Balsamic Chicken with Herbs and Blue Cheese

This recipe embodies my style of cooking. I love the combination of earthy flavours and the use of key ingredients to create depth, while keeping the recipe simple. I serve this with mashed potato to showcase the chicken and blue cheese and a simple salad topped with toasted pine nuts.
Serves 6

6 boneless chicken breasts, skin removed and cut in half
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3T olive oil
1t lemon zest
2t black pepper
1t salt
3 sprigs lemon thyme
2t herbs de province
1 wedge blue cheese

Place the chicken in a ziploc type bag. Mix the olive oil, vinegar, lemon zest, salt and pepper together and add to the bag. Seal the bag and marinade in the fridge for 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the chicken, herbs and thyme in a baking dish. Cook for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. (this will depend on the thickness of the chicken breast.)
Serve with mashed potato and a green salad, with a generous amount of blue cheese.

Banting: serve with cauli-mash

Make your own herbs de Provence
1 T dried basil leaves
1 T dried marjoram leaves
1 T dried summer savory leaves
1 T dried thyme leaves
2 t dried orange zest, powdered
1 powdered or ground bay leaf
1 t fennel seeds
2 t dried lavender
1/8 t white pepper

Mix together and seal in a jar. Store in a dark place. Makes about 5T.