Mmm, mmm, mmm, lemon chicken with artichokes, all cooked together with some fresh herbs in one pan and topped with shaved parmesan.  There are one skillet dinners, and then there are One Skillet Dinners.  This one is a lemony extravaganza of deliciousness that can be an elegant dinner party centerpiece or a simple and satisfying Thursday night suppers.  Recipes like this I truly love.

However, for you to truly love this particular one as much as I do, you must also love the following:

Lemons.  I ain’t gonna lie…this is Lemon chicken with a capital L.  It’s lemonishly tart, which is one of the reasons it’s high on my hit parade, but I am a lemon-loving girl.

Artichokes!  (And don’t worry, you use the already peeled and cleaned frozen kind, but this is my only picture of an artichoke and I like to show it off on a regular basis.)

Thyme!  Wonderful, fresh, pungent thyme.  It’s growing like wildfire right outside my kitchen door if you need any.

Here’s how it goes.  Take a few boneless chicken breasts and pound them until they are about 1/2 inch in thickness.  I do this by putting them between two sheets of plastic wrap and whacking them with my handy meat mallet, which does wonders for releasing all the frustrations of the day.  It also sends the dog and the Southern husband to the farthest regions of the house, where they probably have strategic discussions about when it is safe to return.

Next, grab your lemon and slice it into nice thin pieces.  Make sure you pop out all the seeds…I don’t you about you, but it irks me to find lemon seeds in my chicken dinner.

Now find a nice big heavy skillet and you are ready to roll.  Dunk your chicken in some seasoned flour and fry it in a little canola oil until it is nice and brown on both sides.  We’re just looking for brown-ness, not done-ness…it’s going to finish up in the sauce.

Now add some white wine and your artichokes in with the chicken, simmer it until the chicken is almost done, and then scatter on the lemon slices.   Cook it a few more minutes, then scoop out your chicken and simmer the sauce for about 5 more minutes until it reduces down a little.  Pop the chicken back in, stir in the thyme and some salt and pepper to taste, garnish with some shaved parmesan and you have now created lemon chicken artichoke wonderfulness!  All in one pan!

Happiness.