Roasted Parmesan Chicken and Tomatoes with Pesto Couscous
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Print Recipe Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4
This parmesan chicken with a crispy panko breadcrumb crust served with sweet cherry tomatoes on green pesto is a quick and easy mid-week dinner.
Make sure you use proper ground Parmesan and not grated. The grated cheese burns whereas the ground stuff combined with the breadcrumbs make a nice crust.
If you are a fan of cherry tomatoes as we are and you have the time try the following instead of adding them in with the parmesan chicken:
Preheat the oven to 200℃/Fan 180℃. Put about 15-20 good quality cherry tomatoes in a heatproof dish, coat with olive oil, add a splash of balsamic vinegar, sprinkle with coarse salt and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. You won’t use any other method, I assure you.
They are absolutely delicious. Try them on toast!
The separate recipe is here.
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Roasted Parmesan Chicken and Tomatoes with Pesto Couscous
Tender chicken breast in a crispy panko breadcrumb crust.
Equipment
- Skillet or Shallow Cast Iron Pan – You need the heavy bottom pan to get a nice crust.
Ingredients
For the Couscous:
- 1-1/2 cups couscous
- 2-3 tablespoons basil pesto
- 1-1/2 cups boiling water
For the Chicken:
- 2 large chicken breasts
- ¼ cup plain flour
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning optional
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup ground Parmesan cheese* plus more for serving
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
For the Tomatoes:
- 350 grams cherry tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup fresh basil finely chopped
- salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Conversions
Instructions
For the couscous:
- Pour the couscous into a medium heatproof bowl and add in two tablespoons of pesto and the salt. Pour over the boiling water, give it a quick stir to combine, and place a dinner plate over the bowl to create a bit of a lid. Set aside while you get to work on the chicken.
For the chicken:
- Place a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. While the skillet preheats, place the chicken breasts onto a large piece of parchment paper and cover them with a second sheet of parchment. Using a meat mallet or a wooded rolling pin, evenly pound the chicken breasts until they are about one centimeter thick. Cut each breast into two and set aside.
- In a shallow dish, combine the flour, Italian seasoning (if using), garlic powder, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. In a separate shallow dish, beat the eggs until well combined. In a third shallow dish, combine the Parmesan and breadcrumbs.
- Add the oil and butter to the preheated skillet, turning it down to medium if the pan is smoking hot. Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture making sure to tap off any excess, dip into the egg, and finally the Parmesan mixture. Carefully add the chicken to the hot pan and cook, undisturbed, for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side or until golden brown and the coating is set. Flip the chicken over and cook for another two to three minutes or until cooked through and golden brown all over. Remove the chicken to a plate to rest.
For the Tomatoes:
- Add them along with the additional oil to the hot pan and cook, stirring frequently, until they burst and get a little saucy, about three to four minutes. Add in the balsamic vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper.
To Serve:
- Remove the plate from the couscous and fluff it gently with a fork. If you’d like a little more basil flavour, feel free to add another tablespoon of pesto. Divide the couscous onto your plates then top with the Parmesan chicken. Stir the basil into the tomatoes and spoon it over the chicken. Garnish with a little more Parmesan and maybe a bit more basil and enjoy!
Notes
*Make sure you use ground Parmesan cheese (the stuff you get in the deli section at the grocery store in those little tubs), not grated. Grated will burn quickly while the ground stuff just makes a nice crust.
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