chicken cutlets with lemon oregano sauce

i don't know about you, but i go through what i call "kitchen ruts" where i find myself making pretty much the same dinners, sometimes with slight variations, for a couple weeks in a row. lack of time is what usually triggers them and we eat our default meals - those that we've made dozens of times before and are easy, quick, and delicious. when i finally got out of the last rut, this is one of the first dinners i made. and i should have made it sooner. there's something delicious that happens to lemon slices that are cooked underneath chicken. they almost disintegrate and loose enough of their tartness so they're edible, but not so much that you forget you're eating lemons. they're delicious. paired with carrots and rice, this made a great weeknight meal for us.

chicken cutlets with lemon oregano sauce
adapted from bon appetit
30 minutes, serves 4

1 lemon
3 large chicken breasts, split or 6 chicken cutlets
3 sprigs oregano
1 small shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
pinch red pepper flakes
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth

1. preheat your oven to 435F. thinly slice half of the lemon and cut the remaining half into wedges.
2. coat a large skillet with olive oil and place over medium heat. season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook until chicken is browned, but not cooked all the way through, a few minutes on each side.
3. remove the pan from heat, place half of the lemon slices under the chicken pieces and the other half on top. transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes.
4. transfer chicken and lemon from under the chicken to a plate, leaving the lemon that was on top of the chicken in the pan. return the pan to medium heat. add the oregano, shallot, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook about 1 minute.
5. add wine and cook until reduced by half. add the broth and cook until thickened. return chicken to skillet to warm. squeeze remaining lemon over the pan and serve with caramelized lemon.