serves
2-4
prep
20 minutes
cook
35 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
2-4
people
preparation
20
minutes
cooking
35
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
Serve this up on its own, on a bun or on top of a pile of Israeli couscous, as I have here.
Ingredients
Couscous
- 3 tsp (15 ml) olive oil
- 1 cup Israeli couscous
- 1½ cups low sodium chicken broth (or use chicken stock)
Chicken
- 1-2 (225 to 450 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts (see Note)
- 1 egg
- 1½ tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ cup ground Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (not grated - see Note), plus more for serving
- ½ cup plain breadcrumbs
- 2½-3 tbsp olive oil
Tomatoes
- 3 tsp (15 ml) olive oil
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving
- 1-2 tsp red wine vinegar
Instructions
- For the couscous, heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the couscous and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low, then cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until all of the broth has been absorbed. Remove from heat and set aside, covered, for 5 minutes.
- For the chicken, place the chicken between two sheets of wax or parchment paper and, using a meat mallet, rolling pin or a small skillet, lightly and evenly pound until ¾- to 1-cm (generous ¼-inch to ½-inch) thick then cut into two equal portions and set aside. If making the dish for four, continue with a second chicken breast.
- In a shallow dish, beat together the egg, mayonnaise, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper. In a separate shallow dish, combine the ground Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and breadcrumbs. Working with one piece of chicken at a time, dip the chicken into the egg mixture to coat then toss in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing firmly to adhere the coating to the chicken.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium/medium-high heat. Heat the oil and add the chicken. Cook for 4 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through to 75°C (165°F), adjusting the heat as necessary. Remove the chicken to a plate to rest.
- For the tomatoes, heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin releasing some juices, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for an additional minute. Stir in the basil and red wine vinegar, to taste.
- To serve, remove the lid from the couscous and give it a stir to loosen. Divide the couscous onto plates and top with the chicken and sautéed tomatoes. Garnish with additional Parmigiano and fresh basil.
Notes
• The coating for the chicken can be stretched to coat four pieces of chicken and the portion of tomatoes is generous, so feel free to make this meal for four. If you’re a particularly hungry group, the couscous can be easily doubled.
• Make sure you use ground Parmigiano Reggiano (parmesan) cheese (available from some delis or, if you’ve got it, you can even use parmesan from a can). Grated parmesan will burn while the ground cgeese makes a nice golden crust.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
Serve this up on its own, on a bun or on top of a pile of Israeli couscous, as I have here.
