Chicken chops are nothing more than skinned and boned thighs: tender and tasty, they lend themselves to a thousand different preparations!
I chose a short pan preparation, with a little marinating first (I will explain how to marinate in a while) to soften and flavor the chicken.
I prepared some delicious lemon and marjoram chicken chops, simple, quick and very tasty: at my house they went like hot cakes!
If you like to try them, read the recipe!
How to marinate chicken before cooking
If there is one thing I have learned from my cooking experience, it is the importance of marinating.
This rule applies not only to chicken, but it should also be applied to fish or vegetables: with the right aromas, everything becomes tastier, without losing lightness!
Let’s start from the base: what is meant by marinating? Marinating means preparing the meat for cooking by flavoring it with oil, herbs, spices and other condiments, leaving it to rest beforehand to soften and flavor it well.
Process of marinating
Whatever meat you have decided to prepare, arrange it in chunks or slices in a large baking dish and season it abundantly with the oil and other elements you have decided to use.
Massage the pulp with your hands to make it flavor evenly and cover with cling film.
Store in the refrigerator for at least two hours (but even better overnight). The marinating time depends on both the type and the cut of the meat (the larger the size, the longer the time needed to season the meat).
Components of the marinade
The components of the marinade must therefore be 3:
The oily / fatty one: generally extra virgin olive oil, sometimes also in combination with milk;
The aromatic one: it can be based on fresh aromatic herbs (bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, basil, sage …) or more ethnic and particular aromas (curry, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, anise, paprika, chilli). A liquid flavor element, such as soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, or Tabasco, can also be added. Garlic and onion are also excellent for flavoring the marinade;
The acid one (optional, which favors pre-cooking): lemon and vinegar are the most used elements in our kitchen, but yogurt is also excellent.
Marinating chicken
If rural, chicken needs a longer marinade, but most of the chickens on the market have a rather delicate flavor and, especially if prepared in small pieces or bites, can also be subjected to a short marinade.
The fairly neutral flavor of the chicken allows you to combine the most varied flavors, still obtaining a greedy result: the chicken is excellent left to marinate only with oil and herbs, but it is also very tasty flavored with lemon.
Lemon and marjoram chicken chops recipe
Equipment
- Frying Pan
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken chops
- 100 G Flour
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 lemons
- A few sprigs of Marjoram
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Olive oil extra virgin
Instructions
- Put the chicken chops in a baking dish and season with a pinch of salt and pepper, a drizzle of oil and a few sprigs of marjoram.Massage with your hands to make it flavor evenly, then cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, squeeze the lemons and strain the juice.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and pass in the flour.
- Crush the garlic clove with the side of the blade of a knife and fry with a drizzle of oil in a large pan.
- Brown the chicken in a pan on both sides for a few minutes over high heat, then lower the heat, cover and cook for another 7-8 minutes.
- Remove the lid and add the lemon juice.
- Cook for a few minutes, turning the chops to flavor them on both sides and when the lemon juice evaporates, turn off the heat.
- Complete with a few leaves of marjoram and serve.
- Enjoy your meal, your lemon and marjoram chicken chops are ready!
Notes
- With the same recipe it is possible to prepare chicken breast (cooking times will be shorter);
- It is possible not to marinate the meat by cooking it immediately after seasoning it (of course it will be less tasty).
What is marjoram? Benefits and Uses
The marjoram is an aromatic plant native to northeastern and eastern Asia, areas where it grows spontaneously. In Europe, however, it cannot develop spontaneously, but it must necessarily be cultivated.
It belongs to the Labiate family, which also includes oregano, thyme, cumin, anise and fennel. With oregano, its close relative, marjoram also shares similar aromatic characteristics in appearance and flavor. Compared to common oregano, however, marjoram has a more delicate taste.
The benefits of marjoram
Marjoram is rich in minerals (iron, calcium, copper, zinc, magnesium and potassium) and vitamins (A, B, C and K). It also contains phytonutrients essential for the health of our body, including rosmarinic acid, tannins and flavonoids.
As seen, the action of marjoram is exercised at various levels. Therefore the benefits deriving from its use involve:
- Skin
- the digestive system
- the nervous system
- the female genital system
Uses of marjoram
The leaves of marjoram can be used, fresh or dried, to flavor our dishes.
The aerial parts of the plant can also be consumed in the form of an infusion.
Finally, the beneficial properties contained in the flowers and leaves of marjoram can be assimilated through the essential oil or the use of mother tincture, both used for both internal and external use.
