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Lemon juice makes a chicken and potato bake a breeze

Autumn might be the official season of the one-pot wonder. Kids are back in school, the office watercooler gets crowded as we trickle back from summer vacations, and suddenly dinnertime feels like more of a time-squeeze.

Busy lives need quick meals that don't require a ton of prep, crazy ingredients or lots of dishes because the last thing I want to do after a long day of work, kids activities and homework-checking is a counter loaded up with dishes.

Baked dinners are a classic weeknight solution, but how to make one that is healthy, flavorful, and easy? This basic chicken and potato bake is so simple, you might breeze right past the recipe.

But the trick is: lots of lemon juice. Half a cup sounds like a ton, but it's what makes the chicken super flavorful in just minutes. The high acid level gets right into the chicken and tenderizes it, and yet as it bakes, the acid mellows and softens into a gorgeous gentle tang. The second trick to this dinner-in-a-pan is a super quick turn in the microwave for some baby potatoes (Note: you can cube up larger potatoes if you don't have tiny ones).

I'm using boneless skinless chicken breast, but you can use pork chops (bone-in recommended) or even fish. My weeknight strategy: pop this pan into the oven, toss together a green salad, and set the table while the chicken cooks. Easy, healthy, and even comforting in a fall-night sort of way.

• Food Network star Melissa d'Arabian is an expert on healthy eating on a budget. She is the author of the cookbook "Supermarket Healthy." Visit her at www.melissadarabian.net.

Baked Chicken And Potato Dinner

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