Crispy parmesan chicken with soft basil tomatoes

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts, skinless
• salt and pepper
• flour, for dusting
• 75g/3oz fresh white breadcrumbs
• 50g/2oz finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 free-range eggs, beaten
• olive oil, for cooking
• large knob of butter
• 6 tomatoes, halved
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• coarse sea salt
• handful of fresh basil leaves
• 4 wedges of lemon

Method

1. Place the chicken breasts between cling film sheets and lightly bat, until about half to one centimetre/quarter to half an inch thick. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dust in flour to coat thoroughly, tapping away any excess.

2. Mix together the breadcrumbs and parmesan.

3. Dip the flattened chicken breasts (escalopes) in the beaten egg, followed by the Parmesan breadcrumbs.

4. Heat some olive oil with the butter in a large frying pan. Once sizzling, add the crumbed escalopes and cook for three to four minutes on each side until crispy and golden.

5. For the soft basil tomatoes, preheat the grill and put the tomato halves on a baking tray, topping each with a slice of garlic. Season with a good twist of fresh black pepper and a sprinkling of sea salt.

6. Drizzle with olive oil and grill until just overdone, their softness providing the escalopes with a sauce to dip into.

7. Tear the basil leaves and scatter them over the tomatoes with a drizzle of olive oil.

8. Serve the escalopes on a warm plate with the soft basil tomatoes and a wedge of lemon.