Chicken breast with honey-lemon glaze

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 4 chicken breasts with skin
• 1 tbsp butter, room temperature
• salt and pepper
• 750 ml chicken stock
• 1 chicken, carcass only, or 250 g chicken wings
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 carrot(s), chopped
• 2 onions
• 2 Celery
• 1 sprig(s) of thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 lemon(s), the juice

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours; Total time approx. 2 hours 40 minutes

Warm the honey with the lemon zest. The lemon honey tastes even better if you prepare it well in advance, allowing the lemon aroma to infuse. Brush the skin-side down of the chicken breasts with butter, season with salt and pepper, and fry slowly in olive oil until crispy. Place skin-side up in an oven preheated to 160°C (320°F) and cook for 15-20 minutes, brushing with lemon honey every five minutes. The sauce takes the longest and should therefore be prepared first. Finely chop the chicken carcass and brown it in the oil. Add the diced onions, celery, and carrot and let it brown slightly. Pour over the honey and let it caramelize. Add the chicken stock, herbs, and lemon juice. Simmer on low heat for half an hour. Strain through a sieve and reduce by one-third. The sauce should then have a thick consistency. If you want it even creamier, stir in some starch dissolved in water and bring back to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, slice the chicken breasts and coat with the sauce.