Chicken Parmesan with Garlic Butter Spaghetti

Ingredients

• 600 g chicken breasts, flattened
• 50 g plain flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 100 g plain breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 400 g passata
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 150 g mozzarella, sliced
• 50 g grated parmesan
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 350 g spaghetti
• 50 g butter
• 10 g fresh basil, torn
• sea salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 x 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
• 300 g rocket, dressed with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp lemon juice, plus 30 g shaved parmesan

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C fan. Season the flattened chicken generously with salt and pepper. Set up three plates: flour, beaten egg, and breadcrumbs mixed with the oregano. Dredge each breast in flour, dip in egg, then press firmly into the breadcrumbs so every surface is evenly coated.
2. Heat the rapeseed oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Fry the breaded chicken for 3–4 minutes a side until deeply golden and crisp; you want a crunchy shell and a still-juicy centre that will finish in the oven. Lift onto kitchen paper.
3. In a small pan, soften the chopped garlic in a splash of oil for 30 seconds until fragrant but not coloured. Pour in the passata and simmer gently for 6–8 minutes until slightly reduced and glossy. Taste and season until the sauce is bright and balanced.
4. Sit the fried chicken in a baking dish, spoon the tomato sauce generously over each piece, blanket with mozzarella slices and shower with parmesan. Bake for 12–15 minutes until the cheese is bubbling, blistered and golden and the chicken reads 75°C for 30 seconds at the thickest point.
5. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in plenty of well-salted boiling water to the packet timing for al dente. Scoop out 100ml of the starchy cooking water, then drain.
6. Melt the butter in the empty pasta pan over medium heat, toss in the crushed garlic and let it sizzle for 20–30 seconds until fragrant. Return the spaghetti with a splash of the reserved water and the torn basil, tossing hard until the pasta is silky and slick.
7. Twist a nest of garlic butter spaghetti onto each plate, sit a chicken parmesan on top and spoon over any extra tomato sauce and cheesy juices from the baking dish. Finish with a crack of black pepper and an extra drift of parmesan.