Disappointing Dinner: Feta Chicken with Zucchini

I don’t often say this, but last night’s dinner was disappointing. When the dish came out of the oven, I was excited because it looked quite good.

Plus, on an individual basis, I really like each ingredient: chicken, feta, lemon, zucchini.  But the flavors did not come together well and really did not complement one another.  On the plus side, the chicken was moist and had a pretty good flavor.

I promised to share the winners and losers when I started this blog so here is a loser.  I won’t be making this recipe again.

Feta Chicken with Zucchini
Real Simple

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lemon
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 medium zucchini
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup (about 2 ounces) crumbled Feta

Heat oven to 400° F. Drizzle 1/2 tablespoon of the oil in a roasting pan. Remove the zest from the lemon in thin strips; set aside. Thinly slice the lemon. Place half the slices in the pan.

Rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Place it on top of the lemon slices and season with 1/8 teaspoon of the salt.

Slice each zucchini in half lengthwise, then slice each half into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons. In a bowl, combine the zucchini, parsley, pepper, and the remaining oil, lemon slices, and salt; toss. Spread the zucchini mixture around the chicken and sprinkle the Feta over the top.

Roast until the chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer it to a cutting board and cut each piece into thirds. Divide the chicken, zucchini mixture, and lemons among individual plates and sprinkle with the zest.