Preparation time
less than 30 mins
Cooking time
1 to 2 hours
Serves
Serves 4
Hairy Bikers recipes
From The Hairy Bikers' Comfort Food
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 4 chicken breasts, butterflied and slightly flattened
- 100g/3½oz plain flour
- 2 free-range eggs, beaten
- 75g/2½oz Parmesan, grated
- 75g/2½oz breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- few basil leaves, finely chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 100ml/3½fl oz red wine
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 x 400g/14oz tin chopped tomatoes (or fresh equivalent)
- pinch sugar (optional)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
To assemble
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 balls mozzarella, sliced
- handful fresh basil leaves
Method
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Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Season the flour and place on one plate, put the beaten eggs on another and mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan and herbs on a third plate.
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Dip each chicken piece in the flour, then dust off any excess and drop into the egg. Finally coat in the breadcrumb and parmesan mixture, pressing it into the chicken firmly.
-
Arrange the chicken on a baking tray and drizzle with a little olive oil. Bake for around 12-15 minutes, or until just cooked through.
-
To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a saucepan and add the onion. Fry until very soft – you want it translucent and buttery – then add the garlic. Cook for a further 2 minutes, then add the red wine. Allow to bubble fiercely until the volume of liquid has reduced by half, then add the oregano and tomatoes.
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Season with salt and pepper. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes, then remove the lid. Taste and add a pinch of sugar if you think the tomatoes aren’t sweet enough. Simmer for a further 10 minutes, uncovered, until you have a well reduced sauce – you don’t want anything too wet for this dish as it will make the chicken soggy.
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To assemble, take a large, shallow oven dish which will take all the chicken in a single layer. Cut the garlic clove in half and rub it over the dish.
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Spread the tomato sauce over the base of the dish, then top with the chicken. Arrange the mozzarella on top until the chicken is almost completely covered. Bake in the oven for around 15-20 minutes, or until everything is piping hot and the mozzarella is melted and browned. Serve with a few basil leaves scattered over.