Baked Chicken Parmigiana With Sweet Potato Fries & Garden Salad

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan-forced. Finely chop the brown onion and garlic. Pick and tear the basil leaves. Roughly chop the tomato. In a small saucepan, heat a drizzle of olive oil over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the passata, salt (for the sauce), brown sugar and butter and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Step 2

Cut the sweet potato (unpeeled) into 1cm fries. Place on an oven tray lined with baking paper. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and toss to coat. Bake until tender, 25-30 minutes. TIP: Cut the sweet potato to size so it cooks in time.

Step 3

While the sweet potato is baking, place the chicken breast between two sheets of baking paper and pound using a meat mallet (or rolling pin) until about 2cm thick. In a shallow bowl, combine the plain flour, salt (for the chicken) and season with pepper. In a second shallow bowl, whisk the egg. In a third shallow bowl, place the panko breadcrumbs. Dip the chicken into the flour, followed by the egg and finally in the breadcrumbs. Transfer to a plate.

Step 4

Heat enough olive oil to coat the base of a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook until golden, 2-3 minutes each side. Transfer the chicken to an oven tray lined with baking paper. Top each piece with the parmigiana sauce, then sprinkle with the shredded Cheddar cheese and 1/2 the basil. Bake until the cheese melts and the chicken is cooked through, 8-10 minutes. TIP: Chicken is cooked through when it is no longer pink inside.

Step 5

In a medium bowl, combine the tomato and spinach & rocket mix. Just before serving, add a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and toss to coat.

Step 6

Divide the baked chicken parmigiana between plates and serve with the sweet potato fries and garden salad. Garnish with the remaining basil.