Chicken Milanese

Chicken Milanese and garlic butter with spinach and peas
A chicken Kyiv is a thing of beauty but quite difficult to make. This recipe has all the best things about a Kyiv but in half the time! Don't scrimp on the garlic butter - it may seem a lot but it's delicious - and just make sure the person you're going to kiss eats it too!
Serves 4

◆ 4 skinless chicken breasts
◆ 2 tbsp plain flour
◆ 1 egg, beaten with a splash of milk
◆ 100g panko breadcrumbs
◆ 30g Parmesan, grated
◆ Vegetable oil, for shallow frying
◆ Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE SPINACH AND PEAS
◆ 200g frozen spinach
◆ 150g frozen peas

FOR THE GARLIC BUTTER
◆ 80g butter, softened
◆ 3-4 garlic cloves, grated
◆ Good handful of chopped parsley

1. First, butterfly the chicken breasts. With the pointed end of the breast away from you, place your hand on top of it, and with a sharp knife slice horizontally through the meat. Repeat with the other breast. Alternatively, if you are not confident with sharp knives you can flatten the breasts by placing them between two sheets of baking paper, bashing them with a rolling pin to half their thickness then cutting them in two.
2. Put the flour in one bowl, the beaten egg mixture in a second and mix together the breadcrumbs and Parmesan in a third. Coat the four breasts first in flour, then in egg and finally in the breadcrumbs.
3. Pour about 1cm of vegetable oil into a deep frying pan and heat until hot - you can check this by inserting the end of a wooden spoon into the oil. If it fizzes, the oil is hot enough. Fry the chicken for va few minutes on each side until cooked through. Remove from the pan and drain.
4. Meanwhile, put the spinach in a pan, then sprinkle the frozen peas over the top and season with salt and pepper. Place over the heat and cook gently until the spinach defrosts, letting the vegetables cook in their own juices.
5. In a small pan, melt the butter with the garlic, then take off the heat and add the chopped parsley. Spoon the spinach and peas onto plates and top with the chicken, then pour over a helping of the garlic butter to serve.
Tip: If you like, you can add crème fraîche or mint sauce to the spinach and peas, or just an extra knob of butter.

◆ John and Lisa's Kitchen: Everyday Recipes from a Professional Chef and a Home Cook by John Torode and Lisa Faulkner is published by Quadrille,price £25 Rather leave the cooking to the experts? We can find you the perfect candidate; from Housekeepers to Gardeners, Nannies to Carers, we source only the most exceptional candidates for your home.

The Lady, home of domestic recruitment now has three options to suit every need and budget. For more information and to get the ball rolling, SIMPLY CALL 020 7379 4717 OR EMAIL recruitment@lady.co.uk