Fancy Dancy Chicken

Getting back to my Italian roots (if you've read before you now, ciao vino) I think it's crucial for every Housewife to have a meal she can throw together for company that makes her look like the kitchen goddess she is. And even better, a couple of meals.

I found this wonderfully easy recipe in one of my favorite cookbooks, The Sopranos Family Cookbook. With my cultural identity crisis, we became quickly addicted to the show The Sopranos. Some of our neighbors bought the cookbook for us as a Christmas gift many years ago and I am happy to report that Tony and Carmela would be pleasantly surprised at this girl's Italian kitchen. (I hope so at least)

You can make this dish and the only other thing you need is a salad or a vegetable. It's easy on the budget, the kitchen, and since it cooks for a long time, it gives you plenty of time to get ready for your dinner guests and enjoy that nice glass of chianti. Or, if you have young children, gives you plenty of time to help them put the Legos away and find the missing light sabres.

Baked Chicken with Potatoes, Lemon, and Oregano
Adapted from The Sopranos Family Cookbook

• 4 lemons (original recipe calls for 2)
• 3 1/2 pounds of chicken cut up or a mix of your favorite chicken pieces (breast, thigh, etc)
• 3 medium potatoes peeled and cut into wedges
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 teaspoons dried oregano
• 4 garlic cloves chopped
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Squeeze the juice from 2 lemons and slice the other 2.

Put the chicken and potatoes in a baking pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Mix the lemon juice, oil, oregano, garlic. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the chicken and potatoes and turn the pieces to coat evenly. Tuck the lemon slices and potatoes in between the chicken pieces.

Bake the chicken for 45 minutes. Baste with the pan juices. Continue to bake, basting occasionally, for 15 to 30 minutes longer, or until the chicken is browned and the potatoes are tender.

Transfer the chicken, potatoes, and lemon slices to a serving platter. Tip the pan and skim off the fat. Pour the juices over the chicken and serve.