This is one of those meals that gets requested on birthdays in our house. It’s really impressive, but very simple to make. It basically has three parts to it, the crumb, the marinade for the chicken (no marinating time required), and the sauce. It’s from my “Date Night Dinners” file, and we’re having it tonight, but so are the kids, so there will be no quiet dinner for two in our house tonight.
Chicken Parmesan with Basil Sauce
Ingredients:
1 Cup (70g) stale breadcrumbs (I always make and use fresh ones on the day, and I don’t toast them)
1/3 Cup (25g) coarsely grated parmesan cheese
1 Tbl. fresh flat leaf parsley (You can use dried if you are in a pinch)
3 bacon rashers (210g), chopped finely
80g butter, melted
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. mustard powder
4 single chicken breast fillets (800g)
Sauce:
1/3 Cup (80ml) olive oil
1/4 Cup (60ml) white vinegar
1 clove garlic
1 Cup firmly packed fresh Basil leaves
1/3 Cup (80ml) cream (Unfortunately Lite Cream doesn’t thicken and your sauce will be runny)
1 egg yolk
Directions:
Combine breadcrumbs, cheese and parsley in a large bowl and set aside.
Cook bacon in fry-pan until crisp and drain on absorbent paper and add to breadcrumb mixture.
Combine butter, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and mustard in shallow dish.
Dip chicken into butter mixture then place in a single layer in a foil tray or baking dish you plan to cook it in. Pour left-over marinade over the chicken.
Press crumb mixture over chicken and cook uncovered for about 25 minutes in a pre-heated moderate oven (180C/160C fan forced).
Meanwhile, make basil sauce. Blend oil, vinegar, garlic, basil and cream until smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan. Add yolk and whisk over low heat, without boiling, until sauce thickens slightly.
Serve chicken with basil sauce.
It looks like a lot of steps, but when you have made it once, it is so simple you will do it again.
Source: I think it is from a Women’s Weekly cooking show called Fresh TV. I have been making it for years. Hope you like it.