WEEKNIGHT TUSCAN CHICKEN

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 free-range, skinless chicken fillets
• 5ml herbes de Provence
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
• fine salt and freshly ground
• black pepper
• olive oil, for cooking
• 1 large shallot, finely diced
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• zest of 1 lemon
• 6-8 sundried tomatoes in olive oil, thinly sliced
• 60ml white wine (Chenin Blanc)
• 80ml chicken stock
• 125ml fresh cream
• 5ml cornflour whisked with 30ml milk
• 25g parmesan, freshly grated
• several lemon slices, to finish

Method

1. Place the chicken between two sheets of baking paper and pound lightly to flatten and tenderize.
2. Season on both sides with the herbes, rosemary, salt and pepper.
3. Heat 15ml olive oil in a wide-based pan. Place the chicken in the hot oil and cook without turning, until golden – about 5 minutes. Turn and cook for a further 4 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside.
4. Add a little more oil to the pan and sauté the shallots until softened, 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic, lemon zest and sundried tomatoes, and cook for about 2 minutes.
5. Deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping up all the sticky bits, and reduce slightly.
6. Stir in the stock, cream and cornflour slurry. Bring to a simmer, then add the parmesan and stir through.
7. Nestle the chicken in the sauce and simmer until reduced and thickened, around 3-4 minutes should do.
8. Add lemon slices and serve immediately with pan-grilled broccolini, mashed potatoes, pasta, polenta or steamed green beans. Crusty bread is especially good.