I was driving to a meeting when I heard Leonard Lopate, on NPR, declare that advertisers only care about women between 18 and 34. Ladies above 34 are worthless. I love you Leonard, but the hell with that. It’s not the 1950’s anymore. I’m in full swing with all sorts of life happenings and a decade and a half out of that target. I still shop, cook, spend, dress, exercise, travel, work, take care of my children and nourish my family.
Like many of my girlfriends, we kick ass and need to keep our “aging bodies” healthy, happy and always ready to shake a little booty when necessary.
Mushrooms are one of the few natural sources of vitamin D and they promote immune boosting functions by increasing production of antiviral proteins. Some of my favorite mushrooms are Shiitake. They are simply delicious and they taste particularly divine in this, always fool-proof, oven roasted lemon and parsley chicken one-tray recipe. It takes 35 minute in the oven and minimal prepping. Even my children, those little rascals always poo-pooing mushrooms, after falling from their chairs laughing when they heard the word SHIITAKE, gobbled these ones down! #RESIST
- 2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken thighs
- sea salt and black pepper
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium organic lemon, juiced
- 6-8 thyme sprigs
- 1 lb. Shiitake mushrooms cleaned, stemmed and halved if too large
- 1 organic lemon sliced
- 1 tsp. sherry vinegar
- 2 large cloves of garlic, smashed
- 2 tsp. thyme leaves
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp. sherry vinegar
- extra lemon slices and parsley for garnish
- Preheat the oven at 450F. Line a thick rimmed oven tray with parchment. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper then place on the lined oven tray. Drizzle the chicken with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and half of the lemon juice and add the thyme sprigs.
- Place the chicken in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes or until the chicken begins to brown, then pull out of the oven.
- Meanwhile in a medium bowl, toss the cleaned mushrooms with the lemon slices and two tablespoons of the olive oil, one teaspoon of the sherry vinegar, the garlic and the thyme, then scatter around the browned chicken. Roast for about 30 to 35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the mushrooms are browned at the edges.
- While the chicken is cooking, mix the remaining olive oil with the 1/2 a cup of parsley the 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Season the sauce with salt.
- When ready to serve, squeeze the remaining half of the lemon on the chicken then spoon some of the parsley sauce on top of the chicken and mushrooms. Serve with the remaining sauce. Garnish with lemon and extra parsley.
I adore Shiitake. Of course fresh porcini would make a wonderful substitute. I have also used marsala instead of the sherry vinegar for a slightly sweeter finish.
