Roasted Marjoram Chicken

Contributed by Scott Ehrlich

Preheat the oven to 400°. Season the chicken breasts with salt and black pepper, then sprinkle all over with the paprika and cayenne.
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until shimmering. Add the chicken breasts, skin side down, and cook over moderately high heat just until the skin is crisp, about 2 minutes; turn the breasts over. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake the chicken for 25 minutes, or just until cooked through.
Meanwhile, in a small skillet, cook the sunflower seeds over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. In a blender or food processor, blend the remaining 1/3 cup of olive oil with the marjoram, parsley and lemon juice. Add the toasted sunflower seeds, season with salt and puree the sauce until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Set the chicken on plates and top with the sauce. Serve at once with buttered egg noodles.