Chicken scallops with chiles and parsley

SERVES 4

Ingredients:

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (preferably free-range), about 7oz (200g) each

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 cup toasted bread crumbs

handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

2 fresh red jalapeño chile peppers, seeded and finely chopped

1 egg, lightly beaten

1–2 tbsp olive oil

10oz (300g) fresh spinach leaves

juice of 1 lemon

a few drops of Asian hot chili oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1 Sandwich the chicken breasts between 2 large sheets of plastic wrap. Pound with a meat mallet or the side of rolling pin until thin and evenly flattened. Season well with salt and pepper, and dust with flour.

2 In a bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, parsley, and chiles. Dip the chicken in the beaten egg, then coat with the bread crumb mixture.

3 In a large frying pan, heat the oil over high heat. Add the chicken pieces, two at a time, and cook for 6–8 minutes, turning once, until golden and cooked through. Remove from the pan, and set aside to keep warm.

4 Now reduce the heat slightly and add the spinach to the same pan with a sprinkling of water. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes until just wilted. Sprinkle with some of the lemon juice, and serve on warm plates, along with the chicken. Squeeze the remaining lemon juice and a few drops of chili oil over the top, and serve immediately.

Cook’s NoTEs:

You can prepare the chicken the night before. Coat the chicken pieces with the bread crumbs as directed, cover loosely, and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Chicken scallops with chiles and parsley