Yvonne Cobb's cheesy breaded chicken with creamy mash
Yvonne Cobb is back in the kitchen with a dish to transform your Thursday night. Her breaded chicken breast is stuffed with delicious layers of fresh spinach, thin smoked ham and layers of garlic cheese. Seriously cheesy and bursting with flavours, this quick dinner is perfect for a busy night.
Yvonne’s chicken and butterbean mash
Serves: 4
Ingredients
4 slices stale sourdough bread
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
2 eggs, whisked
Plain flour, to dust
4 chicken breast fillets
125g mascarpone or cream cheese
Large handful of chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
3 handful wilted fresh spinach, squeezed out to remove excess liquid
4 good quality smoked ham (not too thin)
2 tbsp olive oil
For the mashed butter beans:
20g butter
2 x 400g tins butter beans, drained and washed
150ml vegetable stock
Juice of half a lemon
Splash of water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve:
Pea shoots
Nigella seeds or black sesame seeds
Gravy
Method
1. Blitz together the bread, paprika, salt and a pinch of black pepper until the consitency of fine crumbs - it will give a nice light brown / reddish colour. Place in a wide bowl. Alongside have another wide bowl of beaten eggs and one with plain flour.
2. Hammer down the chicken breasts using a rolling pin to make them an even thickness. Carefully slice through on one side to make a pocket.
3. Mix together the mascarpone, parsley and rosemary then stuff inside the chicken. Add the wilted spinach on top followed by the ham slices.
4. Preheat the oven to 180C, Gas 4. Dust each stuffed chicken breast with flour, dip in the egg mixture and then coat in the breadcrumbs.
5. Heat the oil in an oven proof frying pan and cook the chicken for 5 minutes on each side and then transfer the pan to the oven and cook for a further 15 – 20 minutes, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and golden brown.
6. For the butterbean mash, add the butter, butter beans and vegetable stock to a pan then heat gently for about 5 minutes.
7. Add the lemon juice and puree with a hand blender - if it is too thick add a little water, the consistency should be like mashed potato.
8. Spread the butter bean mash on a plate, sit the stuffed chicken on top then sprinkle with pea shoots and some nigella seeds or black sesame seeds.
9. Serve with hot gravy.