Kerry Brennan | Contributing Writer
If you’r e entertaining this week, my Chicken Parmigiana could be the way to go as it’s very easy; but looks uber impressive. Basically, it’s chicken fillets, mozzarella and ratatouille, baked until it oozes. It’ll take about an hour from start to finish but involves nothing too taxing. Most vegetarians are probably already familiar with the economical delights of ratatouille, and know that it can be eaten with a baked potato or chips or cold for lunch – but maybe that’s just me. All you need is a frying pan, an ovenproof dish, tin foil and some crusty bread.
This one is dedicated to a friend – you know who you are – who, and I quote, “would eat mozzarella off the walls.”
Ingredients
4 Chicken breasts (or one per person)
Plain flour – seasoned and mixed with grated Parmesan
1 beaten egg
1 ball of mozzarella
2 onions
2/3 courgettes
2/3 cloves of garlic
Tin of chopped tomatoes
Method
1) Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Heat oil in the pan.
2) Halve the onions and slice and cook in the pan for a few minutes.
3) Slice the courgettes and add to the pan.
4) Crush or chop the garlic and add to the pan; watch the heat as garlic burns easily.
5) Pour in tin of tomatoes, season and simmer on medium heat with the lid on for 20-30 minutes depending on how soft you want the courgettes.
6) Heat oil in another pan.
7) Dip each chicken breast in the beaten egg, then coat it in the seasoned flour and put into the hot pan.
8) Fry the chicken until golden on either sides; the middle will still be pink.
9) Put the chicken into an ovenproof dish and cover with slices of mozzarella.
10) Pile the ratatouille on top, cover with tin foil and cook in the oven for 15 minutes.
11) Remove tin foil and cook for another 15 minutes before serving with bread.
