Chicken Parma with Tomato Sauce & Rocket Salad

You just can’t beat a chicken parm. Soft chicken breasts stuffed with mozzarella, sundried tomatoes and basil, wrapped in salty parma ham, topped with cheesy, lemony, herby breadcrumbs and served with a rich tomato sauce and fresh rocket salad - it is ultimate comfort food. Kids will love it, adults will love it, its just one of those dishes which is a total crowdpleaser. Perfect for a midweek dinner but also tasty enough that people would be delighted to be served it at a dinner party, it’s just too good.

(Serves 4 - £3.58 per serving)

1. For the tomato sauce, fry a chopped onion in a a little of the oil from the anchovies in a saucepan. Place over a medium heat and fry for 10 mins until soft and caramelised. Add 2 crushed cloves of garlic, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 4 anchovies, 1/2 tsp chilli flakes and a pinch of salt. Stir.
2. Add 1 tbsp tomato puree and 500g passata. Stir and leave to simmer for 15-20 mins until reduced and thickened.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the chicken. Add 75g panko breadcrumbs to a bowl with 2 tbsps chopped parsley, the zest of a lemon, 30g grated parmesan, 1 tsp garlic granules, 1 tbsp olive oil and some seasoning. Stir until well mixed and set aside.
4. Bash four chicken breasts until slightly flattened, before slicing in half lengthways keeping the breasts intact at one side. Open out the halved breasts like a butterfly.
5. In the pocket you have made add a couple of slices of mozzarella, a few sundried tomatoes, and some large basil leaves. Close the breasts then wrap in parma ham, sprinkle over some cracked black pepper and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs.
6. Add to a parchment lined baking tray and bake at 160C fan/180C for 20-25 mins until the chicken is cooked and the breadcrumbs are crispy.
7. After your sauce has reduced, taste for seasoning (I usually add plenty of pepper, 1/2 tsp sugar and a squeeze of lemon).
8. Serve the chicken on top of the tomato sauce with a simply dressed lemon rocket salad on the side. Grate over some more parmesan and enjoy.