Lemon chicken escalopes
To save time, you can chop all the salsa ingredients together in a food-processor – just use the pulse button until you have the right consistency.
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
For the escalopes:
4 skinless chicken breasts250g brown breadcrumbs (stale bread whizzed up in a food-processor is ideal)1 tbsp mixed dried herbsFreshly ground black pepper, to tasteJuice and grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon1 tsp garlic granules1/2 tsp smoked paprika2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil2 eggs, beaten
For the tomato salsa:
225g ripe vine tomatoes, finely diced1 red pepper, deseeded and finely diced1/2 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped2 tsp balsamic vinegar1 tbsp chopped fresh chives1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6 and line a baking tray with baking parchment
For the chicken escalopes, sandwich each chicken breast between two sheets of cling film. Using a rolling pin, bash each breast until it is about 1cm thick. Discard the cling film and set the chicken aside.
In a large, shallow dish, mix together the breadcrumbs, herbs, black pepper, lemon zest, garlic granules and smoked paprika. Add the olive oil and lemon juice, to dampen the mixture (though it should still resemble breadcrumbs).
Place the beaten eggs in a separate bowl and dip a chicken escalope in the egg to cover it, then dredge it through the breadcrumb mixture, to give it a good coating. Place the coated escalope on the prepared baking tray, and repeat the dipping and dredging process with the remaining chicken escalopes.
Bake the chicken escalopes in the oven for 15–20 minutes, until cooked through and crispy
To make the salsa, mixall the ingredients together in a bowl. Season to taste.
From The Bikini Promise, by Sally Bee. Published by Kyle Books, priced £14.99Photography by Clare Winfield