Seared chicken with three thymes

This is a flexible way of cooking chicken breasts.  First, it can be cooked on a griddle (as described here), under a grill, in an oven or on a barbeque.  Second, it can be served as a main course, as a starter or between pieces of flat bread.  Third, it is possible to use any combinations of thyme that might be available or, indeed, one type of thyme could suffice.  However served or cooked, it is the thyme that makes the dish.

Preparation Time: 10 Mins

Cooking Time: 20 Mins

Total Time: 4½ Hrs

Ingredients

For 4 servings…

4                    Chicken supremes    

3 tbs               Thyme  - mixture of three different types 

4 tbs               Olive oil    

1                    Lemon  - juice of      

3 cloves           Garlic  - crushed      

                     Pepper      

                     Salt          

To serve

½                   Lemon  - juice of      

½ tbs             Thyme  - fresh        

Method

Put the chicken into a shallow dish.

Bruise the thyme leaves in a mortar and then mix with the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper.  Pour this marinade over the chicken pieces and then turn the pieces so that they are evenly coated.  Cover the dish and marinate for at least 4 hours, turning the pieces every occasionally.

Place the chicken pieces on a very hot griddle pan in a single layer, skin-side down, leave for 5 minutes and then turn them over.  Give them a further 5 minutes on the other side.  Reduce the heat and give them another 5-10 minutes until cooked through.

Place the cooked chicken on individual plates or one serving dish.  Squeeze the juice of the lemon over the chicken and sprinkle with the fresh thyme leaves.  Serve immediately.

Variations

For a different presentation, slice the chicken breasts and fan them out.

Wine recommendations

A red or a white.

Conventional

     Beaujolais Villages

     Pinot Gris

Interesting

     Anjou Gamay

     Corbières

     Lirac

     Vin de pays Charentais