesterday afternoon at Legacy Place in Dedham, Massachusetts, so we stopped for lunch at b.good, a burger chain in New England that emphasizes serving fresh food – “real food fast,” rather than “fast food.” Their menu is filled with gems ranging from burgers and sandwiches to salads and quinoa bowls. And don’t forget the sweet potato fries or milkshakes! I opted for the Harvest Kale salad, which comes with marinated kale, brussels sprouts, Manchego cheese (a Spanish cheese, one of my favorites), sunflower seeds, beets and garbanzo beans. It tasted even better than it looks. Fast-casual done right.

Dinner

For dinner, I had rosemary lemon roasted chicken with tzatziki (Greek yogurt sauce). On the side, I had a kale and quinoa cake, which I got from the prepared foods section of the grocery store. It was good; it kind of tasted like a combination between spinach pie and corn bread. The chicken was also really good and was much easier to make than I would have expected. I almost never make chicken at school. I either only eat it when I go out to restaurants, or I buy pre-grilled or baked chicken at the grocery store. But with more time (and space in the kitchen) to cook at home, I thought I’d give it a try. My mom has an amazing lemon chicken recipe, but it’s slightly complicated because it involves using a whole chicken, and I’m not quite ready for that endeavor. So I found a recipe online that just uses chicken breasts and sounded relatively simple to make. It turned out really well; it was juicy and flavorful. Follow the recipe below for a satisfying lunch or dinner! You can eat it on its own or add it to a salad or sandwich. 

Rosemary Lemon Roasted Chicken 

Recipe from: The Slow Roasted Italian 

Serves: 4 

Ingredients

  • 1-2 medium lemons, sliced
  • 2 sprigs rosemary
  • 2 garlic cloves, quartered
  • 1 pound uncooked boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions 

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Layer half of the lemon slices and 1 sprig of rosemary on the bottom of a baking dish.  Scatter half of the garlic around the pan.
  2. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.  Lay chicken on top of lemon rosemary bed.  Place remaining lemon slices on top of chicken breasts.  Place rosemary sprig between the chicken breasts.  Sprinkle with remaining garlic.  Drizzle chicken breasts with olive oil.
  3. Bake for 40-60 minutes until chicken is cooked through (1 pound takes about 40-45 minutes, 5 pounds takes 60 minutes).  Cover with aluminum foil for 5 minutes and let the chicken rest.  Serve and enjoy!
Sammie is a student at the University of Michigan where she is pursuing a BBA. A foodie since birth, she enjoys cooking, eating, smelling, looking at, photographing, reading about, and playing with any and all types of food. Her idolization of culinary delights is complemented by her active spirit- she enjoys running, swimming, barre classes, and even spontaneous bursts of interpretative dance if the mood strikes her. She has completed two triathlons and a half-marathon and plans to tackle more races in the future. She also dreams of traveling the globe, saving the world, and marrying James and/or Dave Franco.