By Mother Day again. The second one since I started writing here, and the feelings are the same as last year, because Mother Day feelings do not change. They just deepen. The roots grow longer, the gratitude grows heavier, and the absence of Darla sits in the room like a guest who was invited and could not come and whose empty chair is the loudest thing at the table.
The kids made cards again. Justin wrote Mom in block letters, bigger this year, and underneath he wrote thank you for the meatloaf, which is the most Justin thing anyone has ever written, and which I am framing. Tyler made a coupon book again, this year with upgraded offers: one free dishwashing and I will mow the lawn without complaining. Josie drew the family, all six of us, standing in front of the garden, and the tomatoes are already as tall as the house, which is aspirational but I support the vision. Amber gave me a book she picked out herself, a novel about a woman who travels alone, and she said she thought I would like it because the woman in the book is tough like you, and I held that sentence in my chest like a coal that keeps you warm.
Dave brought me coffee in bed and a chocolate bar and a kiss, same as every year, same as I need. I called Gayle. She answered on the first ring because Gayle always answers on the first ring when her daughters call, even now, when one daughter is all she has left, and the first ring is the sound of readiness, of always-waiting, of a mother who never stopped being a mother even when half her children were gone.
I made lemon chicken for dinner, which is not a Mother Day tradition but is what I wanted and Mother Day means I choose. Chicken thighs roasted with lemon slices, garlic, olive oil, and fresh herbs from the garden, which has produced exactly enough dill for one meal, and I used it all. Served with roasted potatoes and a green salad. Light, bright, the taste of a season turning. Tyler said it was good. Amber said it was really good. Justin ate it and nodded, which is his five-star review. Josie ate the potatoes and asked if there was cake. There was cake. There is always cake. The chocolate sheet cake does not take holidays.
Mother’s Day means I get to choose, and what I wanted was something bright and a little celebratory without being fussy — garlic, lemon, good olive oil, and the dill I’d been watching grow all spring. These crispy garlic boneless chicken thighs are exactly that: the kind of dinner that feels special without asking anything hard of you, which is all I wanted after a day that was already full of feeling. If you have fresh herbs from the garden, use them. If you don’t, it’s still wonderful.
Crispy Garlic Boneless Chicken Thighs with Lemon & Fresh Herbs
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6 thighs)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 lemon, half sliced into thin rounds and half reserved for juicing
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (or fresh thyme or parsley)
- Flaky sea salt, for finishing
Instructions
- Season the chicken. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Season the chicken on both sides with the spice mixture.
- Sear the first side. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken thighs smooth side down. Do not move them. Cook 6–8 minutes until deeply golden and the chicken releases easily from the pan.
- Flip and finish. Flip the chicken and reduce heat to medium. Add the sliced garlic and lemon rounds to the pan around the chicken. Cook another 6–8 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F) and the garlic is golden.
- Add butter and herbs. Add the butter to the pan and let it melt, tilting the pan and spooning the buttery pan drippings over the chicken. Squeeze the reserved lemon half over everything. Scatter the fresh dill over the top.
- Rest and serve. Remove from heat and let the chicken rest 3–5 minutes. Finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve with roasted potatoes and a green salad.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 310 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 4g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 520mg