Tomato and Basil Chicken

Tomato and Basil Chicken

4 chicken breasts
10ml dried Italian herbs
80ml flour
45ml olive oil
125ml white wine
45ml butter
2 cloves of garlic, minced
30ml flour
45ml tomato paste
5ml onion seeds
5ml dried oregano
2,5ml mustard powder
10ml sugar
500ml chicken stock
125ml milk
125ml cream
30ml cream cheese
125ml grated parmesan cheese
300g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 handful of basil leaves

Place the chicken on a chopping board and halve it horizontally/in its length.
Place one piece of chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound it with a rolling pin until it is 1cm thick.
Season with salt, pepper and the Italian herbs.
Add the flour to a shallow bowl and dredge both sides of each chicken piece in the flour.
Add the olive oil to a pan set over medium-high heat and sear a few pieces of chicken at a time. (about 4 minutes). Set aside.
Turn the heat down to medium and pour the wine into the pan.
Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen all the bits stuck to it while the wine bubbles away, allowing it to reduce by half.
Add the butter and garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Sprinkle the flour over and stir-fry for another minute.
Now add the tomato paste and cook for another minute.
Add the onion seeds, oregano, mustard and sugar and stir.
Add the stock a little at a time while stirring continuously.
Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to a very low simmer.
Pour the milk and the cream into the mixture in the same way.
Stir in the cream cheese and parmesan.
Add the tomato, heat through and turn off the heat.
Scatter the basil over, stir and stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Apricot Chicken

Apricot Chicken

8 skinless chicken breasts
250ml mayonnaise
250ml apricot chutney
300ml water
15ml mild curry powder
250g dried apricots
45ml thyme leaves

Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Place the chicken in a large oven dish, spacing them so that they aren’t crowded.
Season with salt and pepper.
Pour the mayonnaise, chutney, water and curry powder into a jug and whisk together.
Pour over the chicken.
Chop half the apricots and sprinkle on the chicken.
Cover the oven dish with aluminium foil and place in the oven to cook for 40 minutes.
Remove the foil and scatter the rest of the apricots over.
Cook the chicken (without the foil) for another 15 minutes. Spoon the liquid over the chicken from time to time.
I serve this dish on couscous which is great for absorbing the abundance of sauce. A tomato and basil salad is the perfect pairing for a great weekday dinner!

20-Minute Orange Chicken

20-Minute Orange Chicken

4-6 chicken breasts
45ml olive oil
45ml balsamic vinegar
150ml fresh orange juice
150ml chicken stock
30ml finely chopped rosemary
30ml sugar
a knob of butter

Place a chicken breast between two pieces of plastic film and flatten it slightly by gently bashing it with the flat bottom of a pan. Flatten all the breasts in this way so that they are slightly thinner and has an even thickness.
Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat and fry the chicken for 3 minutes before flipping it over and frying for another 2 minutes.
Pour half of the balsamic vinegar over the chicken and add the orange juice and stock to the pan.
Sprinkle the rosemary over and season the chicken with salt.
Bring the mixture to a boil, turn down the heat to a slow simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the chicken while simmering and turn halfway through cooking.
Now stir in the sugar, butter, the remaining balsamic and cook for a few minutes more – you want a reduced sauce that is beautifully glossy.
Serve the orange chicken on couscous to soak up the wonderfully fragrant sauce.