Easy Weeknight Meal: Honey Lemon Chicken

A first generation immigrant who cooked for a mixed race household, my mom always managed to come up with quick clever meals that bridged the gap between east and west. Amongst my favorite dishes was a concoction of chicken, ketchup, lemon peel and brown sugar. It was sweet, savory, and marvelously comforting.

This honey lemon chicken is my grown-up take on that childhood favorite. Less sweet and more tart, I like to use tomato paste and honey for the more concentrated flavors they provide. For the lemon, I add the juice in addition to the zest, and instead of cooking strips of zest, which tends to make the sauce bitter, I prefer shaving a little zest directly onto the finished chicken before serving it. This not only imbues the chicken with the bright fragrance of fresh lemons, it doubles as a colorful garnish.

The great thing about this honey lemon chicken is that it makes for a quick weeknight meal with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. Serve it with rice, pasta or potatoes and a side of green veggies.