chicken escalopes, butter beans with chicory & crème fraîche

Shopping list (serves 4)

Chicken escalopes:
Chicken thighs (boneless, skinless) x 8
Lemon juice x 1/2 tbp
Eggs (whisked) x 2
Panko breadcrumbs x 180g
Flour
Salt
Pepper
Vegetable or rapeseed oil 500ml+

Butter beans & chicory:
Red chicory x (quartered) x 2
Garlic cloves (finely chopped) x 3
Butter beans (400g tin) x 2
Butter x 2 tbsp
Creme fraiche x 2 tbsp
Zest of 2 lemons
Lemon juice x 1 tbsp
Chives (v finely chopped) x 2 tbsp
Basil leaves

The chicken
In a mixing bowl, start by combining the chicken thighs with the lemon juice, whilst seasoning generously with the salt and pepper.

Leave for a couple of hours, or overnight if possible.

In a heavy-bottom pan, heat the oil until between 170-180°C, and set your oven to 180°C.

Once the oil is hot enough, cook the thighs in batches. Do this by dusting them with the flour, covering in egg yolk, and then rolling evenly in the breadcrumbs, before dropping into the hot oil. Cook for six minutes. Once golden brown, remove and place the thighs on a baking tray.

Cook all eight thighs together in your hot oven for a further 15 minutes, before leaving to rest for five minutes on some kitchen roll.

The butter beans
In a frying pan, heat some oil over a high heat, before adding the chicory and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes and season well. Add the butter beans with the liquid from the tins, and continue to cook on a high heat for another 10 minutes. Add the butter, herbs, lemon juice and zest, and finally the crème fraîche. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn the heat right down.

Serve the crispy pieces of chicken with the butter beans and chicory, alongside a slice of lemon and some sea salt flakes.

Enjoy!x