Easy Weeknight Dinner

I am almost to the point where I can't bear to think of eating another salad for dinner, so this menu is a good substitute, and still pretty healthy (and cheap).  Even though it's my favorite side dish, I am also getting kind of sick of sauteed zucchini with garlic (not that it's not totally delicious).  This dish took a total of about 30 minutes, start to finish, including chopping.

Ingredients for the Zucchini Carpaccio:

1 pound, cleaned zucchini sliced into ribbons (I used a mandolin to slice it into 1/8inch ribbons) 
2 tablespoons good olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Shaved parmesan (to taste)
Sea salt and cracked pepper
1 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Ribbons of zucchini

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and let sit in the fridge to chill before serving.  The longer it sits, the better it will taste.  Make sure the zucchini is very fresh and ripe, since it's being served raw.









Ingredients for the Chicken Thighs:

1 pound chicken thighs
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Juice of 1 lemon
1 small onion, diced
1/4 cup chicken stock or dry white wine (I ran out, so I used stock instead)
Salt and pepper
Olive oil to coat the bottom of the frying pan
Basil to garnish

Finished chicken with oregano, lemon, and onions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat.  Rub the oregano, zest, salt and pepper over the chicken thighs (make sure they're with the bone and skin).  Add the chicken to the frying pan, skin side down and cook for 5 minutes, or until skin is totally browned.  Flip and sear the other side for 3-4 minutes.  Transfer chicken thighs to a baking dish and bake until cooked through (about 10-15 minutes).  Meanwhile, add the onions to the same frying pan and season with salt and pepper.  After 1 minute, turn heat down to medium-low.  Once onions are cooked through, add the lemon juice and wine/stock.  When liquid starts to bubble, turn to lowest setting. When chicken is cooked, serve with lemon/onion sauce and basil.