Crunchy Garlic Chicken

I felt like a real chef making this chicken. You'll need a food processor (or a natural ability to cut your food into teeny tiny little pieces). This is a Jamie Oliver recipe and he notes that the crumbing technique used is very versatile in that you can use it with pork or even fish (he suggests cod) in exactly the same way. As there is butter in the crumb mixture, you can grill, fry, roast or bake the meat dry in the oven and it will go lovely and golden. Bon appétit!

Ingredients (for 2)
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 lemon
• 6 saltine crackers
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 sprigs of fresh Italian parsley
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 heaped tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg, preferably free-range or organic
• 2 skinless chicken breast fillets, preferably free-range or organic
• olive oil

To prepare your chicken: Peel the garlic and zest the lemon • Put your crackers into a food processor with the butter, garlic, parsley sprigs, lemon zest and a pinch of salt and pepper • Whiz until the mixture is very fine, then pour these crumbs on to a plate • Sprinkle the flour on to a second plate • Crack the egg into a small bowl and beat with a fork • Lightly score the underside of the chicken breasts • Put a square of plastic wrap over each one and bash a few times with the bottom of a pan until the breasts flatten out a bit • Dip the chicken into the flour until both sides are completely coated, then dip into the egg and finally into the flavored crumbs • Push the crumbs on to the chicken breasts so they stick – you want the meat to be totally coated

To cook your chicken:
You can either bake or fry the chicken • If baking, preheat your oven to its highest temperature (475˚), place your chicken on a sheet pan and cook for 15 minutes • If frying, put a frying pan on a medium heat, add a few good lugs of olive oil and cook the chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until cooked through, golden and crisp

To serve your chicken:
Either serve the chicken breasts whole, or cut them into strips and pile them on a plate • Beautiful and simple served with a lemon wedge for squeezing over, and a tiny sprinkling of salt • Great with a lovely fresh salad or simply dressed veggies.

- recipe cred Jamie Oliver