Full flavoured and delicious as well as being super moist this chicken dish does not disappoint. Its speedy and simple enough to do, so is perfect for a midweek dinner. Dont let the different steps put you off as it's just a Coat,Fry,Bake process thats easy to do. Once you get the hang of doing this a few times it wont take as long and definitely wont be as daunting as the first time. I've used mayonnaise to coat the chicken as A) I had no eggs and B) I really like how it keeps the chicken from being dry but you could just use eggs as it works just as well. The step by step picture guide let's you follow the recipe easily, and you can tailor it to suit you and your families tastes. I've used 4 breasts to give 8 pieces in all, but you could easily use 2 breasts to make 4 pieces and cut the costs considerably. The choice is yours.You could cut out the fry part and just bake in the oven till fully cooked, but I like the crunch that frying gives you . Why not give this a try and let us know how you got on in the comments below. We love to hear your thoughts x
Prep:-Butterfly the chicken breasts by placing your hand on top of the chicken and carefully cutting through the thickest part of the breast horizontally to give you 2 thinner pieces of chicken.
Dice the onion and garlic
Slice the mozzarella
Place the chicken inbetween 2 pieces of Cling film and gently bash them with a rolling pin or meat tenderiser till they're the same thickens-this helps them to cook more evenly. Pat the chicken dry.
Prep 3 dishes with the coatings for the chicken.
1-mayonnaise & parmesan
2-Panko,Sesame seeds,mixed herbs,s&p
3- dry-to hold the coated chicken
Place the chicken in the Mayonnaise mix, turn over to ensure it's coated then into the breadcrumbs again turning till coated and finally into a dry tray whilst you repeat with the remaining chicken.
Heat 3 tbsp of the oil in a pan on a med/high heat and fry the chicken for 3-4mns till it's crispy and brown .
You may need to do this in batches.
Turn over and repeat for the other side.
Remove from the pan onto a piece of kitchen roll, cover and set aside for now
Heat 1 tsp of the remaining oil in the pan, add the onion and fry till soft (2-3mns)then add the garlic and stir through.
Add the passata, sugar and oregano
Mix through and simmer for 2-3mns
Add the spinach
Mix through continue to simmer for 2-3mns. Season with S&P if needed
Meanwhile place the chicken breasts in an oven proof dish
Spoon 2 tbsp of tomato sauce onto each chicken piece
Add the sliced mozzarella on top
Top up the dish with the remaining sauce
Bake in the Halogen for 10-15mns at 175°
Once cooked carefully remove from the oven. Taste and season if needed
Serve with Spaghetti and a garnish of parmesan shavings and a sprinkle of parsley
Easy Swaps:-
Panko breadcrumbs for crushed cereal to keep the topping crunchy or plain breadcrumbs if you prefer a softer topping.
Mayonnaise for 2 eggs or melted butter.
Oregano for any herbs you like.
Chicken breasts for coujons or thighs
Halogen Oven for conventional oven -220°for 10-15 mns
Servings 4