Chicken Milanese and Garlic Butter with Spinach and Peas
This clever recipe from John Torode and Lisa Faulkner takes inspiration from a chicken Kyiv but takes half the time to make. Think tender chicken breasts coated in crisp panko breadcrumbs served with a medley of spinach in peas and finished with a moreish garlic butter sauce.
Introduction
A chicken Kyiv is a thing of beauty but quite difficult to make; this recipe has all the best things about a Kyiv but in half the time! Don’t scrimp on the garlic butter – it may seem a lot but it’s delicious – and just make sure the person you’re kissing is eating it too!
Ingredients
| 4 | skinless chicken breasts |
| 2 tbsp | plain flour |
| 1 | egg, beaten with a splash of milk |
| 100g | panko breadcrumbs |
| 30g | Parmesan, grated |
| Vegetable oil, for shallow frying | |
| sea salt and freshly ground black pepper | |
| For the spinach and peas: | |
|---|---|
| 200g | frozen spinach cubes |
| 150g | frozen peas |
| For the garlic butter: | |
| 80g | butter, softened |
| 3-4 | garlic cloves, grated |
| Good handful of | chopped parsley |
Method
To butterfly the chicken breasts, put the pointed end of the breast away from you, place your hand on top of the breast and, with a sharp knife, gently slice horizontally through the meat, making little cuts as you go to open the chicken out. repeat with the remaining breast. (or just flatten the chicken out by bashing it with a rolling pin between 2 sheets of baking parchment.)
Put the flour in one bowl, the beaten egg mixture in a second and mix together the breadcrumbs and Parmesan in a third. coat the four breasts first in flour, then in eggs and finally in the breadcrumbs.
Pour about a 1cm depth of vegetable oil into a deep frying pan and heat until hot (you can check to see if it is hot by inserting the end of a wooden spoon into the oil. if it fizzes, the oil is hot enough). Fry the chicken for a few minutes on each side until thoroughly cooked through. remove from the pan and drain.
Meanwhile, put the spinach cubes in a pan, then add the frozen peas across the top with some salt and pepper. Place over the heat and cook until the spinach defrosts, letting the vegetables cook in their own juices.
In a small pan, melt the butter with the garlic, then take off the heat and add the chopped parsley. Spoon the spinach and peas onto plates and top with the chicken. Spoon over the garlic butter and serve.
Tip: If you like, you can add crème fraîche or mint sauce to the spinach and peas, or just an extra knob of butter.
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