You can vary this chicken recipe by stuffing the breasts with soft goat’s cheese, Boursin or Camembert instead of mozzarella, and use any soft herbs available such as tarragon, parsley or sorrel.
Ingredients
- 4 skinless free-range chicken breasts
- 125g ball mozzarella, sliced
- 100g semi-dried tomatoes, chopped
- Small handful fresh basil leaves
- 100g fresh brown or white breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- 75g plain flour, seasoned
- 2 medium free-range eggs, beaten
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the green beans
- 400g fine green beans, topped
- 25g butter
- Juice of 1 lemon
Method
- 1. Make a small incision in the side of each chicken breast and stuff each with a quarter of the mozzarella (about 1 or 2 slices), a quarter of the chopped tomatoes (about 1 tbsp) and 2 or 3 leaves of the basil, then season. Mix together the breadcrumbs, grated parmesan and lemon zest. Season well and spread out over a shallow tray.
- 2. Carefully roll the stuffed chicken breasts in the seasoned flour, shake off the excess flour, then dip the breasts in the beaten egg and finally roll in the tray of crumbs. Put on a plate, cover and chill for 20 minutes.
- 3. Preheat the oven to 180°c/fan160°c/gas 4. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a low heat and fry the chicken breasts for 3-4 minutes each side until just golden brown. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes until cooked through.
- 4. Meanwhile, cook the beans in a pan of boiling salted water for 4-5 minutes until just tender, and drain. Add the butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper and stir until glazed.
- 5. To serve, divide the beans and chicken among plates, and serve with baked potatoes, if you like.
Nutritional info
Per serving: 622kcals, 27.3g fat (11.4g saturated), 55.8g protein, 41g carbs, 6.2g sugar, 1.8g salt
Chef's tip
To freeze this dish, prepare up to the end of step 2. Wrap in cling film and store in a plastic container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen on a hot baking sheet and add 15 minutes to the cooking time, baking until the chicken is piping hot and cooked through.