Impress Your Guests

I used to make this dish for my family when I was younger and recently revived it for my 22nd birthday (have I mentioned I'm 22 enough recently?!). It's a straightforward meal that is perfect for dinner parties as the prep can all be done in advance. Just make them up until the point you have to cook them in the oven and put them in the fridge instead. Shove them in the oven 30 minutes before you want to eat and enjoy a drink and nibbles with your guests.

I love the idea of effortless dinner parties and yet never succeed. One eye fully made up and frantically stirring a sauce with one hand while laying the table with the other. My friends find it hysterical, and my parents ask why I don't do dishes where everything is prepared well in advance. I suppose I like the challenge, but also I seem to have no concept of timing, and consequently run late for everything.


My next dinner party will involve this dish, and some rosemary roast potatoes. The dessert will be made in advance, and the starter shall be simple. Then, I can relax with my friends and a glass of wine without constantly running in and out of the kitchen. As my mother would say pigs might fly. Who am I kidding? I love the challenge and it will probably be hideously complicated as usual.

Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe

Oven at 180˚

Serves 6

Can be prepped (up to the point of cooking them) in advance and left covered in the fridge

If you don't want to use eggs then swap the flour and egg dips of one of plain yogurt

Make sure you have spare flour, eggs and breadcrumbs just in case you need more

Serve with potatoes and salad

Ingredients

6 chicken breasts

125g ball mozzarella, cut into 6 slices

6 pieces parma ham

6 basil leaves

flour, seasoned

2 eggs

about 2 cups breadcrumbs

Butter

Method

Trim the chicken breasts so they're in one piece with no flaps (use the excess to make posh chicken nuggets).

Cut a pocket in the side of each chicken breast with the tip of a sharp knife, making sure not to cut all the way through.

Stuff each pocket with a piece of mozzarella, parma ham and basil.

Press the cut edges of the chicken together to seal.

Set up 3 bowls with the seasoned flour in the first, beaten eggs in the second and breadcrumbs in the third.

One at a time cover the chicken first in flour, then in egg and finally in the breadcrumbs, making sure they're well coated. Place on a plate.

Melt some butter in a large frying pan and place 2 of the stuffed chicken breasts in the pan to brown the breadcrumbs for a few seconds before turning them over to brown the other side. Place in a large ovenproof dish.

Fry the others in the same way. You might need to clean out the pan and melt some new butter to stop the breadcrumbs from blackening.

Bake the stuffed chicken in the oven for 25 minutes before serving.

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